New-York tribune., 1902-05-29
STATE MAY INTERFERE.
STRIKERS HOPE TO INVOKE
ANTI TRUST LAW.
OPERATORS APPARENTLY FEAR FOR
SAFETY OF MINES AND THREATEN
ARMED RESISTANCE.
[By TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIrUEE,I

Wflkesbarre, Penn, May 2S,-When Presl-
dent Mitchell returns from the West, and he
is expected Friday. the district presidents
Fahey. Duffy and Nichols, will report to him
the result of the conference they held with GOV
ernor Stone and Attorney General Elkin yestef-
day at Harrisburg Until then they will not
hint at the lines which a prosecution may De
begun against the operators a coal trust
While there is little doubt that Mr.. Elkin sees
in the plan a chance for political advancement,
being a candidate for Governor. whom the union
vote of the State would materially aid. and
while he is supported by Governor Stone, who,
if Mr. Elkin succeed him, will probably be made
a United States Senator there is a still deeper
motive. 1t is understood that Senator Hanna
is supporting Mr.. Elkin. Interested as Mr..
Hanna is in effecting peace and an amcable sell
tIement OF the strike; interested as he is, also.
in bitumnous mines and other enterprises in
the soft coal fields, it may readily be supposed
that il was he who suggested 10 Mr. Elkin the
step that has been taken
The district presidents were invited TO Harris
burg. They did not request an interview. If
legal steps be taken on the ground that the
coal trust is unlawful and in open conflict with
the constitution of the State, such a move may
lead 10 a settlement of the strike by concessions
from the operators Mr.. Hannas point as pa
ciffcator would thus be gained Mr. Elkn would
further his political strength. and the miners
would be happy.
When the district leaders were questioned to-
day as TO the political significance of their visit
TO Harrisburg they refused TO answer. and they
would not say what part Mr.. Elkin took in
the proceedings. whether he suggested a remedy
or just received their views, whether he told
them if action could be brought. or whether he
has given 10 them any definite answer: nor
would they give any hint as to what ground
would be taken by the State Executive in the
event of legal action being begun.
OPERATORS WILL FIGHT.
The difficulty of obtaining non-unon fremen
and pumpmen. and the high prices they would
have pay. together with the fact that the prop
erty of the companies would always be in dan
ger of attack, and coal and iron policemen would
be required, have convinced the small owners
that il is much cheaper to grant the demands Of
the men than to fight the union, The big op-
orators still say that they expect to be able 20
keep their pumps going. and will get enough
men TO take the places of all who strike next
Monday. Confronted tonight with the possibil-
ity of being unable to do this. however, they
issued the following sem-official statement Of
the situation:
In the event Of the operators not being able
to keep their pumps going after the strike order
for next Monday. some Of the mines while not
being totally destroyed, would be so badly dam
aged that IT would cost more to repair them than
they are worth. In this event the community
will have larger interest in the mines than
either the operators or the miners, for the mines
are the foundation Of the business interests of
the region, and the people of the State would
not allow such destruction OF property.
If the value Of these mines is jeopardiZed, and
it becomes necessary for the operators to pro-
tect them against damage, they will do so with
what force they have under the law and if
sufficient
properly constituted authorities of the coal
counties If they are insufficient, the operators
will expect the State and the United States to
prevent any destruction of property occasioned
by carrying out the plan coyertly, though not
openly. outlined in the policy OF calling out the
engineers pumpmen and iremen.
MEN WILL COME BACK.
Regarding the threatened depopulation Of the
region if the strike continues they said
This has been tried before in the strike of
1877 and later strikes. The men go away dur
ing the strike, particularly the non English
speaking men, and they get work elsewhere.
whether nOn-union union they do not mind,
and they make money during the strike. When
1t is over and work is resumed they always re-
turn, and there has never been any dearth of
workers We are not at all alarmed by this.
During the last year the men have made
80 per cent more money than in any previous
year. and were perfectly satisfied and would
have remained at work had not agitatOrs
aroused them.
The Delaware. Lackawanna and Western will
no longer feed the men employed in fighting the
fire at the Jersey mine. An official of the com.
pany served notice on the men to this effect
to-day. The wages paid to the imported fire
fighters added to the cost of feeding were
greatly ir excess of the wages the old en-
ployes demanded. and now the former are think
Ing seriously of going on strike, their reason
helhs that the company has broken faith with
them. They say that they went to work with
the distinct understanding that they were TO
n
the old employees.
ENGINEERS SUSPENDED
The ffremen and engineers employed at Nos.
and mines of the Kingston Coal Company,
at Edwardsville. and at the Gaylord coliery. of
the same company, at Plymouth were to-day
suspended indefinitely The fires were pulled from
under the boilers. and during the remainder of
the suspension the steam necessary to keep
the pumps in operation at the EdwardsvilIe
coilieries will be generated at No colliery of
the company The company has suspended
every and boy, except those absolutely
necessary to protect the mines. The Gaylord
mine OF the company, which is at Plymouth
will be allowed to fill with water
a meeting of the officials of local unions in
this vicinity was held here to-day. Ways and
means of continuing the strike campaign were
These officials deny that there is any
actual suffering among the strikers and their
families Some isolated cases of distress among
miners in several mining settlements in this
district who were on strike because OF local
grievances when the general suspension oc-
CURED. have, however, been reported to the
cases will be to distribute 81 80 per week TO
single men, So to married men and % cents for
each child in the family of the distressed.
c. f. Beatty. of Barn Hill, Ohio left here this
morning with 80 experienced miners to work
in the soft coal mines at that place, and he will
get positions for others. believing that he can
and the men go with the consent of their Off
GERS.