The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-16
AND QUIET AT MIDNIGHT HOUR REIGNED SUPREME Strike Situation, Prem Opera tors Viewpoint, Shows
 Great Improvement SAYRETON DISORDER
 HAS HAD NO SEQUEL Messrs. Maben and Crockard Speak Of the Output of Their Companies
 Property and Are Most
 Optimistic.

The furnace operators and a number of the commercial operators met yesterday to confer about mining conditions, but gave out 10 formal statement. Officials of the various companies agreed that the situation was improving.
 Vice President F. Il. Crockard of the Tennessee company said "The output Of oal is showing an increase over Mondays production. Our company has made gain at Blossb9rg and idle miners Sick ing employment are now on their way to this district to take the places of the men who have Joined the strike Thefe will be many accessions to the open shop ranks from now on. Operations at the Birmingham Coal and Iron company's Mulga mines are resulting in increased output; and the Sayreton Mining company had d gain of 20 men yesterday.
 "The Tennessee companys Alice furnace made a new high record Monday in mak ing 270 tons of iron; and at the Ensley steel plant a high record Monday was made when two open hearths turned out 705 tons in two heats.'
 President Maben Talks.
 President J. c, Maben of the Sloss- Sheffield company said; Our mining operations are very satisfactory. We are mining more coal than we need, and ars selling our surplus run. We have d largo accumulation of coke tonnage, and there fore the tempting figures of the Virginia coke producers have no direct interest so far as our company is concerned"
 
 cd to anything occurred yesterday morn ing at Sayreton, when several special deputies proceeded to arrest a number os strikers. Some 30 or 40 shots were fired and IA negroes placed under arrest Two of the negroes were wounded in the melee, and following their arrests warrant was sworn out for the arrest of Special Deputy c. T. Huggins by some of the union officials, charging him with assault with intent to murder. Huggfns was ar tested by Sheriff Higdon and confined in the county jail, later being released oa fond.
 A squad of deputies, numbering abor | 20, has been stationed at Sayreton. It is alleged that a number of strikers con gregated in the woods near the mines yes terday morning and were hooting the men who were going to work. Officials deny that the strikers were doing this, but hi- stead were holding peaceable meeting.
 Deputies Make Arrests.
 The deputies soon took a hand in the game and finally succeeded in capturing a number of the strikers. But one white man was arrested with this crowd, this one being A F. Wilson. The negroes ar rested were Jim Owens Ned Goodwin, Will Porter, John Henry, Will Stancol. Jerry Meriwether Monroe P. Price, Ali Mcdonald, Will Reynolds, Andrew Meri- wether, Aaron Conner, Granville Hardy and James Hill. Charges of picketing and so gorth were docketed against these men.
 There were a few other arrests during the day on the charge of trespassing after warning, the men arrested being Smith Moore, white, and George Mcclellan and George Smith, negroes.
 William R. Farley, member of the ex- ecutive committee of the national board of mine workers, and J. R. Kennemar, president of the Alabama division of the United Mine Workers, called upon Sheriff Higdon shortly after the Sayreton diff fculty and protested against the action of the special deputies at that place They stated that the union men were holding a quiet meeting when the deputies inter- fered with them. A request was made by them for protection against any en- croachment upon their liberty by non- union men or deputies.
 No Disorder Last Night.
 Neither of the negroes injured was se- rously wounded, one receiving wound in the shoulder and the other being shot in the neck. Their wounds were treated at the county jail.
 Up to midnight there were no reports received as to any disorder throughout the district The union officials declare they are firmly opposed to any violence.
 Meetings were held in a number of places yesterday but all of them were quiet. Union officials state that the ranks of the strikers are being increased every day. and have hopes of victory.
 Many rumors reached the sheriff's of- flee yesterday relative to trouble that had either already broken out or was brewing. An investigation into each, how ever. developed the fact that they were oroundlass