The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-12-17
A MOVEMENT OF MINERS.
They Propose to Deal with Operators Only
through an ~Amalgamated Association.

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There will be "a meeting here tomorrow,
at No.. 115l2 East Washington street, of the
Miners National Progressive Union. In
this organization are those who gave the
Federated Association of Miners and Mine
Laborers their strength. and with them are
many of the Miners Assembly of the
Knights of Labor. The latter organiza-
ton is still in existence, but the federation
has lost Its identity in the Progressive
Union. The incidents and questions that
led to the new organization were the mat
ter of conversation between Col. Yeomans
and a reporter yesterday. The Colonel.
though largely interested in mines, both in
his State an4Ohio. is conservative in his
views.
A q meeting Of the operators and min
ers. held in Columbus, O., three years ago."
said he. 1.-THE purpose was to make a scale
of prices to govern miners in West Virginia.
Pennsylvania. Ohio. Indiana n Illinois.
But Illinois withdrew, and that left Ind
ana to compete with her on ascale by which
the operators of the former state were not
governed. From that time TO the present
Illinois operators nave had quite an ad-
vantage over those in this State. They
made the best terms they could with their
AAltt0Ao ono WIN - Al AO0l ALaAA Gus
of the Northwest and Chicago, the dump
ing grounds for the surplus coal of Ohio,
Indiana and Illinois. This state of affairs
continued until the annual convention of
States in this city. They met in
TFebruary last. During the period re-
ferred to the miners of the States
operating under the scale were under a
pledge to the operators 10 bring the Illinois
operators and miners up to the scale and
under this pledge, ut a meeting of opera
tors and miners. held at the Bates House
In June. 1855. n conditional advance was
granted of 5 cents in the summer and 3
cents additional in winter making a total
failed by their own conditions TO bring the
Illinois operators and miners up to the
scale, thus failed TO earn the advance. At
tbs convention the Indiana operators de-
sired 10 nave a reduction from the scale of
prices for mining their Goals to an extent
that would enable them and the men in
their employ TO compete with the Illinois
operators and miners. They were alsO con-
fr0ntcd with a large amount of crude leg
~islation that would add still further to the
burden of the operators if it was enacted
into laws.
Another meeting was held in Columbus.
O., on the 18th of last March. but prior to
1t the Indiana operators decided not to at
tend it. as they had nothing to hope for.
After the meeting adjourned they endeav-
ored to treat with their miners upon a scale
for mining block coal. to be prepared by the
block coal operators, and on one for mining
bituminous coal. The miners considered
the reduction by the ~block-coal operators
as being unreasonable. and refused TO grant
it. The operators claimed they could not
pay more and find a market for the product
of their mines with any profit TO them
selves. While these negotiations Were
pending the bituminons coal operators
withdrew and held n meeting with their
miners IN Terre Hante in the last week IN
April. At this meeting. which lasted foI