The Savannah morning news., 1902-06-16
The SOFT COAL MEN
PRESIDENT GILDAY C0NFERS
WITH MITCHELL.
REPRESENTS 42,ooo MINERS.
HE is EVIDENTLY NOT ANXIOUS
FOR STRIKE.

Says the Soft Coal Miners Are stand
and VIII Strike, il NeceSsary-Hc
Asserts That Anthracite Men Will
Win by Letting the Mine Proper
ties Go 10 Wreck and Ruin--Many
Fire Bosses Expected to Come Out
To-day-RniIrOad Men Express
Sympathy with Miners.
Wilkesbarre. Pa, June i5.-Patrick
Gilday, president of the Central Penn
sylvania bituminous district of the
United Mine Workers of America,
who came here to consult President
Mitchell on a matter local to his dis
trict, in a talk with a correspondent
of the Associated Press to-day, gave
an insight as to what the soft coal
help their brother workmen in the an
thracite field Mr.. Gilday said there
are $4,000 soft coal miners in his dis
trict, and every one of them is TAX
ing a deep interest in the struggle
now going on in this region. On the
second day of the strike Mr.. Gilday
sent out instructions to every check
weighman and pit committeeman
in the mines in his dis
trict to prevent the shipment
of soft coal into anthracite territory
and thus far, he said, very little coal
from his district has taken the place
of anthracite.
When asked regarding the feeling
in his territory as to a general strike
to help the hard coal miners, Mr.. Gill
day said:
"Our men will do whatever Presi-
dent Mitchell says. They can have our
financial support. and If Mr.. Mitchell
sees fit to ask our men to lay down
their picks they will do it promptly.
do not believe, however, there will be a
general strike of the soft coal miners,
because the anthracite men are going
to win without it."
BY slow Destruction.
Asked as to how the miners expected
to win in view of the fact that they
have practically reached the limit Of
their resources in this, region IN re-
pressing the operators. and the latter
still stand out firmly, he replied:
by the slow destruction of mine
property. BY that mean that II they
do not give the men the hours and pay
they ask for they will not consent to
go into the mines and preserve the OPP
erations. The collieries will fill IL the
strike is not soon ended, and the mines
will begin to squeeze and cave In. All
the timbermen and the timber which
holds up the roofs of mines Will soon
begin to give way. These squeezes will
cost thousands of dollars to
repair. and probably be the
cause of the Abandonment of
many costly operations when the
investors pockets begin to feel 1t, a
change in the attitude of the operators
will come and the miners can wait for
the change
Illinois Delegation Coming.
There were no developments here to-
day President Mitchell was in fire.
quent telephone communication with
his men in the West on general organ
ization work. He had no information
to impart either on tine strike in this
region or the West Virginia suspen-
sion. The delegation of Illinois min
ers' officials who are coming to sec
President Mitchell will not arrive until
the middle of the week. Much inter
est is attached to their visit, as 1t is
expected they will bring information
regarding the advisability of calling
out soft coal miners. Mr.. MitchsS
says they are coming merely to dis
cuss some local differences in their
state.
Fire Bosses to Quit Work.
There were meetings of strikers
throughout the region to-day which
were attended by fire bosses. Some of
the labor leaders say that nearly half
of the fire bosses still at work proms-,
ed to stop work tomorrow, but this
could not be confirmed. President
Mitchell knew nothing about the num-
Der Of men who intend to quit.
There were two meetings of railroad
men to- day, one at Ashley. and the
other at Kignston. The Ashley meet
ing condemned the action of twenty
one Jersey Central men who had been
laid off on account of slack work, for
taking places of strikers in the Lehigh
and Wilkesbarre mines. which are
owned by the Jersey Central. Repre-
sentatives of railroad men from Sun
bury, Pa, to Binghamton, N. Y, at
tended the Kingston meeting. Reso-
lutions were adopted sympathizing
with the striking miners.