Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-15
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM 70 THE DISPATCH,

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATCH.l
COLUMBUS, March 14.-The Interstate
agreement which has existed between the
coal operators and miners for the past three
years was dissolved to-day by the joint con-
vention, which, after failing to fix the price
of mining for the ensuing year, adjourned
sine die. The convention did not act hast
lily, but made repeated efforts through COM
mittees to adjust the differences between the
miners and operators, and it was with re-
luctance on the part of both that the agree
ment was broken.
After making concessions beyond the in
structions of their constituents, the dele
gate miners offered to submit the difference
between the propositions of the miners and
operators, which was matter of cents, to
arbitration. This the operators refused to
do, claiming that they could not get fair
decision. It wAsin view of this fact that
the final action of the miners was taken.
What the result will be is only matter Of
conjecture.
Both operators and miners regret that the
Interstate agreement has been dissolved.
1t has been from its inception measure of
peace, and has given to the miners satisfac-
tie more than three years ago, and was first
proposed by the miners.
INDIANA TO BLAME.
dianapolis month ago, the Indiana opera
tors by representing that there were certain
vicious measures pending before the Legis-
lature which they wished to defeat before
fixing the scale for the year, secured an ad-
journment for 80 days. In the meantime,
however, the President of one of the Indiana
coal roads agreed that if the miners would re-
duce tie rate of mining 20 cents per ton, the
railroad company would reduce freight rates
25 cents, and they would go into the market
and secure the trade of the Ohio and Penn
sylvania operators. This was their position
when they withdrew from the convention
here.
There is every probability, according to
the statements of Mr.. Penna, President of
the Indiana district of the Miners Union,
of a strike in that State, though he does not
expect the miners to win. He is confident
that notices of reductions have already been
posted in some of the districts of the State,
and that he regards the same as strike.
Mr.. Dempster, of the Pittsburg district,
said he did not anticipate any trouble there
over the failure to agree upon prices for
mining. The rate for the spring and sum-
mer fixed by last years scale was "a cents
per ton, and this would probably be paid
by operators the year round.
THE EFFECT HERE.
Their principle trade is the lake trade,
which is supplied in the summer, and
strike in the winter would not affect them.
If they could not hold their trade, they
would let their mines stand idle. If the re-
duction proposed in Indiana was made, it
would greatly interfere with the Pittsburg
operators Mr.. Rend regrets the dissolution
of the agreement more than any other oper-
ator.. He is for peace fer all time and has
no desire to return to the old condition of
strikes, disagreements, discomfort and hos
tility. He fears that if the miners strike it
will be general, affecting not only Indiana,
but Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Mr. Schlenderberg, one of the Pittsburg
coal operators, was in favor of conceding
the demands of the miners to maintain
peace. He attributed the dissolution of the
agreement to the actions of the Ohio oper-
ators, who refused to concede anything.
The miners will have a conference for
mutual understanding tomorrow morning,
before they return to their homes They do
not anticipate a strike in either Ohio or
Pennsylvania until after May 1, when their
contract with the operators expires, unless
an attempt 10 make IeuucIlOn comes
sooner.
They still desire to avoid trouble, and it
is probable that within the next two weeks
they will concede one-half the difference
between their propositions and those of the
operators, and ask the operators to do the
same.
A LAST EFFORT.
At the afternoon session of the conven-
ton the miners made another effort to force
the differences to arbitration, and insisted
that the operators had failed to show good
reason why for asking reduction.
Mr.. Patterson, Pennsylvania operator,
said he was in favor of continuing the inter-
State agreement, but if the miners were to
demand an advance at each meeting, he did
not want to remain in it. He charged the
miners with failing to live up to the agree
ment, and asserted that the operators had
kept it to the letter.
Mr.. Mcbride asked Mr.. Patterson if he
did not know that there were operators in i
the Pittsburg district who signed the scale
last year who compelled the miners to accept
prices below the scale rate. Mr.. Patterson
could not answer the question, and Mr.. Nc
Bride said he knew il was fact. Repre-
sentative Hysell. of Ohio, thought the con-
vention was too intelligent body to ad-
iourn without coming to some definite con-
clusion. He thought the convention should
submit to arbitration rather than break up
the agreement.
It was getting late. however, and great
deal of ill-feeling was rampant, and the
convention adjourned sine die.