Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-01
LATE NEWS BY WIRE
Meeting of the Ohio Miners in Con-
VentiOn.
QUESTION OF WAGES TO Be SETTLED
Work Stopped Until a Scale is
Arranged.
TRYING TO END A STRIKE

COLUMBUS, Ohio May 1.-The Ohio
Miners Association, Auxiliary to the Unit
ed Mine Workers of America, met today
'to deal with the price question: Accord
ing to former agreements, Ohio miners
worked cents below the Pittsburg dis
trict. The important question now Is. shall
this differential Of cents continue? The
call. as read. shows further that the men
who stopped work today in Ohio did so
by recommendation of their organization
officials. until scale is arranged.
The morning was consumed in the ap-
pointment of committees.
The convention then adjourned, pending
the preparation of the credential report.
The delegate from the Messenger mine
said that his men would continue working
at tn, old scale until they heard from him.
The LtasSillon delegates after the conven-
ton took a recess, held a meeting to con-
slider the matter of deciding to ask for
a scale of 10 for Ohio, 10 to he the Pitts
burg rate. and Ohio operators to hold back
10 cents to go to the support OF striking
miners at Pittsburg who are being pressed
to work below the scale of 20. This plan
is opposed by all Ohio operators and many
miners on account of it's being dangerously
near, II not full-fiedged. conspiracy.
President Batchford said to the Associat-
ed Press reporter that 60 cents Is not
enough for the Ohio miner, who during the
latter part of the winter lived upon charity.
He said the indications were that an adj
vance would be asked. but he could not say
how much. nor could he say what action
the convention would probably take with
reference to the situation in Pittsburg.
The first annual address of Ratchford to
the Ohio miners was issued today. katcn-
ford says that the Columbus convention Is
to determine whether the miners will main
tain last years prices, or whether they will
force an end to the cruel and dishonest
competition under which they are being
ground down to the level Of the lowest
class of foreign labor.
For the first time In the history Of Ohio
her miners are called upon to fix rate for
the entire bituminous fields. Mr.. Ratch-
ford sarcastically concludes that if the
miners Of the country found their invest
ment profitable last year. 1t will require no
argument to cause 1t to be reaffirmed. but
If. as time has clearly proved that 1t was a
wild and untimely speculation. they should
hesitate before repeating that memorable
action. Thus II Will be seen that although
he makes no definite suggestion, practically
he advises the Ohio miners to insist upon
an increase over the present scale of sixty
cents.
PITTSBURG, Pa. May This was the
day set apart by the operators for general
start of the mines on the Wheeling division
of the Baltimore and Ohio road with a
view to breaking the strike. The start
was made, but 1t was not up to the expec-
tations of the operators, for very few men
are at work. At the Jumbo and Midway
mines of F. l.. Robbins. about eighteen
men are at work, which is small proper
ton of the capacity. Henry. Flowershems,
Germania and Nottingham mines are also
In operation with few diggers at work.
number of operators made no attempt
to start today, but expect to have plenty of
men in a few days. The river mines are
now running at the sixty-nine cent rate,
and 1t is thought that as soon as they close
down the miners who will be thrown out
of employment will be glad to get work at
sixty cents per ton.
POMEROY. Ohio. May Through the
state board of arbitration the mining trou-
bles were adjusted at Minersville today,
and the old men will go to work tomorrow
at the two cent rate. Concessions were
made on all sides.