New-York tribune., 1906-04-30
MITCHELL IN CONTROL.
Miners Delegates Instructed to Fol-
lO1c HIS AdUice.
TBy Telegraph to The Tribure.

Barre, Penn, April 29-President
Mitchell is awaiting the reports of union officers
throughout the region on the feeling of the men
regarding the refusal of the operators to grant
their wage propositions. No further reply will
be made 10 the operators unless the convention
determines TO make some other proposition
The delegates who are now being elected are in
the main being instructed to follow the advice
of President Mitchell. and, if he advocates a
strike, TO vote for a strike.
The first pronounced effect of the operators'
reply was apparent last night when a mob at
tackled seventy workers at the new Sayre COL
Iiery Of the Lehigh Valley Coal Company. near
Mount Carmel. officers of the company report
that al a mass meeting of the foreign born mine
workers. held in the afternoon, speakers told
them of the operators reply. A little later, the
Lehigh Valley officials declare. they were in
formed that attack had been planned and
warned the Burgess of Mount Carmel the
Sheriff Of the county and the vice-president of
the miners union. Paul Pulaski, that they
feared an attack. The workers were mobbed on
their way home. one had a finger shot off sew
era others were stoned and dubbed some
thrown into a creek and the Burgess was
roughly treated when he tried to quell the
disturbance. The Sheriff and his deputies
reached the scene too late. The company Off
cials say they viii have warrants issued for
the arrest Of several of the rioters.
w. A. Lathrop. Of the Pennsylvania Coal and
Coke Company, in the Clearfeld district who
is here to-day, said that his company, believ-
ing the men want 10 return to work, will make
an effort tomorrow to break the suspension and
resume mining. He says the men will thus get
operators and avoid the 3 per cent check-of
which the union desires. The failure TO agree
at the convention of local operators and miners.
which adjourned Thursday, was due the
mine workers insisting a closed shop. which
the operators vigorously opposed
There was general impression yesterday that
the anthracite operators committee of seven
would issue a statement replying to the allega-
tions Of President Mitchell OF the United Mine
Workers, one of which that the coal COM
panies charged exorbitant freight rates. Mitchell
suggested that the advance in wages demanded
by the miners might be taken off these rates.
1t was said in behalf of the operators last even
ing: Considering everything, this statement
comes with bad grace from Mr. Mitchell The
operators had offered TO submit their books to
show their rates, and Mr.. Mitchell did not see
fit to take advantage of this offer"
The situation is clearing up in the coal market
in this city, at least far as domestic an
thracite is concerned There is little demand
for domestic anthracite, on account of the
warm weather and the approach Of summer, but
the consumers have been sending letters by the
gross to the dealers, asking for advice as to
whether they should stock up with coal or not
Prominent dealers said that they advised their
customers to buy only the coal they needed as
the chances were in favor of cheaper coal.
The prevailing impression among the dealers
is that Mitchell will ultimately have to strike or
back down. and that the chances are in favor of
a strike. They do not look on a strike as likely
TO last until the winter, as the miners have been
idle since April J. and the operators are begin
ming to mine coal While many of the miners
they say, are against a strike a large number OF
them, who have saved money, do not care
whether one is declared or not as. in any event
they will get their jobs back and will make up
for lost time,