New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-23
MITCHELL LEA YES TO WV.
HAS No Talk WITH OPERATORS, WHO
SAY COAL STRIKE Is ENDING.

,nnarent1z- no effort was made by John Mitch
eli Of the United Mine Workers. who returned
TO Wilkesbarre Yesterday at noon. 10 see any OF
the coal presidents. John Fahey. district presl-
dent who came here with Mitchell. Went to
Scranton where he was booked TO speak at a
meeting early in the forenoon
Mitchell had few visitors before he left the
Ashland House. In the forenoon he had some
tall, over the long distance telephone with one
or TWO OF the officers Of the union. He reiterated
his statement that none Of the licensed miners
had returned 10 work He said they could re
main out indefinitely and there was no forecast
ing the outcome of the strike.
1t must not he forgotten. however" he con-
timed that We won in 1900 It is needless to
discuss the merits of the dispute I can only
say that We are firm ever in our demands
REPRESENTATIVES of the coal carrying companies
aid Yesterday that MitChell's statement that not
a licensed miner had returned TO work was not
worthy of serious consideration. A representa-
tive of one Of the largest companies said that
both union and non-union miners had returned
TO work.
Mitchell lies if he says that not a licensed
miner has returned work said representa-
tive of the New-York Ontario and Western
Railroad. 1t is in keeping with the statements
that the strikers are peaceabIe and lava hiding.
are STOPPING streetcars and even farm wagons,
to see if any miners are on them who might be
going to work
4 coal dealer who has recently been in the
strike regions said: Mitchell apparently does
not care what he says The Oxford colliery at
Scranton is working with nearly a full force Of
licensed miners. and every day a few more
miners are returning TO work This will keep on
until only a skeleton of the strike remains.
After week or two the disintegration OF the
strike will be more rapid In the mean time
anthracite coal will grow scarcer and scarcer.
Attempts from this time forward until the
strike ends viii be made TO fix a schedule
price It is selling all the way from Sll TO sl3
a ton. and may be SO a ton shortly. l be
lieve. however, that the strike will be over be-
on account of the high price and the difficulty
of procuring anthracite. some of the retail coal
dealers sold half ton lots of soft coal 10 house
holders yesterday 10 use as an experiment;
Some Of the householders tried it, and found
that it would burn Others will use 1t mixed
with hard coal Unless the smoke created causes
nuisance. they viii not be violating the ordl-
nance by burning this coal
A member of the Retail Coal Dealers AssoCi-
alton said that he did not think the soft coal
which comes to this city can be burned salts
factorily in cooking stoves. The stovepipes
would be speedily clogged with SCOT. and re
ouire such FREQUENT cleaning that there would be
constant trouble with them. he said
In Chicago" he continued. which will have
to put up with soft coal all winter. even If the
strike ends tomorrow. q better kind Of soft coal
is furnished than comes here. II has less smoke.
and is harder than the soft coal We get here, and
comes from West Virginia If the worst comes
to the worst and the demand warranted it, some
of this coal could be brought here
G. J. Herbert. coal agent Of the Manhattan
Railway Company. said that the Welsh anthra-
cite which recently arrived here, had been tried
in the engines of the company, and could be used
with fair satisfaction. It Will be regularly used
with other anthracite.
The wholesale price of soft coal took a Jump
yesterday from 81 30 10 81 30 and 81 a ton along