Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-24
BOSSED BY ONE MAN
Anthracite Situation Virtually
in Hands of George P. Baer.
CONDITIONS IN SCRANTON
Business Men Hoping That Strike
Will Be Averted.
INDEPENDENTS ARE HELPLESS
Attempt to Meet Unions Demands
Would Incur Ill Will of the
Big Five.
INDEPENDENTS ARE HELPLESS
Special From STAFF Correspondent.


SCRANTON. Pa. March ~ 1afo
Stepping out of the Lackawanna rail-
road station here the visitor is greeted
at night by a remarkable sky sign A
hve-story building with ornamental
gabled windows is outlined from ground
To roof in electric lights while from the
peak bursts forth a fountain or roman
candle effect of sprouting flame, which
in a few seconds subsidies. to present a
vivid appeal to Watch Scranton Crow
There is pathetic quality in this
jaunty declaration of progress on the
board OF trade building Just at present.
Scranton has undoubtedly prospered and
siCwI since the big coal strike of 1872
Ine census showing an increase of Ia
PEI cent in decade. and it has pushed
Lon vA.d since the enumeration. Ii is now
accredited with 1:;n.sD people. and il il,
Iea.nlIfS 4or the quarter million mark.
he, ta, flaming SKY sign
r,., >cIanton cannot grow If the min
els ~-I;At. and espeC rally If they get into
t. ud".t III strIkIns frequently. The
60 G'iel!ds upon iIic nOIeS In the ground
i''i."sttil l. IOr pTdC>iCaIIE everything IL
I.a-- lose the mines Tor Il year and
scranton population would prooaDi5
sA.lnb y -J,'yU- Another SIX months
NRNiA ttpGhtltSS tdht OUT JN,tNHf more.
IL t"u years scranton would i'll ali like.I-
h"ou nave paitrN 2I.trD people whlie
the no" iIOpItous valley stretcnlng ne
tween here and Wilkes Barre wouio he I.
vase q. en!pty houses.
30 now. the sky sign alternately
Ep"uJs ana asks the Dehoider 10 Watch
scranton Grow" one il prone to re-
cara ii as a bit or plucky bravado in
the face Of II crisis
Expressions Of Sentiment.
/ get odd reflections of the public
sentiment here and there regarding the
situation, interesting. as showing, how
tie strike threat affects various people.
1t would he suicidal for the men TO
strike if they can get any thing AT all
from the companies said Il union Of
hciaI Of one of the big coal producing
companies this morning. Scranton was
never So prosperous and the men were
never so well off as now. y strike
even Il short one. would hurt practically
everybody Scranton would be set back
long way 10y any sort of a SUSPENSION -
''All this strike talk tx hurting buSi-
ness badly, said the driver of Il bakery
wagon delivering boxes of cakes at 4
Corner grocery store where l was wait
ing for car Our line is hard hit
The stOrekeepers have cut down their
orders inst because they don't want 10
take any chances at all. There won't
toe much cake buying after the first OF
April, if n strike comes
Every body is nervous The local
papers print red fudge headlines Civ
ing thc latest word OF strike prevention
possi biljtieS- and calf attention To the
visit "f on" Of the largest independent
operators al local labor headquarters.
Hope rises Immediately that the indie
pendents Will break away from the rail
road corporations But it is "a futile
wish. for. as | have heretofore pointed
out the destinies Of this cOmmun "
and all its neighbors in the anthracite
field are virtually controlled by one
man. George +. Baer
The independents might break ranks
and submit TO the main demands and
perhaps cause the temporary spelling Of
the plans of the ''b7g five" coaI-road
presidents. but they would be making
Sure trouble for themselves in the near
future. For il they do not keep faith
with Bacr and his associates they may
be put out OF business permanently
Mr. Baer controls more anthracite than
all other interests combined He and
the other cOal-road presidents can put
the screws on any independent. at any
time. squeezing the recalcitrant with
higher rates OF freight finding difficulties
In the way of furnishing ca<s. to carry
the good. to market and by other means
applying the ultimate degree of combina-
ton discipline An increased freight rate
ON hard coal it is to be remembered need
not be discriminatory To be effective. The
0nA-asaSAAS carrying corporations can