The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-07
\ Strike That Has Cost Twenty-four Million Dollars

but these precautions did not put an end to
the lawlessness. Using smokeless powder
and concealed behind rocks, the riflemen I'm
the mountains continued to pour streams Of
bullets on the mines and mining towns.
The plant OF the Glen Alum Coal Com
pany was attacked from the mountain tops
and subjected to fire for an hour Members
OF the State constabulary were fired on
from ambush near Roderfield.
The plant OF the Portsmouth Solvay Coal
Company was subjected to rifle fire from
three general positions in the mountains.
The men at the mine returned the fire and
more than 1000 shots were fired in an hour.
Roland Coleman mine employee,
wounded.
Soldiers I'm searching through the noun
tains found one moonshine distillery after
another. More than a dozen of them were
found around Matewan. The military au
thorities have information of a moonshine
distillery in operation In the town of Will
iamson-the county seat with 5000 people.
Federal soldier drinking some of the
product recently, was seized with suicidal
mania and ended his life with pistol few
hours afterward. Another soldier who
drank some of the liquid was in the hospital
established by Major Ashbrool for five days,
and unconscious during thu first day.
John Yates, foreman for the Crystal Block
Coal and Coke Company, was walking along
the road going in the direction of the
mine. which had resumed operation a few
days before. a rifle was fired from a hill
side Yates fell dead. His companion, George
Morden. was not touched. The mining COM
pany has offered a reward of $4,000 for the
arrest Of the guilty men. but no arrests have
been made.
Early in September the feudists and strfk-
ing miners attempted to march across the
mountains and attack the non-union miners
in the Guyon field, forty miles to the north.
The Guyon miners learned of the coming
attack, and with the State constabulary
took up positions lin the mountain passes
Some shots were exchanged, the attack was
halted, and in the realization that the Guyon
miGers We're on guard, the feudists and
strikers returned again to the mountains
facing Tug River.
Dark Outlook in the Valley.
The sombre aspect of the Tug River Valley
oroods i'll for the coming days Feudists and
mountain outlaws far outnumber the peace
abiding citizens. The State constabulary
has informed Gov. Cornwell of its inability
TO handle the situation and put an end TO
the reign Of terror. The little group OF
Federal soldiers in the region are insult
hcient in number to maintain order oven i'm
Z: small part of the strike region.
There are miners in Mingo county who
WdHl 70 go 10 Work, DuL are DelnE lntlfnl-
dated by the covert threats whispered TO
them or the fusillades Of rifle bullets from
unseen foes in the mountains. They are
staying away from the mines in fear for
their lives.
The operators of the mines make 1t clear
that their refusal to treat with the strikers
is from matter of principle. They have
chosen 10 keep their mines idle this summer
when the large demand for coal would have
brought them unprecedented prices for their
output
THE contest here is over the control Of
the mines by the United Mine Workers -
said George Bausewine, Jr, a young Phila-
delphian, who is an operator, and the secre-
tary of the Williamson Coal Operators As
ISOLATION. mo one pretends that it has any
other design.
I'VE have made our position clear from
the start. We do not intend to recognize the
Mine Workers Union. We opposed it at the
start for many and sufficient reasons Other
reasons have appeared since the strike was
inaugurated which make it impossible for
our operators to deal with the mine work
ers' organization.
our first objection was that the United
Mine Workers organization Is irresponsible
II does not respect its contracts when en-
tered into. And even when the officials seek
to enforce the performance of a contract they
are powerless 10 do So against the wishes
of the members. But most frequently the
contracts are broken with the approval IL
not with the connivance OF the officials.