Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-17
NO STRIKE THIS YEAR.
President Rae Talks at Length on
United Mine Workers Matters.
NEW WDEAD-WORK SCALE PREPARED
Journeymen Timers Express Willingness
for Conference.
KNIGHTS OF LABOR RECORDS MISSING

The convention of United Mine Workers
OF District No. 8, adjourned last evening
after having completed "dead-work" scale.
This scale provides that 66 cents shall be
paid for three-quarter inch screen and "a for
the run of the mine. It is based on the 70
cent scale, adopted recently Ia Columbus.
| On the old 70 cent scale 60 cents was paid
for three-quarter inch screens and 48 for the
run of the mine. The proposed scale asks
for uniform rate of 50 35 TOR drivers. They
now receive from 81 IS to 50 60, and the
operators are thus left at disadvantage
| with their competitors in the market.
Before adiourning resolutions were
| adopted favoring the eight-hour limit for q
days labor, condemning favoritism and un-
equal opportunities.
President j. B. Rae, Of Columbus, was
at the meeting. He was seen by DIS
PATCH reporter, and in answer to questions
relating to the miners and their interests,
Mr.. Rae said: "The miners are working
just now to have abolished company stores,
and I believe we will be successful.
WHAT WAS UNDERSTOOD.
"It was understood at Columbus. that the
scale there was adopted on a cash basis, and
it has been with difficulty that we have kept
our people from taking action on the matter
before now. Some of the operators are
willing to hand over their stores. They
offer to have the stock appraised and give
our people a year and half to pay for them.
But we prefer to deal with the stores as
separate issue, and when we get through
with our other difficulties we will take them
up"
"will the miners strike for the adoption
IF fha hon Ok cd
"That matter is in the hands of our Ma
tional Executive Board. but 1 can say there
will be no strike. Our people favor eight
hours, and they have already secured
shorter hours in many districts. We will
have no difficulty in securing eight hours
when the time comes, because the operators
admit they can do all their work in that
time. Our matters have been settled for a
year, however, and I don't think that point
will be interfered with"
''What is the condition of your organiza-
tion at present."
'It could not be in better shape. The
growth of the Union has been entirely
beyond our expectations. In Ohio, where
$4,000 miners are employed, 10000 are or
ganized. In Indiana, where there are 900,
more than 5000 are in the Union. We are
practically solid in Illinois.
GETTING QUITE SOLID.
"There are over two-thirds Of the miners
in Illinois organized, and In few months
we will be as solid as Ohio. Our move
ments Of last January have established
confidence among the men, and the opera
tors are beginning to see that our aim is to
do what is right, and to reduce the friction
existing between employer and employees"
President Rae will remain here until
after Tuesday when a conference will be
held with the operators for the purpose of
considering the scale adopted yesterday.
He expects no difficulty. He will then 60
to Punxsutawney, to attend convention of
the miners of District 2, to be held there
Wednesday and Thursday.
This convention is called to consider the
Punxsutawney trouble and President Rae
hopes to have it settled next week. He says
a new firm has taken charge of the work
there and the General Manager and two
Superintendents who were previously over
the men are to be displaced. The conven-
tion will represent II, 900 men and all of the
mines from which coal is shipped to the
East. Other matters will be considered, but
the Punxsutawney difficulty will be the
principal feature.