Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-10-09

New York. Oct 9.-The presence in
the city today of President Mitchell
and several prominent men who have
been more or less identified in the re-
cent efforts to settle the coal strike
led to many rumors that such an end
had been attained or that negotia-
tions that held fair promise of a set
tlement We're under way. II has been
impossible, however. to verify these
reports.
Declines Presidents Proposition.
Washington. ID. c.. Oct 9.-Presi-
dent Mitchell has declined to comply
with the appeal of President Roose-
welt to call the strike off. His letter
to the president. which is made pub
lie today. says the responsibility for
! the continuation of the strike should
\ be placed upon those who have refus-
ed arbitration. He believes the min
ers went more than half way toward
Il settlement in their proposal made
at the Washington conference. and
he does not feel they should be asked
to make further sacrifices.
Soldier Kills a Striker.
Tamaqua, Pa. Oct. 9.-James Burn
ham, a striker, was shot and killed
by soldier on guard duty at Browns
vile, near here, early today. The
place is the scene of several dynamit-
ing outrages. Burnham is said to
have been lettering in the vicinity of
non-unionist's house which was
partly destroyed by an explosion last
week. The soldier called upon Burn
ham to halt. This order is said to
have been disregarded.
Ammunition Seized
Scranton. Oct. "a thousand
rounds of ammunition were seized
and confiscated at the Delaware q
Hudson freight station in Oliphant
this morning by order of Col. Watres,
of the 18th regiment. This makes
:, 800 rounds of ammunition that have
been confiscated in the anthracite
district within the past two weeks.
The ammunition was consigned to
Bastiano Passano, leader among
the Italians in upper Lackawanna
county. Passano was placed under
arrest.
Col. Watres has been informed that
bodies of men have been drilling i'll
the woods almost daily.
The Detroit Conference.
Detroit, Oct. 9.-But 200 delegates
to the interstate conference on the
coal situation were present when
Mayor Mabury called that body to or
der at 10 this morning. The other
delegates are expected during the
day. EX-Gov. Luce. of Michigan. was
elected president of the convention.
MitcheII's Movements.
New York, Oct. 9.-PreSident JcLa
Mitchell of the United Mine Workers
association, arrived at the PennsyI-
vania depot in Jersey City last night,
having come on q Lehigh Valley train
from Wilkesbarre, Pa. With him were
District Presidents Nichols, Fahy and
Duffy. They went Immediately to the
Ashland House, this city. Mitchell
was asked if he had come to hold a
conference with the operators, but he
declined to say. He refused to answer
any questions, or to say how long he
would be in the city. Mitchell had the
appearance of having been under
severe mental and physical strain, but
assured Questioners that he was in
good health, though tired. At 10 o'clock
Mitchell called up Wilkesbarre by teIe-
pected some kilograms which he did
not find awaiting him.
Reports the Vote of the Locals.
Shortly after this he turned TO the
newspaper men and said: "Informa-
ton has been conveyed to me by phone
that total of 26O local unions have
reported unanimous votes against re-
Stunning work. The men are not de-
TERED from going to work through any
fear of bodily harm, but are resolved
to remain out until the differences be-
tween them and the operators are ar
bitrated or until they are ordered to re-
turn by their leaders. This leaves not
more than forty or fifty local unions
to hear from yet. The unanimous ac-
ton includes the votes of strikers not
members of the union, but who were
present at the meetings and voted with
the union men,"
Goes to what Looks Like a Conference.
At IL d. IA. President Mitchell and