Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-14
OHIO MINE STRIKE
SITUATION TENSE
Officials Plead for Order as
"DriveS" Are Prepared
on Two Shafts.
BY the Associated Press.


ST. CLAIRSVILLE, Ohio. June 49,
A tense atmosphere prevailed in the
Eastern Ohio coal fields tonight as
striking miners prepared two drives"
upon mines still operating, despite a
proclamation issued by Belmont County
authorities calling upon good citizens
to aid in putting down grave dis
orders and lawlessness."
Leaders of the Rational Miners
Union, who are directing the strike,
said they would continue the drive to-
night against the new Lafferty mine
CT the NJ A. Hanna Coal Co. and start
a new one against the No. mine of
the Rail & River Coal Co. at Bellaire,
where $50 men are employed. The men
are striking for an eight-hour day and
unemployment of men they said were
discharged because of union connec-
tons.
Belmont County officials issued the
proclamation after the strikers forced
the closing of three more mines IN the
Belmont. County territory. The Provi-
dent nine CT the Clarkson Coal Co.,
l mile from here, closed after pickets
had been established around the work
lngs. where $50 men we're employed.
Two privately operated mines at May
nard, employing go men, also were
closed down.
Officials Issue Proclamation.
"This grave disorder and lawlessness
Is being caused by and financed by pee
pie from without the county, on large
part, without the State, who are not in
terested in law and order or in the
Ill &c Tl~Ir.
County" the proclamation said. The
proclamation was signed by the three
members of the Board of County Com
miSSionerS, Sheriff Howard Duff and
Prosecutor Paul Waddell.
The strike in Belmont County has
affected approximately 1900 miners,
officials said. They pointed out that
this was approximately half the per-
sons employed in the mines of the
county which is one of the richest coal
fields in the State.
Picketing of the new Laffertv mine
continued throughout today although
deputy sheriffs drove the strikers away
from the mine tipple after they had
made several attempts to advance dur
ing the morning. More than 400 strik-
ers, women and babies, were camped
about the workings in an attempt to
force suspension of the mine.
County strike Tony Bomliski, 81, was
taken into custody on a charge of max
ing threatening remarks to miners at
Bradley mine No of the United States
Coal Co. He was removed to Steuben-
T1i.e from Smithf1eld Jail after threats
- storm the jail were received by
deputy sheriffs.
More than 100 special deputy sberiffs
in Belmont and Jefferson Counties were
maintaining order
Prosecutor Waddell late today or
dered the release of of the IL men
arrested in an alleged attack upon the
new LafTertv mine Thursday night.
They were Steve Miller, Andy Hobart,
Steve Hobart and Jim Nemec.
The prosecutor said the men did not
understand the purpose of the demon
work in the new Lafferty mine. The
other seven were held il jail.
Continue Hunger Strike.
The three alleged leaders of the Bel
mont County strike, Leo Thompson, %.
Pittsburgh. Tony C. Gizigna, 81. Pitts
burgh, and Fanta Spontana, so, New
Lafferty, arrested in an attempt to storm
the county jail to release the II arrested
at the New Lafferty mine. continued
their hunger strike, started Yesterday
them.
Sheriff Duff and Mai. John A. Blunt
of the adjutant generals Office went into
the Hanna Co.'S No. mine late today
and told the men there that the county
will protect them against the striking
workers.
Duff told the miners that they would
not only be protected in the mines and
on the highways, but in their towns and
IL col 70 I,or RI
going to the homes of miners still at
work and threatening their wives and
families. He promised to stop this prac-
tice
The sheriff said there was no strike"
and that the agitators were "Commu-
nists disguised as members of the Ma
tional Mine Workers Union"
Meanwhile miners at Lafferty met in
field there today and decided to post
pone until Monday their contemplated
march upon and picketing of mines
there.
Mayor Asks Sherifr's Aid.
Sheriff Duff tonight received call
from the mayor of Adena. jefferson
County, saying that some 500 miners
were roaming the streets there and that
they had announced their intention of
holding mass meeting at 3 o'clock to-
morrow morning.
The mayor said he did not know
'what the men were up to- but asked
that Maj. Blout go there to investigate
the situation, and the latter left shortly
after.
There is only one mine near Adena,
and it is 2 miles away. Sheriff Dutf
said he thought the men were the same
who had been in Lafferty during the
past two days.
HARRISBURG STRIKE ENDS.