SCHEDULE 14A

                                 (RULE 14a-101)


                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

                  Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

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Filed by a Party other than the Registrant |_|

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         (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
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|_|      Soliciting Material Pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12

                            WESTMORELAND COAL COMPANY
                            -------------------------
                (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the Registrant)

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                   ------------------------------------------
                   Institutional Shareholder Services ("ISS")
                          Recommends A Vote For Current
                        Westmoreland Board and Management
                   ------------------------------------------

Colorado  Springs,  CO -- May 10, 1999 -- Westmoreland  Coal Company (AMEX: WLB)
reported today that Institutional  Shareholder  Services ("ISS"),  the country's
leading independent  provider of proxy voting and corporate governance services,
has recommended that Westmoreland  shareholders  support  management's  slate of
director  nominees at the Company's  special meeting to be held on May 12, 1999.
In its 14 page report dated May 7, 1999, ISS recommends that  shareholders  vote
the WHITE card in favor of management's  slate of director nominees and "discard
the dissident BLUE card."

Each year ISS,  located  in  Rockville,  Maryland,  analyzes  proxy  issues  and
recommends votes for shareholder  meetings for its  institutional  and corporate
clients throughout North American and Europe. Westmoreland is not a client.

ISS concluded  that it believes "the  dissident  plan to sell the IPPs carries a
high degree of risk," that "there is a significant  degree of  uncertainty  over
how much consideration the (UMWA Retiree Health & Benefit) Funds would demand in
return", and that "the Funds are likely to be guarded in their negotiations with
the  dissident   group  based  on  the  attempt  to  liquidate  the  Company  in
bankruptcy".  According to ISS,  these factors raise serious  uncertainty  about
residual amounts shareholders might receive under the dissident plan.

In supporting  management's  slate of directors,  ISS concluded that  management
negotiations in bankruptcy  avoided  liquidation and provided the opportunity to
restructure  the Company.  Successfully  operating the business in a growth mode
will be the key to the company's future, ISS said.

Christopher K. Seglem, Westmoreland's Chairman, President, and CEO said, "We are
gratified that the world's largest provider of independent proxy voting services
has  reviewed the  dissidents'  plan and current  management's  track record and
concluded that shareholders would be best served by the Company's existing Board
of Directors."

Shareholders may vote their WHITE proxy card for management's slate by faxing to
Morrow & Co., Inc. at (212) 754-8300.  Shareholders with brokerage  accounts may
fax their WHITE proxy card to ADP at (516)  254-7620.  If you have any questions
about  how to vote  your  shares  please  contact  Morrow & Co.,  Inc.  at (800)
662-5200.

Westmoreland  Coal Company,  headquartered  in Colorado  Springs,  Colorado,  is
currently  engaged in  western  coal  mining  through  its 80% owned  subsidiary
Westmoreland  Resources,  Inc.  and  independent  power  production  through its
wholly-owned  subsidiary  Westmoreland Energy, Inc. The Company also holds a 20%
interest in Dominion Terminal Associates,  a coal shipping and terminal facility
in Newport News, Virginia.

Note:  Consent for the use of statements  taken from the ISS Report has not been
       obtained.

                                      # # #
           For further information contact Diane Jones (719) 442-2600