Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-10
MUST HAVE THECASH.
Miners in This District Do Not Want
Payment for Their Work
In THE OPERATORS STORE GOODS.
Thousands of Miners Have Returned to En-
gland to Enjoy the
BOOM IN THE COAL BUSINESS THERE

Delegates from District 3, United Mine
Workers, assembled in special convention
yesterday afternoon, at Knights of Labor
headquarters, to consider means to extend
organization, greater uniformity in the
dead work scale and other matters. The con-
vention was one of the largest held by the
craft in Pittsburg. There were "a delegates
present. The convention will be continued
to-day. Patrick Mcbride, who is in the
district on an organizing mission, was
present
The business of the day was mostly pre-
liminary. The following resolution was
agreed to:
WHEREAS, A large portion of the miners in
the Pittsburg district are undergoing very
protracted term of idleness by operators failing
to pay scale rates because other operators are
refusing to pay cash, substituting in its stead
store goods;
Resolved. That this convention asks the ma
tiona1 officers to make it known in competitive
districts that any scale made in the future
must be based on cash payments.
A SATISFACTORY REPORT.
Beyond the passing Of this resolution and
discussing methods for organizing nothing
of importance was done, and the convention
adjourned until this morning. Mr.. Mcbride
took counsel with the convention as to organ
iZing methods. He reported that the district
was rapidly being brought within the union.
The system of company stores still prevails to
great extent, and it is the greatest bone of
contention between operator and miner. All
the river and railroad mines, with the excep-
ton of the Buffalo mine, retain this system,
while the Cory Company, the New York and
Cleveland Gas Coal Company. and the opera
-, ~. lsoA-s IL
Operators who pay their men in cash claim that
they cannot compete with store operators at
the same mining rate. and claim they should be
allowed all better terms for the cash payment.
The officials of the miners recognize the justice
OF the claim, and are waging war against the
storekeepers by insisting on cash payments.
These have been refused, and the majority of
tho strikes now in existence are due to this
cause.
The majority of the mines in the district are
reported as doing fair work, excepting the
There is general scarcity Of men, and oper-
ators are advertising on all sides for help. 1t is
stated that for the from 5000 to 10 00C miners
formerly employed in the latter mines, there
are only from 1000 to 5000 available now.
TWO CAUSES GIVEN.
This falling off in the supply of mine labor
is attributable to two causes; preference for
other employment, such as mill work, where
work is steady all the year round, and to the
Iact tnat between OOO and 5,OO0 men have lett
the district already and returned to the old
country. The reason for this general exodus
extending over the last II months-is the -four
Ishing condition of the mining business in
England, and Europe in general The trade
has been booming in England and wages have
advanced to point at which a miner can earn
more wages, commensurate with his expenses,
there than here. At the present moment there
is employment for several thousand men in the
river and railroad mlnes want that there
seems no way of filling.
In point of price there is nothing to choose
between the river and railroad rates. The
former rule at cents per bushel, and the latter
at 79 cents per ton-rates that are regarded as
equivalent. The only point Uf difference is
that the railroad miners are tied to their rate
for II months, under the Columbus SCALE but
the river miners are not, since the river opera
tors would not agree to meet the miners at the
Ohio convention. The result is that while the
railroad men enjoy feeling of security. the
river men are in "a chronic state of apprehen-
sion lest something should fall.