Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-03

meut of Nav must be enforced. The
miners are iubilant over the fact that the
rivcr operators are in a position for once to
help them win the strike. 1t is SAID there is
coal amounting to nearly 10000, 600 living in
harges along the Nonongahela river ready
to be shipped South as soon as rise in the
river comes. If a demand comes for the
coal here they would naturally dump the
whole of the 2o,OO0, 900 on the Pittsburg
market in preference to waiting for the rise.
This would mean big loss to the railroad
operators. and the miners think would have
much to do with forcing their demands for
more Yay.
BIG MEETING GE OPERATORS
The operators held one of the largest
meetings they ever had yesterday afternoon
at the office Of the Pittsburg Coal Exchange
in the Standard building, Wood street.
Over 80 operators were present represent
ing about all the mines involved in the
present strike. The committee which met
the miners on "Wednesday reported the re-
suit of the conference and the demands of
the miners They also submitted n copy of
the agreement entered into on Nav ,. which
was published in THE DISPATCH a few
GavS ago.
II was reported that Henry Floersheim,
of Finleyville, had granted the advance OF
Is cents and that his men were working
He was asked if this was true. to which he
replied in the affirmative. The operators
Immediately set about to do some mission
ary work with Mr.. Floersheim in order TO
convert him back to the, otherwise un-
broken. ranks of the operators. 1t seemed
like fruitless task for a time, for the gem
tleman from Finleyville evidently had
grievance against some of the other oper-
ators Some time ago he secured some
other Ohio towns and he alleges
that an attempt was made to
cut him down IA cents a
ton on the business. He had granted the
present demands TO his men, because he
considered that if the operators could afford
TO cut him IA cents, they could afford TO
give the men Is and still be ahead.
RECoNSIDERED HIS ACTION.
Mr. Floersheim was finally induced TO re-
consider his action in granting the advance
upon the promise of the other operators
that they would see that his contracts are
filed by the men who are still at work. He |
agreed TO withdraw the advance temporarily, |
providing they would prove to him |
that his contracts will be filed |
This was agreed to, and a committee |
appointed 10 confer with Mr. Floershelm |
to-day with view to proving to him their
ability TO fill his contracts After the |
meeting adjourned President Dempster and |
Secretary Hall gave ont the following |
statement as their side of the present con-
troversy, which has not as yet been fully |
stated:
This agreement Of NIay2 last was to remain |
in force until May l. 1892. at - cents per ton |
for coal screened over "A IL mesh, and that |
the miners could not nulliiy that agreement |
at thCr option. 1t was made in good faith |
and without reservation on the part of the |
miners and their officers, who had been |
delegated by the miners convention held in |
this city that day to make such agreement. |
As TO THE DEAD WORK SCALE
The miners candidly admitted that it had
been made in good faith and should be main
tanned. but claimed the right to violate it,
for the reason that one or two operators had |
not paid the dead work scale during the |
wear. The operators showed by past history
that the dead work scale" was not a part of
the agreement, determining the price paid
per ton for mining. and that there had been
a method prescribed for the redress of all
grievances, in the submission for decision
of differences TO an arbitration committee
composed OF miners and operators in equal
number. W hlch was also admitted by the
miners.
The further assertion was made by the
miners that the operators had not acted in
good faith relative to the appointment of
their part OF a committee of arbitration to
be constituted to settle what proportion OF |
the advance in the prices received for Pitts |
burg coal, over others. if any, was equitablv |
due 10 the miners, specified in the agree
ment, claiming that the operators failed to
give satisfaction relative thereto, when
called on by the local officers, of the miners
OrganiZati ton, 70 do so. The operators pro-
dGced and read minutes from a meeting
that had been held June l6 at which persons
were appointed for that purpose: and |
further produced the minutes of a meeting, |
Of said arbitration committee of June p, at
which the miners and operators were repre-
scnted, by their respective appointees.
40 REQUESTS SINCE JULY.
1t was shown by said minutes that tlfe
meeting adjourned to enable the miners
thereof TO consult their constituency at n
convention to be held by them in July, after
which time no request had ever been made
to either the Chairman, Secretary or any
member of the Operators Committee for
meeting of said Arbitration Committee.
In view Of the facts. therefore, the oper-
atOrS at that conference held that they had |
acted in good faith. and had been, and were
now ready and willing, to conform to the
terms OF the agreement, consequently amy
attempt on the part of the miners TO annul
the agreement was a gross violation OF that
honor and principle that makes a man
word or promise Is good and binding aS his
bond" The operators called attention to
tho fact that if the miners held TINS lightly
their obligations voluntarily entered into on
Nav .. 1871 surely they could not expect
much confidence to be placed in their
action was practically n disruption of the
relations that had existed between the en-
DloycrS and employed during the past five
wears, relations that had been beneficial i'll its
operations to both, and that because by the
keen eye of some ambitious minds scanning
the horizon with a view to future prefer
mCnt in the leadership of the mass, thought
lie detected in the business an ODpOrtune
hour to assert the rie hit that ''mignt makes"
That was not a sufficient excuse for the
course they were pursuing. After a full dis
cuSsion of the case in all its phases, there
was but one opinion expressed as to the
conduct OF the miners in their action, and
that the miners had, without the shadow of
made last MAY.
Tie operators firmly maintained their
position. and held the miners to the fulfill
mp1t of all the terms. as they. the operators, |
aye ready to do, and abide by all the decs-
ions rendered by the proper arbltrntlon
committee operating under and by virtue
OF it provisions.
PRESIDENT COSTELLO'S OPINION.
President Costello was shown the state
meHt. He read it and then said: ''Oh, that
does not prove anything. We have atil-
davits showing that certain operators dld
violate the agreement. They had better
not commence TO call Us to account on the
question of honor. f. L. Robbins dis
charged II Of his men tor no other reason
than 5hcy attended a convention OF miners,
and when | visited him | could get no salts
faction from him. If he had wanted TO 1--we
up to the agreement, he would have those
men working for him TO-DAY"
Mr. Costello left last night for Columbus
70 attend the meeting OF the General Eyecu-
tive Board to-day. The President of each
district in the four ates has been called
TO Columbus, and il is believed the eight