Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-12-16
SETTING the TROUBLES
OF sbs cssl Miners Of the Whole
) sT4e. Country.
NETTING oFMINEas AND oPEaAToR
IR ,plHsburg yesterday. Discussion Sf
~ Arbitration Measures, !. s
Supplies, Etc.

PIrTBIuRG. "a December lo.-The
National Convention Of Coal Operators and
Miners. called for the purpose Of. arbitrat-
ing the ditieulties ketsssa ,hss snployeF
and employee and to establilh national
scale Of wages, together with the cost Of
miners supplies which shsll govern the
operators and men in every mine in the
United Safes, opened here at 10 30 O'Clock
this nortiOg. Fifty delegates we're present
from Ohio Pennsylvania. IGdaps,
Wisconsin, Tennessee, Illinois. Virginia,
and West Virgins. Prominent among
those in ATTENDANCE are Col. W. P. Repd,
the extensive Ohio operator. Christopher
Evsnp, Executive Secretary Of The Ma.
tioual Federation of Miners; D. McLsugh.
liu. rerresenlipg the Illinois mineIs, and
D. Patterson, OF the Columbus, Ohio, Coal
Ekchsrge. sSreet, Of Illinois, was
elected chairman, and Christopher Evans,
secretary Addresses were made by Col.
Rend and Mr.. David Patterson, both
advocating arhitretion Col. Rend recon-
uended q general advance of % per cent
in the wages Of the miners and added
that the operators could then get better
prices for their coal.
In the afternoon proposition was made
by President Mcbride, of Ohio, to the
Miners hssonia:ioa that the price Of min
ing should be" srrdrged By board OF stbi-
traion in each Of the several mining
regions No suspension Of work should
occur while the question Of price
Is being considered and the rate
Of mipiog when fixed should so
Continue for one year, Mr.. McBridei
proposition advised the early fixing of
minimum price for minirg in various dis.
tricts, and proposed that the arbitration
boards shall FIX the date upon which the
prices agreed upon shAli take effect 1t
was proposed that means DC taken TO pun
ish those operators who shall do anything
to disturb the rates agreed upon
by the different boards of
arbitration. This timely proposition
created heated discussion which lasted
all afternoon. A majority of both opera
tors and miners present favored arbitra.
ton, but the best way. Of attaining the de.
sired end was the point upon which they
could not agree. Col. Rend said it was
i'm practicable for each district TO
setle its own differences and
attain the object for which
the convention was called. he suggested
the arranging of a standard in the Pitts.
burg field, say 2! cents in summer and 3
fsS!s s,.s, il Eintss aEIis
- Rarsv IA valley. Then ifthere should
be reduction or increase in any OF the
fields, q corresponding reduction or in
crease would be made in all the other
fields. The discussion was finally brought
to a close by the adoption Of resolution
providing for the appointment Of a COM
nittee consisting Of one operator and one
miner to each State to draft resolutions
that will cover what is believed TO be the
questions involved The committee is 10
report tomorrow.
The Committee on Resolutions met to-
night and remained in session until nearly
midnight. The miners drew up scale Of
prices for all districts, but in the opinion
of operators it was too high. 1t contem-
plated an advance on May |. 1885,. The
committee finally adopted resolution to
present to the meeting tomorrow recon-
mending that convention Of local opera
tors be held at an early date to consider
scale Of prices to be presented by the
miners, and should any i'm
perfections be found in said scale the
operators are to point them out and in turn
submit scale. They will further recon-
mend that whatever price may be finally
agreed upon it shall remain in force one
wear from Nav lat, 1856,