Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-02-16
MINERS CONVENE.
rIE SAFETY OF TIE wOREXES DISCUSSED
At COLUMBUS.
The Legislation That the Miners Ask hr-Tl,
General and Defense Fuud Nfrstd lrD One.
Tie Strikes in Pennsylvania Endorsed ly
tie acknowledgements Brewibr.

the Conysnlion-Sttsaiiol Brewing.
CoLrmrS, February IS. The Na-
tional Convention of Miner has ad-
journed To Monday with the pro,p.,i
that it will require the greater part nf
the week to complete the work. Th.
scale question, which is one nf the
most Important. was referred back to
the scale committee with Instruction.
70 Investigate the conditions In the
several districts, and IL j. expected
they will be ready 10 report by Monday.
There are rumOrs OF sensation brew
ing in the X. Of L., in which Hays.
Cavanaugh aud others are interested.
but none OF the particulars have been
learned
The defense fund occupied the attcn.
ton OF the convention nearly al day.
Some were in favor OF abolishing t6.
national fund aud creating district
funds. Others were In favor of q taN
FOR defense fund t0 be divided between
the national and district organizations.
while there was less radical sentiment
IN favor OF national fund. giving dI,
trlcts voice in is disposition.
The drift Of the discussion va, de-
cidedly against a national fund. and 10
looked as II this vital feature of the or
ganilation was about 10 be- knocked
out.
President Rae, ia hi, annual address.
recommends that the general fund and
defense fund be- consolidated and ihai
~ per cent Of the monthly pcr rapita
tax De set aside for defense purposes.
This recommendation was adopted nn
the suggestion oi John T. Jones. the
per capita tax being fixed al 20 cent.
a month. An amendment was adopt
ed providing that where any disputr
arises the District President Shall
report To the National Executive
Board, and if they neglect or refn-,
give decision within ten day, thr
District President shall have mlI power
TO order strike; and the strikers being
entitled To receive aid from the defense
fund, the National Executive Board
shall rot call OF a strike inauguratcd
under this section unless by the consent
OF the district officer, and the men un
strike. The solution of the difficulty
vas satisfactory 10 all the delegates. lt
leaves the defense fund practically a> 10
was last year. and gives the districts
rights which they did not have.
The Committee on Grievance. pre-
'ented report Indor,lng the aciion oi
the national officer, concerning the
strike at Irwin. Pa, aud recommending
that the incoming Executive Board r,.
ceiSe deserving attention. The COM
mittee recommended that the West
moreland aud Pennsylvania Gas Coal
Companies. at whose mines the ,trik.
has been on since last May. be forced
10 comply with the national scale of
prices. President Rae said the Two
companies had lost several million do.
lars by the strike and were becoming
very sick Of IL. lie had mforma-
tion from a Pennsylvania operator
that II a yigorou, effort was made io
force the payment of scale ratr- MAY D.
the companies would couccd- them
The recommendation ol the commiIi,,
was adopted.
The Committee on District and B,ur.
daries reported o., follow.
District !. anthracite region ~ Penn
sylyania; %. counties of jefferson.
Clearlield, Center. Indiana. Cambria
Blair. Huntingdon aud Bedford. 3, Los
Grade, Pennsylvania: &. coke region.
Pennsylvania; .. Pirshurg district. Do.
Ohio: n. Indiana and Southwest Ken
lucky: a., Illinois; 10. Iowa. D.. Nj
souri and Kansas: l5. Colorado. Wash
ington and Territories. o.. Maryland.
l.. West Virginia; l.. Virginia. lY
Tennessee and Eastern aud Southeast.
ern Kentucky: 30, Alabama and Gr0r-
gia; 81, TcNI-. Arkansas. Indian Terri
tory and Mcyico.
The report WAS accepted aud thc mat.
ter OF consolidating District D. with
District or was referred 10 the ~
ecutiye Board.
The Committee on Mine Disaster,
aud Safety Appliances recommended
that the Legislature 0f each State hr
urged to enact iaw providing at each
miLe local board a. examiner. 90 oDi-
sisting Of two practical miners working
at the mine and the mine hos. of Other
representative Of the company. tle ap
p0intmcnt uf miners on this board leo h'.
long TO the majority of miners 100 iho
works. The duty Oi th" board +. io be-,
the examining NJ miner a. i0 their
efficiency in the knowledge oi
safety lamps aud how to u-r
them, especially in time OF danger
Other laws recommended are, that therr
be- created a State Board of Examiner.
in each district where al present nonr
e.ist. whose duty shall bc 10 examine
applicants for mine and fire bose. from
the yari0u, districts % which the board
belongs the Examining Board ,o CON
slst OF one representative of the upcra.
tors, the District Mine Inspector ani
one miner. the National E,ncniA"
Board Of the United Mine Worsrr, OF
America to recommend the miner banned
10 the Governor of The State for ap-
pOintment
The report also urged that ali opera
tors Of mines be- compelled % place tho
Shaw apparatus boo every mine senei
atiug yas until the coming ni mon.
perfect machine.
Ia support Of this The committee say
70 is theiropnion that bad hi. machine
been IN use 10 the Mammoth minr..
such terrible catastrophe a, ihat
which shocked the entire world irw
weeks ago would not have occurred.
The COMMITTEES further reported.
We recommend law compelling aii
companies ~ place competent person
40 the top and bottom Of each mine while
miners are ascending or de~crnIrx W.
recommend q law making it obligatory
Oh all compIn.rs TO keep a. their wnih-.
always 10 readiness. an ambulance
wagon and other conveyance. fOr carry
ing injured miners to their home. that
no person be- employed 300 any minr
where safety lamps are used without %
certificate stating bis efficiency boo ih'
know ledge of safety lamp, and h"w to
use them IN times Of danger.
uE WANTED BLOOD.