Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-03-06

4 Suspension Impending- Last
Saturday there was considerable ella
tlon manifested throughout the region
by the announcement in the dailies OF
ii Philadelphia special as follows:
The Pennsylvania, the Beech Creek and
the Baltimore and OHIO railroad companies
have issued orders to the different interests
represented by them not to make any further
contracts for coal until the first week il.
March. The reason for this is that the sof
coal combination just formed has agreed to
advance the price of bituminous coal thirty
cent pei ton after the pool has been put into
active operation. The cause assigned for tins
is that the miners in the Cleariield and Cum
berland regions have taken determine
stand in demanding an advance of ten cents
per ton for mining coal that this advance is
to be granted, and hence the necessity of ad-
vancing the price Of coal thirty cents per ton
delivered at tidewatcr.
1t turns out, however, that this re-
port was II canard, nothing of the kind
b ing thought of.
On Monday the Executive Board of
the National Federation of Miners and
Mine Laborers met in Cumberland to
complete some business left over ftom
the recent convention. Before ad
joulming the following address was
prepared, signed and issued:
CUMBEEIANp, Nh, March > 1885,
| To the Miners and Mine Laborcrs of District
No g. \. +. of NJ. and NJ. a.:
BrOthcf%-As you are all we'll aware on
February Is, 1886 the Executive Board sub
mitted a scale of prices to the Operators of the
various regions comprising District No. 3, N.
f. Of NJ. and NJ. h., making Il uniform al
vance in the price of mining coal and the
wages Of mine laborers.
In the circular addressed to the Operators
we invited them to meet with the Board on
| March /, should they conclude that the scale
was not uniform. This they failed to do,
| thereby admitting that the scale submitted
was uniform If such is not the case, the
! Board is of .he opinion that their invitation
has been treated with contempt and is a
challenge to fight.
In view ofthe above facts it WAS unanimous
ly resolved that on and after Monday, March
! 8, 1856, all miners who do nOt>receive the adj
/ vance demanded, cease work.
The next development came on
Wednesday, when the following no
tice, signed by the official represent
atlves of ten companies, was posted at
the mines:
kTo the Miners and Mine Laborers of the
Georges Creek Cumberland Region:
In view of the agitation for an advance of
wages i'll some sections, the mining companies
of the Georges Creek region, in pursuance OF
their desire of communicating freely witt,
their men in all matters affecting their mut,I-
al interests, wish to inform them of the con-
dition of the trade
You are aware that steam Goals on the sea-
board are supplied chiefly from the following
SIX sources: Georges Creek, Maryland Clear
field, Pennsylvania Beech Creek, Pennsyl
vania; Elk Garden. West Virginia; Ches;l-
peake and Ohio, Virginia, and Norfolk and
Western, Virginia.
The increased demand and promised pros
perity that obtain in some of the leading in
dustries have not extended to the steam coal
trade.
The efforts made towards harmonizing the
competing and conflicting interests of the diff
tcI"I, -,cam coal regions have failed for this
season, and the result is we have now lower
and less remunerative prices than ever before
prevailed.
So far as our region is concerned it has been
found impossible, even at the actual cost of
production and transportation, to meet some
of the offers made by other regions, and trade
that has been held by us for years has been
taken by other producers.
Under these circumstances the men will
readily realize that an advance of wages in our
region-other than that already voluntarily
accorded by the reduction in the hours of la
boris absolutely impossible.
The many advantages possessed by the men
employed in the Georges Creek region over
other mining communties-evcn when the
rate of wages ndoted is the same as that paid
by us-ale too well known to need mention
here, nor is it necessary to call their attention
to the inaccuracies and miSstatemcnts put
forth as the earnings of the men in our region.
1t is reported that the operators in
MeyerSdale have conceded the advance
asked for that region-from 80 to 40
cents per ton.
A convention of delegates from the
entire region will meet in Homecoming
Monday to ratify the action of the
Executive Board.
At IL large meeting held in Iona
coming last evening it was unanimous
ly and enthusiastically resolved to sus-
tam the action of the Executive
Board, and three delegates each from
jackson, Koontz, OLD 'Coney, New
'Coney, Kingsland, New Detmoid and
Pekin, will so vote in Mondays con-
vention in Homecoming.
a similar meeting is advertised to
be held this evening in Forester's Hall.
| this place.