The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-06-02
CRISIS IN THE COAL STRIKE
TO-DAY'S DEVELOPMENTS MEAN
 MUCH TO BOTH SIDES.
mon and Pumpmen Goes Into Effect at O'Clock This Morning-If the Union Succeeds in Shutting Down the Pumps Damage to the Amount of Millions WilI be Done-Fear 0 f Serious
Disturbances.

Wilkesbarre, Pa, June 1.-The eve of what is looked upon as a most import ant week in the progress of the anthra
 cite coal miners strike finds the entire
 region in an apprehensive mood.
 At z o'clock tomorrow the order of
 the United Mine Workers of America
 calling out all the stationary engineers,
 firemen and pumpmen, unless the com-
 panies grant them an eight-hour work
 day at present wages, will go into ef-
 feet, and no one can foretell the out come of the new move. Victory for either side will be of immense advan-
 tage, and both parties to the contro- versy are striving with all the power at their command to win. If the union succeeds in shutting down the pumps the mine properties will suffer damage that may reach into millions of dollars, and if the employers should be able to keep the water out of their workings without the aid of organized labors it means that the power of the union in the anthracite region has reached it's limit, and that all help in the effort to force the mine owners to grant the de- mands of the great army of 900 men must come from some outside source. The mine workers say they will pre- serve the property of the companies if the engineers, pumpmen and firemen are given what they ask for, and the companies say they will permit no out siders to fix the hours and wages of their men. Neither side tonight shows the slightdest disposition to yield, and, in the words of one mining superinten- dent, "It's a fight to a finish"
 President Mitchell said tonight that this is the first time in the history of his organization that the union was compelled to call out this class of em- ployes and thus endanger the safety of the mines. Tn all other instances, he said, the demands were granted.
 There is a fear throughout the coal belt that the coming week will witness more or less serious disturbances To- 1 morrow is looked upon by well inform ed persons as a critical day, but it is not believed that any serious trouble l will occur. It is a fact that the labor leaders have counselled the strikers to remain quiet and commit no viola ton | of the law.
 It is claimed by the union that nearly | all of the firemen and pumpmen will | quit work and that about three -fourths | If the engineers will also refuse to con- tinue work. This claim was privately | admitted to-day by a company official | familiar with the situation. While the plans of the union have not been made | public, it is known that a thorough sys- tenn has been mapped out with q view If getting out those men who will re- use to quit tomorrow.
 Practically all the non-union men to oe employed are now in the region. The say that tho number of those who have volunteered to fill strikers places has been surprisingly large. and hat no difficulty has been encountered n selecting good men.
 An army of approximately three armed coal and iron police nen. sworn in under law of the state f Pennsylvania, is in the field tonight eady to protect these men and the mining properties. There are also scat cred throughout the country, it is said. bout one thousand men who are doing ecret work for the companies Every olliery in the coal belt has either a oard or barbed- wire fence around if 1t some of the mines camp cars are ying on the siding for the accommoda- ,
 Continued on Third Page) ]