Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-29
SOUTHERN COAL N. G.
As a Competitor With Monongahela's Is
Product, According to
JOHN COSTELLO. WHO ISJUST BACK.
The Prominent Executive BOarder Talks Of
Local Mining Wages
AND EDSAYsPRESIDENT CAMPBELL is o. K.

John Costello, Of the General Executive
Board of the Knights of Labor, was in the
city yesterday. He has been at work for
seven weeks among the miners in Alabama
and Tennessee, and is on his way to gen.
eral headquarters to attend the quarterly
meeting of the board, which will be
held next Wednesday. and will be very
important one.
Mr.. Costello did not care to talk about
anything that will come up at the meeting,
but intimated that some matters that will
be of interest to Pittsburg will be consid-
cred.
The importation of 26 glass workers, the de-
mand of the glass packers for a charter for a
National Trades District, which is being
opposed by Master Workman Ross, of
D. A. 8. the proposed withdrawal of the
machinery constructors, N. T. A. 1913, from
the order and other important matters will
come up. In speaking of his Southern
tour, Mr.. Costello said:
There are from 5000 to 10000 miners in Ala
bama and about 5000 in Tennessee. I visited
almost all of the mining centers in these two
States and was very successful in strengthen
belong to N. T. A. 135. and others are in mixed
districts.
NOT COMPETITORS OF OURS.
The National Progressive Union has not a
single member in the South. All the coal pro-
duced in the two States visited is consumed
in those States, and the operators are not in any
way competitors with the Pittsburg shippers to
Southern ports.
While in Tennessee saw the land purchased
by Messrs. Blaine, Alger and Foraker. 1t is
good coal property, for Tennessee; but l do not
believe the opening of mines there will affect
the Monongahela operators, as some seem to
believe. The coal, as has been stated. is of an
inferior quality and can be sold cheaper. The
/ rates for mining and the cost of shipping to
New Orleans, Texas and other Southern points
will, of course, be less than in this section; but
| this difference. think, will be made up in the
| quality of the coal. and Monongahela river
fuel will continue to go down there as usual.
until it is all taken out of the ground.
The dlggers here may have to remain idle fer
several months yet, as there is big stock OF
| coal in the Southern markets; but when it is
! exhausted, mining will be resumed, and the
wages will not be reduced.
Among the miners in Alabama can be found
representatives from almost every nation on
the earth, while in Tennessee they are all ma
| tive born"
When asked his opinion of the wage mix
| in the railroad districts of Ohio and West
ern Pennsylvania, Mr.. Costello replied:
SOME INCONSISTENCIES.
If President Mcbride issued circular to the
| effect that the operators terms should be &C.
ceded to, he should have stuck to it. 1 think
a great mistake was made by the n. P. U. in
barring Knights of Labor from the conven
tion- The operators wanted to treat with the
miners. irrespective of organization, and il
they had met together and formulated scale
of wages, it would probably have been accept
ed, and would have been satisfactory to the
| K. of L., the n. P. o., and the miners
| who do not belong to either organization
| 1 see that Mr.. Mcbride, after advising
| the men to accept the operators terms issues
another circular, fixing the price higher than
| he announced previously would be fair rate
| This is inconsistent, and If strike occurs the
| sympathy of the public will be with the oper
| tion of affairs here, having been absent for sc
long, and do not know what will be done. The
General Executive Board, at the meeting nexi
Wednesday, will likely take the matter up.
"What do you think of L. A. 800 import
ing 26 glass workers to this country?'
queried the reporter.
"I do not know anything about it; but, il
President Campbell says that no law wa'
violated, and that there is a scarcity Of
window glass blowers in this country, you
can depend upon it that he is right.
Mr.. Costello went up to visit his Local
assembly at Shire Oaks last night, and will
remain there until this evening, when hC
will leave tor Philadelphia.