New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-07-28
MAY MINE COAL SOON.
SEVERAL COMPANIES PREPARING; ONE
NOTIFIES MITCHELL OF ITS
INTENTION.
INTENTION
IBr TELEGRAPH TO THE rnrBUNE.I

IBY TELEGRAPH TO TRIBUNE.l
wfIkesbarre, Penn. July 21.-Attacks upon
workers at the two breakers in the anthracite
region which are producing coal were made last
night and early this morning, and others are
expected when work shall be resumed to-mor-
row morning At Lansford the Lehigh Coal and
Navigation Company has been running one Of
tts Panther Creek breakers for several days.
while the Susquehanna Coal Company has pro-
duced coal from its No. colliery, at Nanticoke.
for ten days. Together they sent about three
thousand tons OF coal to Philadelphia last week.
There is a growing belief that all this coal is
not taken from the dumps. and that II is not
coal that mined before the strike. but that
the companies have trusty men inside who are
daily cutting COAL and that they gradually
increasing in number. The Panther Creek
strikers are disturbed because they are unable
TO reduce the force at the breaker and last
night when they captured William Eagle. a
brakeman of coal shipping crew, they vented
their spite on him, abused him. and started to
march him out of the region.
The company officials dispatched to the rescue
force OF twenty-five heavily armed coal
guards from Lansford, and they managed, by
using q special train. TO overtake the mob at
Hauto. The strikers surprised. but thirty
one of them were captured and with the muzzles
OF rifles, forced to board the train. They
lodged in jail at Lansford, being crowded into
the corridors of the small structure while Jus
tice of the Peace Lewis arranged for a hearing
The strikers were escorted toward the office by
a small force of guards. and. having evidently
planned the move in advance, at a signal made
bold attack upon The guards, knocking down
several, and escaped in the crowd of synpa-
thizers that was following them to the Office.
The GOODNESS of the guards prevented serious
shooting In the darkness and the crowd there
was little chance Of hitting the prisoners and
much of killing injuring some innocent per-
sons, so shots were fired. The guards fol-
lowed and managed to capture sixteen, but
fhirty-f1ve got away OF the sixteen there
evidence enough TO hold only one and he fur
nished bail, on the charge of riot Warrants
were then issued for those who escaped most
OF whom were recognized
At Nanticoke attacks We're made shortly after
midnight the houses of several non-union
workers at the No. colliery, and the windows
and doors were smashed with stones, but none
Of the inmates injured. Tonight other houses
are to be guarded by coal and iron police and
the police are also to guard the men their
way TO work tomorrow. Tonight the strikers
have pickets along the road, and tomorrow
morning expect 10 have force of couple of
hundred there to turn back the workers. On
Saturday several of the workers were injured,
and conflict is feared tomorrow. Warrants
are out for several who were concerned in
Saturdays affray and they will be served to-
morrow.
The first operator 10 make definite announce
1nent or the resumption of work at his mine is
J. w. Crawford president of the Peoples Coal
Company, which owns the Oxford NINE near
Scranton. He says that work will be resumed
before the middle of August. and in accordance
with an agreement he had with the strikers he
has notified them. In his letter to President
Phillips Of the local to which former workers
of the colliery belong ne says:
hereby notify you that we intend to mine
the repairs finished that we are engaged at.
which will probably take toward the middle
Of August AS soon have our hosting
engines foundations renewed and the work in
the shaft completed shall empty The cars
we now have in the mines. repair them and oil
them and prepare for work. date Of which ! will
send you later and through you to our former
employees. But, as told you in the converse
ton had with you, our former employees must
give us notice of their intention TO go to work
when we are ready on or before August 2 That
VIII give us time enough to fill any places that
The men don't care to return to. And in
our former employees make applications for
their places on or before that date shall
feel at liberty to fill them with any one that
applies.
President Mitchell said to-day that the pres
ent plan Of the union is TO aid only those who
are in need, and not to provide money pro-
visions for the men who have bank accounts
and other resources. The operators report that
the men complain of the injustice of the relief
distribution, and that these men are applying
Tor work and saying that, after paying money
into the union, they will not stand by it unless
IL aids them.
President Mitchell this afternoon went to
Scranton and spent most of the evening there.
He said regarding the assertions that the union
is TO try to impeach Judge Jackson of West
Virginia, that the union had considered the
matter. He would not discuss the prospect nor
the reason for the probable impeachment.
Mr.. Mitchell to-day accepted an invitation to
act OF the arbtratOrs for the Scranton
streetcar men, who have number of grievances
and who have induced the company to arbitrate.
At strike headquarters the belief is as strong
as ever that the operators cannot resume, and
that il is idle talk to suggest such thing.
President Mitchell says simply that the situa-
tion is about the same and that the strikers are
. firm ever. great deal of telegraph
passed to-day between Wilkesbarre, Indian
apolis and the headquarters of the United Mine
Workers in West Virginia, the nature OF which
Mr.. Mitchell would not make public.