The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-05-12

chell Has No Fear That Coal from
Other Countries Will Be Shipped
Here.
IL is as good as certain that there
will be no work done in the mines
of the Lackawanna region today. In
| the first place the miners VIII not
report for work, and In the second
place, IL they did, they would find no
work to do.
The order for II. temporary suspen-
sion of work will be religiously obeyed
At some of the collieries the men re-
moved their tools at noon Saturday.
Saturday afternoon the superinten-
dents of the local companies had
meeting in this city, and agreed to
make no effort to operate The meet
ing was attended by General Manager
l.. Il. Loomis and General Superinten-
dent Reese A. Phillips, OF the d. l.. &
w. company; W. A. May. general
manager of the Erie's coal depart
ment; c. c. Rose, general superlnten-
dent of the Delaware and Hudson coal
department and others.
1t was stated positively yesterday,
by one of those at the meeting that
all agreed to shut down the collieries
indefinitely. beginning with Monday
morning. 1t was given out from the
Delaware. Lackawanna &; Western
offices, however, that the whistles
would be blown at it's collieries, and
that vigorous attempts would be made
to operate the washeries. At the
Delaware & Hudson company's offices,
it was stated that efforts would be
made to operate some of the washeries.
The Erie company will not attempt TO
run even it's washeries.
Repair Shops Closed.
| The Erie company has ordered its
repair shops, at Dunmore, closed down
| indefinitely. Two hundred men will
be thrown idle. The Lackawanna
railroad laid off all but a few OF it's
coal crews and the other compa2ies
propose to do likewise.
| There was IL report current. yester-
| day that the companies intended to
post notices at all their collieries an
nouncing that any man who did not
| report for work this morning should
consider himself no longer in the em-
| ploy Of the company and take out
his tools. The companies denied that
| morning. 1t would not be stated
| would appear later.
Everything depends on the meetings
to be held today by the locals. The
order of the district officers calling
the strike and the Wednesday con.
! vention, contained a clause. advising
that the locals meet Monday afternoon
elect delegates to the Hazleton con-
vention and instruct them as to
whether or not they should vote to
make the temporary strike permanent,
or to continue work under the present
conditions.
The sentiment of the community and
the most thoughtful of the miners is
unquestionably opposed to Il strike at
this time. 1t is felt that the COM
panies are anxious for q conflict and
that it would be inopportune to engage
them now. when they are seemingly so
we'll prepared, and when the miners
have shown such decided reluctance
to entering upon Il conflict
Not Trying to Prevent 1t.
Those of the miners who oppose a
continuance of the suspension of work
will use as one of their chief argu-
ments the significant fact that the
bosses are doing absolutely nothing to
discourage the men from striking,
While at the same time, relatively III
the last strike, these same bosses
worked day and night soliciting their
men to continue at work.
1t will also be argued by the anti
strike men that while 1t may be true
that refusal now to accept what Is
so generously considered challenge
from the operators, may detract some
from the prestige of the union. it is,
on the other hand, an absolute fact
that Il defeat after a prolonged strike,
would possibly, yes probably destroy
the union
The pro-strike men will argue that
the miners can not lose, because
strike will cause a coal famine, whicp
can not be relieved except by the COM
panies acceding to the mems terms. 1t
may necessitate Il long struggle, sure
ly one of several months, but even this,
with all its attendant hardships, they
will argue, would be better than
withdrawal of the strike order.
Interesting specula dion is born of the
fact that the very men who control
the mining industry-the Morgan inter-
est--will before many days control the
shipping of the Atlantic. Should the
strike come, and it should happen that
the strikers succeeded in shutting off
soft coal from the hard coal markets,
is ii not possible, this speculation sug-
gests, that the Morgan fleet would be
used to bring in from England Nova
Scotia and the continent sufficient hard
coal to at least prevent what could he
termed a famine?
No Importing of Coal.
President Mitchell declares he has lit
tie fear from this possibility. He points
to the fact that the United States con-
tlnually exports coal, and claims it
would be hardly likely that any con-
siderable quantity of coal could be se-
cured abroad, even in an emergency.
To get any coal from Nova Scotia, he
says Is an impossibility, for the United
states annually sends from ten to fif-
teen million tons to supply Canada.
How President Mitchell views the
question or whether or not it Is de-
sirable to continue the strike, no one
has as yet been able to fathom. 1t is
the general belief, however, that he
considers IL inadyiSa BILE and that ha is