The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-24
Goal Operators Comment Upon
 MitcheIPs Address
SAY T IS VERY MISLEADING
Railroad Companies Are Apprehensive of General Suspension of Work and Are Playing Situation
 Into Miners Hands.

Wilkesharre, Pa June 23.-Tndependent operators and superintendents were Inter- viewed today on President Mitchells ad- dress to the public. None of the officials seen would pe,m init his name to be used. In the opinion of most of the officials l Eere, the address Is "cleVerly written and will appeal to those who are not familiar with conditions in the mining re- gions. One superintendent whose views were similar to tho others said:
 President Mitchell touched on only ere of four demands made by his union. He did not say anything of the uniform wage scale. the weighing of coal at all mines. or the recognition of the union These are vital points on which the com- Ienies are making a strong stand. Re- garding his statement that the product i've capaci of the mine workers Is in- cIeasipg rather than decreasing. we do rot know where he gets his ilgurcs. The statistics for the last year have not yet been completed"
 The super1nter dent went on to say:
 Miner le Paid.
 '-The assertion that the miner does not get paid for all the coal he mines. is
  pound ton, and he has to send to the surface on an average of 2700 to 5000 pounds of coal. slate and other impur- tiles. to get the ton of pure coal. Only about 10 per cent of the coal production Is paid for by weight, the other 20 per cent being paid by measure. Attention should be called to the fact that MT. Mitchell, in speaking of last years pros fr, aiF1fn Delaware and Lackawanna, and Western annual report The reports of other com panies tell entirely different story A secret meeting of engineers hremen and pump runners was held at Nand- | coke today, and the engineers, according l to the report, decided to go back to work at the Susquehanna Coal Com- l pany's collieries tomorrow. It Is stated | 10 per cent of the fremen and l5 per cent of the pump runners will go back
 Misleading and Unreliable. New York June 23.-Pres. Fl. M Oliphant of the Deleware Hudson O.. today made the following comment on the statement of President Mitchell or the United Mine Workers of America:
 ''Mitcheus statement is misleading and unreliable as to facts and figures. II Mitchell proposes to call out the bitumin- ous miners and paralyze the entire indus tries of the country. he will find that he has taken upon his shoulders job big ger than he is able to cope with.
 Apprehension of Suspension.
 Indianapolis, June 23.--A special to the News from Terre Haute, Ind, says:
 The railroad companies are apprehensiye of general suspension of work among the coal miners and are playing the situation into the latter's hands in the event of tie up of all the mines by curtailing the sunnlv at this time
 Operators complain in all parts Of the Indian field that the railroad companies have been conhscating coal for the last two weeks.
 Unless the railroad companies move and unload the cars now standing on their sidings at Indiana mines, and furnish more cars. the condition in Indiana will practically amount to a tie up within the next two weeks.
 Funds Sent From Headquarters.
 Indianapolis. June 2.-Funds are being sent from the national headquarters oi the mine workers In Indianapolis to furn. ish provisions for the striking miners and their families in West Virginia. Sec retary Wilson says that three car loads of food are being sent daily from Cincin- natl to the strike district
 The mineworkers say they would not be surprised If they were enjoined from providing food for the strikers.
 Secretary Wilson of the mine workers has secured 8 strong array of legal talent to defend the strike leaders under ar rest at Parkersburg w. Va. charged with contempt.
 100 Men Return to Work.
 Charleston, W. Va, June 23-Nearly one hundred men returned to work today and the operators who lost their men because winifred were out are expecting them to return. On the other hand 1t is re- ported that the men at Raymond City will go out tomorrow. The transfer of men to the Ohio mines continues.