The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-24
CoRBIN,s MINERS.
ve Their Version and Undcratanding

They Give Their Version and Understanding
of Last september's Agreement.
PoTTsvILLE, Jan. 23-The joint convention
OF the knights of Labor and the Miners Assoc
citation to- night issued reply to the statement
of President Corbin, of the Reading road. in re-
gard to the strike. After quoting Mr.. Corbin's
statement Of the negotiations resulting in the
agreement of Sept IA. the reply says:
'In answer to the above We have to say that
the following agreement in writing. as prepared
by the iont-committee was submitted to Cen
eral Manager Whiting on the 14th Of September
last and accepted by him with the understanding
that it be sent to the receivers for their final APP
prevail. 1t was there aud then agreed that John
FL. Davis, chairman. should call in .
few days to receive the answer. Mr..
Davis waited upon Mr.. Whiting on
Sept II, who stated that the agreement had
been accepted by the receivers and he then
handed Mr. Davis what he termed memo
randum, which was represented as covering the
sper cent advance. with a sliding scale. to ter
inmate Jan. /, 1888 The understand
ing between General Manager Whiting
and the committee and between
him and Mr.. Davis on that day
was that tho receivers could not enter into
any agreement extending beyond Jan. !. 1888
for the reason that they could make no con-
tracts IS receivers. binding the company
who would have to assume control of the bust
ness at that time. The agreement reads:
This agreement, made the 14th day of September.
A y. 1887, between General Manager s. C. Whiting
and Mine Superintendent John Veith, for the Phila
delphia & Reading Coal and Iron Company and q sub
Labor the Miners and Laborers' Amalgamated Assoc
citation and the eccentric engineers of the Lehigh
and lower anthracite regions for the employees the
Philadephia Reading Coal and Iron Company above
lOpth from he first avofSa n
all employees of said Philadelphia & Reading Coal aud
Iron Company shall be paid an advance of per cent;
be the minimum subject to advance with the ad.
psr ton at sebul OF Hs0sn a the
Of 3 Is per cent for every dollar or fractional part
And
and between the parties above named for those they
represent that where the said company are now pay
work, because of extraordinary slate, rock, direct
or to Ss s sst when Of the said @
shall have the right to the price of such work
to the average or basis prices or regular contract
the agreement set forth shall not be binding said
PhiiadePhia q Heading Coal and Iron Company pro.
and contract prices by the leading interests and
their employees competing In the same market be en-.
tered into.
The statement then goes on to say that the
proviso reading ''or. in case agreement 10
reached by Jan. l. 1885," is binding on nobody.
because the receivers could not contract to do
anything beyond that date.
Dull Times with Railroad Coal Operators.
PITTsBURG, Jan. 23.-Trade is not very brisk
at present with the railroad coal operators In
the West trade is dull. and reduction in the
price is expected in the next few days. The
strike in the anthracite region does not benefit
our trade to any material extent" remarked
Baltimore & Ohio operator, this afternoon. 1T
has benefited the coke men of the ConnellsvilIe
region to some extent. but soft coal canGot be
substituted for hard coal. When the river
mines were closed down and trade here was
pretty dull in q general way, quite plumber
of new bidders entered for the Eastern trade
As a result of the new competition for Eastern
trade the Baltimore e. Ohio operators turned
their attention to the Western trade Their
shipments almost exclusively to tho
West. Trade is dull and the tendency is TO
duction In prices at Chicago and other Western
points