The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-04-07
Hon. A. HOlceIk:


Hon. A. HOlCeIk: sz at #
DEAR Sir: In reply to yours Of yester.
day would say that the action oil the coal
operators Of this valley, in demanding to
arbilrate ut this time, is TO be deplored; 1
Nigh; add, condemned. We believed this
matter had been honestly and amiCably
settled until such time as the price Of
mining went below seventy cents in the
Hooking Valley. The resolution submit
.ed by your committee Il enclose copy),
II adhered to, does not allow you 10 make
such demand upon us until tnat time,
unless you openly violate the agreement
entered into by both miners and operators.
We desire peace, but II we cannot secure
this in an honorable way, We will accept
results. The committee will not meet you
on the 5th. Respectfully Yours,
JOIN McBRIDE.
In n conversation with McDride this
evening he said that the operators simply
meant by this contemplated action TO so
back on their proposition submitted to a
committee OF five miners in this city on
January II last, and which was accepted
by the action Of miners delegate meeting
held at Clinton the last day OF that month.
That proposition was as follows:
"We, the operators OF coal mines in the
Tuscarawas Valley, make the miners Of the
Tuscarawas Valley the following PROPOSE.
ton, to wit; Mining 10 be reduced Febru.
ary l, 1858, from 05 10 s. cents per ton.
''That there snail be no further reduction
in the price OF mining in the Tuscarawas
Valley until the price OF mining coal in the
Hooking Valley is reduced below seventy
cents per ton. In the event OF Hooking
Valley mining going below seventy cents,
then mining in this VALLEY is TO follow the
said reduction, maintaining the present
difference OF fifteen cents per ton until
such time as the miners and operators may
agree TO arbitfate the said difference OF
fifteen cents per ton"
WHAT TIE oPERAToEs SAY.
The following operators met to-day in
Mr. Burton's office: Clement Russell, Sippo
mine: Captain Henry FoItz and J. F. PO.
cock. MassiIlon City Coal Company; Hon.
A. Howells, Howells Coal Company; John
G. Warwick. Navarro mines;J. P. Burton,
Lawrence and Fox Lake mines; D. Me-
Gary, Ohio 4 Pennsylvania Coal Company;
and s. r. Gordon, lake View Coal Com.
pany. NicBride's letter was read to the
meeting, and commented upon in general,
not only as disrespeCtiul and ungentle.
manly reply, but as implying that it was
the desire OF the miners to not have any
further conference with the operators.
II was claimed by those present that the
spirit and intention Of the foregoing propo.
sition was that arbitration could be had at
any time after lis acceptance upon are
quest from either party, and that although
the phraseology might be differently cou.
strued, it was represented TO the operators
meeting in Cleveland by members OF the
committee that the general understanding
at the timo it was presented tothe com.
mittee OF miners was that there was
nothing in the proposition 10 debar
either side from asking. meeting
for arbitration even the day after its
acceptance. The gentlemen's expires.
sions agreed that Mcbride had taken ad.
vantage Of techniCality TO prevent arbitra:
ton, and it was decided by the members oi
the committee that his action lad forever
settled any conferences between them and
the miners, and that the committee would
so report to the meeting in Cleveland on
the 10Th inst.
What action that meeting will take in
the premises cannot positively be foretold,
but from interviews with the proprietors
here to-day the sentiment appears to be
that 1t will undoubtedly put an end to all
future arbitration on the prices Of mining
| in tl,ia VALLEY