New-York tribune., 1902-05-16
OPERATORS SURPRISED.
THEY DID NOT EXPECT A STRIKE SO
SOON

NO suspicion seemed 10 be entertained by the
coal operators yesterday afternoon that the
anthracite miners would declare a strike so
soon. Most of the presidents OF the coal ca rrv-
ing roads are at their summer homes They
took their usual trains nome in the afternoon
Ihis they presumably would not have done n
they had known that the strike would be de-
cIared an hour or two later
President w. H. Truesdale OF tho DaIs,,ara
LackaWanna and Western Railroad. who lives
curing the summer in Greenwich Conn said Ia
a Tribune reporter last night that he had nor
expected the strike as everything he had sea,
tended to show that there was no necessity gor
strike
Now that the strike is declared" he CON
unued, Il believe It will be long one No va
have made no special preparations for II The
mines were shut down when the ureli,ni,sr,
stopping OF work took place and NAV rarnaI,
smut down indefinitely. We have not changed
the stand We took from the first and SEQ a.
occasion 10 alter It, The miners were well paid
had no real grievances and no occasion to stril,e
We will let them fight 1t out"
1T is the belief Of the operators tb,, ,.hu. -,
hremen may be induced to Join the strikers I'm.
engineers VIII not quit work. The miners. how
ever may try to get them out.
oscar =. Straus. who is the arbitration
committee OF the Civic Federation and baIia,.ad
TIL recently that the operators would r,aLa
slight concessions to the anthracite miners said
4ast night that he was sorry the strike had bean
ordered.
mad hoped up to the last minute" he con-
uhued, that the operators would make SOM.
slight concessions. This would have .no,,a1
MI. Mitchell to go TO the mine workers conven
uon with the recommendation not 10 order y
Srlke While however. the arbitration com
mlttee OF the Civic Federation has not been
"oie 10 avert this strike. it does not despair of
accomplishing settlement Of some kind, but
VIII wait for a favorable opportunity"
1t was learned last evening that the coal
operators have been restricting the saIes 90
anthracite coal since last Saturday. A member
Of a wholesale coal firm doing business in I,ast
Sixty third st. said:
The operators since Saturday last bave ra,.o,
% sell coal to the Wholesale coal dealers. and have
trains and railroads 1t looks now as If tbe d
tba drsf tj lin %" "a 'e ne 7i,Ie side This may say is
mas, mas neeh done It indicates that they believed
time They will not accept any Of the Tr I,lsI long dI
GERS % ana IT Is nvdent TO me that there Is nothing
they had much on hand and ordcred Knew s that
~! IN hurry No anthracite will now be sold nv,
tb, "EItsale ft oo9l dealers to people who lay in
cary ear snmmer II is not necessity The Strike
w w MAKE me long 6o and bitter know the operators
Morgan If he were asked and had the win to do so
ny "IIIlB ABOUT any concessions. The
orators do not want any outside Influence "a
would not pay any attention to IT. anu
representative OF the firm OF Il X
Owens & Co.. Wholesale coal dealers. No II
broad"ay' said ne was surprised to hear Of the
strike.
1t Is too soon yet" he continued to say how,
much it Will influence the price of anthracite
The price will, of course be ultimately sd
yanced. but not at once. and II may be that M
large advance may be necessary at this time
OF the year"
A Brooklyn coal dealer said that though the
wholesalers In that borough knew the miners
were on the verge Of a strike. no advance in
price had taken place there. lie believed how
ever. that coal would advance steadily as the
strike progressed The dealers would watch the
indications. A large number of BROOKLYN neonie
he said. used gas and oil stoves in the summer