The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1939-04-27
MINERS STILL AT WORK
AFTER FLARE SATURDAY
Pickets Force Shutdown Satur-
day; Resume Monday Under
Full Protection of State Police
NO TROUBLE IN EVIDENCE

State police, maintaining a strict
watch over the coal mining area west
of Grantsville, after a fare-up last
Saturday between pickets from an
other county and the unorganized
mine workers of that section, have
preserved order and the mines have
remained open.
Saturdays disturbance at the mines
was the worst during the present trou-
BILE, and was caused, it was stated, by
workers from the Celanese and Kelly
Springfield Companies near Cumber
land, who had joined the union miners
from Allegany county on the picket
line. The pickets, numbering around
200, were massed where the road to
four of the mines enters company
property.
The operators of the mines finally
agreed to cease operations for the day
after glass had been broken out of
two trucks by rocks thrown by the in
vaders, but they made it clear they IN
tended to send their miners back to-
work Monday and succeeding days.
They remained firm on this decision on
Sunday when a meeting was held at
Grantsville with the State police,
headed by Major Elmer Munshower
and Lieut. Niles Falkenstine. Also
present at the meeting were A. Ste1:-
gle Marine, State Commissioner of
Labor, the mine operators, acting
States Attorney Walter W. Dawson,
Sheriff j. William Owens and nuu-
Der of representative citizens Of
GrantsVille.
With the mine operators and Grants
vile citizens firm in their convictions,
it was announced the mines would re-
open Monday under full protection of
the State police, and this was done. A
score of State police and about 100
citizens stood by. Union pickets, num-
bering about 125, were told by Sheriff
Owens that the first act of disorder
would bring about the arrest Of the
person creating it and that he would
be brought to jail in Oakland. The
pickets contented themselves in jeer-
ing the miners as they proceeded toI
their work in trucks, but there was no
other evidence of disorder. Loaded
trucks left the mines unmolested to-
dump their cargoes at the railroad
siding just east of Grantsville. SINH
lar scenes have been enacted daily
since Monday.
The Flare-Up Saturday
The story Of Saturdays fare-up isl
given as follows:
The miners came to work as usual,
in trucks, running close together, and
passing through the picket lines. A
score or more of miners, apparently
angered by stones thrown and taunts,
Jumped out of the trucks, spread out
over the rock-strewn hillside thanking
the highway, and advanced toward the
mass of pickets. Grantsville citizens,
parked several hundred yards away,
got out of their cars. State police
shouted to the miners to go back to
their trucks and some of the officers
grabbed one of the pickets and placed
handouts on him. Pickets Immediately
surrounded the officers, pushing them
down a bank off the road and into a
fence. After considerable argument
the prisoner was turned loose. Grants
vile miners in the meantime had gone
to work.
Within an hour three loaded trucks
approached the highway over the road
leading to the mines and went through
the picket line. Stones flew and wind
shields and windows of the cabs were
smashed.
Major Munshower called a confer
ence with mine operators and citizens
of Grantsville. 1t was felt that pickets
could probably not be moved without
fight, and although the troopers had
handy a riot car well loaded with tear
gas bombs and clubs, the Major adj
vised the operators Of the mines to
close down. Grantsville citizens eX-
pressed dissatisfaction that the mines
were thus forced to shut down and
there were rumors that Governor
O'Conor would be requested to send
a military force to the scene Of the
trouble.
Spokesman for the miners said they
had told Labor Commissioner Marine
that they were satisfied with existing
working conditions and wanted to con-
tinue activities. The Grantsville min
ers receive seventy-seven cents a ton
for their work, which is less than the
union scale.
Allegany county mines have been