The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1894-06-01
CONFERENCE.
Settlement OF the strike Rests with the II
ll~ois Operators That IL What President

Settlement Of the Strike Rests with the IL
ll''ols Operators That IL What President
Mcbride OF the Mine Workers. Says.
SrRINGFlELD ILL.,, May 29.-The con-
ference Of operators and representa-
tives Of the miners Monday afternoon
did not start OFF well. Southern Ill
inois was well represented, and few
are present from this section.
President Crawford, Of the Illinois
State association, was elected chairman
by reclamation, the operators taking
no part in the proceedings.
President Mcbride then addressed
the assembly. For years Central and
Southern Illinois, Le said, 'had been
drawback 10 the settlement Of min
Ing difficulties. Whenever an inter-
state movement had been undertaken
the operators Of Northern Illinois had
been hampered by the lack Of agree
ment on the part Of those Of the south
ern and central fields. Whenever
the northern operators would enter
into an agreement with their miners
the central aud southern field oper-
ators would get large amount Of their
trade. In the present international
fight the operators Of the central and
southern part OF the state stood IN the
way Of an agreement from one end Of
the country TO another"
Continuing, Mr.. Mcbride said he
wanted TO meet the operators and dis
cuss the matter in the hope that har-
monious action might be secured.
Operator Tracey, Of Springfield, said
he was sorry the scale was not to be
considered. The operators had no
grievance
Eve don't know what is the matter. /"
said Mr., Tracey. "What do you want?
We are willing TO do what is reason
able, but we want 70 know what you
want The Consolidated Coal Co. own
Ing eighty-thrce mines, and mining
3.0O00O0 tons annually, is not here, and
Charles Ridgely, the president, told me
he would not be bound by the acts OF
this meeting. Pana has been paying
tweniy-nine cents per ton to miners.
We can not compete with that. II Mr..
Mcbride win say the word, concluded
MIR Tracey, II viii put 500 men TO work
Tuesday"
Ex-Representative Thomas Spellman,
OF Danville, who -described himself as
small miner, spoke in favor Of the
settlement Of the strike on local lines,
asking the executive board U. NJ. w. A.
10 make an effort in that direction.
lie denied that the operators Of central
and southern Illinois were 20 blame for
the trouble. hl his opinion the Ohio
operators were as much 20 blame.
After further discussion. Norton. OF
Canton, offered the following, which
was adopted:
Resolved, That the operators here
assembled respectfully invite all the
operators Of the state 10 attend gen.
eral conference 70 consider the Illinois
scale Of wages, the meeting 10 be hold
Thursday, OF 10 a. m, at the state
house.
Resolved. further. That those inter
esis in Southern and Central Illinoi,
not represented here to-day be in
vited, and there be special commit
tee Of three appointed by the chairman
Of this meeting 20 see that the invita-
tions are properly distributed
Spellman asked II at the meeting q
settlement was made and scale agreed
upon. the miners in Illinois would be-
allowed TO 60 10 work.
II win say 10 you replied Mcbride
"that II satisfactory agreement /.
reached and scale signed at this
meeting, the board win say so towork,
because that will bring the operators
Of other fields 20 terms,'