New-York tribune., 1902-07-11
TO TEST MINER LICENSE La "
OPERATORS WILL TAKE THIS COURSE
IF A SYMPATHETIC STRIKE
is ORDERED.

The anthracite operators it was learned yes
terday are waiting until the miners conven-
ton of July II, at which the question OF
sympathetic strike of the soft coal miners will
be voted on, is over before they take any action
toward breaking the strike. The soft coal
miners in West Virginia who are still on strike
will also take no action until the result of this
convention is known.
In case sympathetic strike is ordered. the
State law providing that all miners must have
a. license from inspectors appointed by the
union will be tested by the operators. who Will
employ any they can get. license or no
license. An influential representative Of the
New-York Ontario and Western Railroad Com
pany, said yesterday:
I'VE are doing nothing until after the con-
vention on July II. I believe the conven-
ton will not order a sympathetic strike, but
will simply indorse the strike and recommend
the raising of money in aid Of the strikers. II
a sympathetic strike is not ordered we will
start collieries where Can under protection
if necessary. It may be that enough men in
one company may not come back In that case
men employed by more than one company may
be employed to open a colliery. When the
bltuminous miners strike the anthra-
cite miners would not help them financially.
The bitumnous miners may treat the anthra-
cite miners in the same way"
He added that in case a general strike of the
bituminous miners was ordered. which he
thought unlikely. all business in time would be
paralyzed
we'll known official of one OF the companies
said in regard to the strike:
The man who is mainly responsible for caus-
ing the strike Is T. y. Nichols, one of the dis
trict presidents of the United Mine Workers.
Nichols's district is in the upper valley. where
there more voters than in any other dlstrlct.
He is an ex-Savation Army man. with very
radical views TO the rights OF wage workers,
and was strongly in favor of the strike ana
a bic TO control his district. President Mitchell
was very conservative and Nichols would IKE
very much to take his place
Assistant Corporation Counsel Steele, who has
charge of the Health Board prosecutions against
vioators of the soft coal ordinance, said yester-
day that nine new complaints of violations of
the ordinance had been sent to him by President
Lederle of the Board of Health. One of these
complaints is against the College Point Ferry
Company, and another is against the Long ISL
and Railroad Company. Suits have already
been begun against these two companies. The
Long Island Railroad Company is charged with
creating a nuisance by burning soft coal on
some of its ferryboats. The cases will all
be called in the Seventh Municipal District
Court on July ~. Several cases which were on
the calendar of that court yesterday were ad-
jOUrned
The case against the Manhattan Railway
Company. which came up for hearing yesterday
In the Harlem court, again adjourned TO
July y by the consent of counsel for both sides,
il having been shown that the company was
still burning hard coal only great many
small lots of anthracite which had been held by
dealers were released this week.
Soft coal lower in price yesterday II
was quoted at 81 = ton wholesale alongside.