New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-12-31
COAL MINERy WAGES.

AN IMPORTANT MEETING AT NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
UREs FOR AVOIDING A STRIKE.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 30.-An important meet
ing took place this afternoon at the Reading Railroad
ofce-importanr, inssmuch az 1t was preparatory W
settling the basis OF for the ensuing year through
out the coal mining counties Of Pennsylvania ana de-
Gliding whether the country Is to be afhcted Win an
other strike tho coal regions as g1ganao as tn Oh
1865 when miners held out against the opera
e,-. coo a"oce<~s
of wages has settled by arbitration In whlC0
basis prico coal at tho mines Tor rather at Port Car
bon where the shippers take the coal from the operato
Is axed and OF wages settled upon that price,
For the present year the basis price was "a so per ton
at Port Carbon, giving the miners enough per ton 70
enable them to average go month for their labor.
When coal brought o higher price than this the miner
was to get cent out OF every three In excosa
For tho past month coal at Port Carbon has
reached 0 higher price 90 75 and there have
been larger salos than ct any time during the year.
Heretofore Also the price Of coal has been ascertaned
BY receiving the reports five OF principal
tors chosen by lot every month by tho miners But this
system has not worked WE'LL for 1t to the opera-ors
interest put the prices he received down Is Low -
possible and the private operators do not receive a.
much do tho yards of the Reading Coal and iron
Company, President Franklin d. Governs combination
of coleries retailing under pooling system Hence
the mon desire that the price upon which their wages
shall be paid shall DO based tho report OF tho coal
circular published weekly by the Reading Railroad Cor
nation.
At the meeting to-day Committee Of seven from tho
capitalist operators delegated BY hoAnthracte Board
of Trade and representing about 10 coeries being the
vhee OF the ooal nerest In tho Counties Of Cartoon.
Schuylkiu. Northumberland. Columbia, and Dsuphin.
mot similar Committee of tho Miners and Laborers
Bensvoient Association, having direct constituency
Of about 5000 laborers and indirectly control
ling the men Of tho whole OF tho above
coal region, about 5000 in number, for the pur.
pose Of settling tho basis price for tho year 1874
Tho miners say that In OF strike they are IN good
condition hold 0ut against tho operators Ior nvo or
ak months through aid Of their trades treas
urios On Saturday last the minors voted In the diner
ene organizations that although prices OF cosl were
higher than they this time last year. whon suo
present basis fixed, yet they arc willing 10 continue
work at tho old basis Of u 90, with tho Coal
criteron but that will they scoede TO los
favorable terms. They say tho usual oporsuon - ~
panic cannot Affect them - IL mas no! ony NOT
the coal trade but has rather enhanced prices.
The operators Ia tho meeting contenucd strouuousy
for reuetioa of wages Dor cont In common with al
OF Industries the country but after much
disc ussOn capitalists, being evidently ssd OF puoe
opinion might put upon them the sole responspy
N etrke agreed that the eo should 20 IN AZ the Ola
urIoes un the sth Of January and that on that dY
meeue of the Same committees should be held q
PottSviiie and then . decision should DO reached
Ono proposition laid before the meeting was taAs
the men should go on TO work upon oas.s
herosfter to be agreed upon, bus TINS was nrmX
dccned BY tho miners President Gowen wSs annoyea
vile 70 Philadelphia and evidently desired 70 nave mo
responsibty Of forcing strike upon the men oy re-
auction removed from tho shoulders Of the koadiaG
Coal and Iron Company.