The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-06-13
SITUATION IN THE VIRGINIA
FIELDS UNCHANGED
SOME STRIKERS RETURN
At Other Points More Miners Join
Strikers-CompIete Tie-Up i'm the
Flat Top Section-Mine Owners In
creasing Guards and Hurrying
Forward Firearms No Distur-
Dances Yet DccurrinE-Some Mines
Shipping Much Coal as Ever.
All Quiet i'm Anthracite Regions.

Ronaoke, Va, June 1O.-Official re-
ports today show there is some i'm
provement in the strike situation in
the Pocahontas fields. More men re-
turned to work this morning and it is
estimated that about 20 per cent. of the
regular force is at work. The output of
coal is about the same proportion. The
shipments for yesterday were One-fifth
of the average. No violence is report
ed in the Pocahontas territory, and the
operators claim to be satisfied with the
outlook.
There is a complete tie up in the Flat
Top district. The men who have started
to work, including the guardsmen. have
been refused board, and others have
been warned by the union men not to
go to work Some strikers at Empire,
w. Va, dumped a car of coal which
was in transit on the ground last
night
The Indian Ridge and Browning
mine owners in the Pocahontas field
have asked their men to meet them at
Bramwell tomorrow night to arrange a
compromise. The men say if the union
is not recognized they will not return
to work.
Keystone, w. Va, June 10.-The sit
uation in the Great Flat Top and Tug
River coal fields today is practically
unchanged. At some of the mines the
strikers lost a few from their ranks,
but at other points they made gains.
Especially was this the case at Dayy.
where more than hundred foreigners
were prevailed upon to come into the
union. At mass meetings today the
strikers voted unanimously to remain
out until the operators made some con-
cessions. The meeting called for to-
morrow by the United Mine Workers at
Bramwen will not be attended by
single operator.
An extra force of guards were put to
work at many of the mines in this ter
ritory today. The number of guards ls
being increased as rapidly as Winches-
ters can be secured. There were sew
eral shipments of firearms to this sec
ton today. One company received five
dozen Winchester repeating shot guns
from Bluefield, w. Va. to The Times
says:
The situation in the coal fields is
about the same today as yesterday
when 125 fifty-ton cars were loaded in
addition to charging number OF coke
ovens. A few companies worked a de-
creased force. The majority increased
the output The strike leaders reported
that there would be a conference at
Bramwell tomorrow night and great
number refrained from working, await
ing the results of the meeting. There is
said to be no truth in the alleged state
ment of a joint meeting. The operators
will not encourage the union, but say
they are willing to meet their own men
as individuals to discuss grievances. In
part of the field the agitators have
promised the miners provisions Wnlch
are not forthcoming. Kylo, Elkrldge,
Powhattan and Peerless shipped about
as much as usual: 1t is reported one
man was killed at Peerless today.
Wilkesbarre, June 1O.-National Pres
ident Mitchell of the Mine Workers
Union, who went to New York yester-
day to meet Carroll D. Wright, United
States commissioner of labor, did not
return to strike headquarters until
nearly midnight tonight.
In his absence nothing was given out
regarding the anthracite strike in this
state or the soft coal suspension in V1r-
ginia and West Virginia. There is no
change in the situation in this region
from either the view point or the miner
or the operator. 1t was a very Qule-
day.
Notwithstanding the efforts OF the
strike leaders to keep their men from
committing acts of violence, there con-
tinue to be acts of lawlessness whlch
are rather annoying to the companies
There was throwing of stones and firing
of revolvers today by a crowd OF the
Lehigh Valley company, at Duryea.
The crowd dispersed. however, before
any one was injured. AS a result OF
the assault upon a night watchman at
Nanticoke last Saturday, several per-
sons were arrested today and held in
bail to keep the peace.