Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1897-08-28
THEY CONFER.
Miners OfhcialsandO Operators Meet
at Pittsburgh.
Hope to Put an End to the strike
Plans of Both Sides submitted
Col. Rend Loses His Temper
He Scores Rntchford.

Pittsburgh, Pa, Aug. 24.-Mincrs to
resume work at the 54-cent rate pend
ing decision of board of arbitration. |
Miners to resume work at an inter- |
mediate rate between the rate demand |
ed and the one paid prior to suspension,
pending u decision of board of arbitra-
ton.
Miners to resume operations without
a price named pending decision OF Il
| board of arbitration.
These three propositions were sub
mitted by the special committee of rail
| road coal operators of the Pittsburgh
| district at conference held Monday
night.
| Miners to resume work at the 60-cent
rate pending the decision of board of
arbitration.
| This is the proposition submitted by
the officers of the miners to the special
committee. The propositions were
talked over in an informal manner by
both sides when an adjournment was
taken until ten o'clock this morning.
AS near as can be learned the miners
officials will stand firm on the propo-
sition they have made. In support of
this claim they say that it is equally
fair for the miners to resume at the 60
cent rate pending arbitration as it is for
them to go to work at the 54-cent rate
under the same conditions. After the
conference several members of the com
mittee of operators said that a confer
ence of operators in which are to be
included the operators of other states
had been entirely eliminated from the
controversy and that only the Pitts
burgh district was being considered
National President Ratchford and Dis
trict President Dolan stoutly main
tanned that the question was still an
interstate one and the general strike
was being deliberated upon.
From the best information at hand
the contending parties are still far
apart. The operators hope that one of
) their propositions will be accepted,
while the miners officials say that they
will not recede in the least from the po-
sition they have taken. President Do
Ian, however, after the conference said
that all were going to take a good sleep
and he was satisfied that they would
come to definite understanding with
in ten minutes after meeting in the
morning.
1t was a lively meeting of operators.
During the forenoon there was split
among the producers. The miners Of
fcials wanted to know if every op-
orator in the district was represented.
q They had received negative reply. and
l in turn told the operators that there
were others downstairs, notably John
0 Blythe and ]. w. Shields, who were not
. represented. They adjourned and
u promised to have the remaining oper-
ators present. At the afternoon ses-
sion there were present on behalf of
the miners National President NJ. d.
Ratchford, National Secretary-Treas-
urer w. C. Pearce District President
Patrick Dolan, First Vice President EG-
ward Mckay and Secretary William
Warner. President Ratchford made q
statement of the case He said on for
mer occasions the miners went to the
operators, when with crocodile tears
the conditions were deplored by the
operators. Now, he said, it was differ
ent; the operators had come to the
miners. He expressed himself in favor
of arbitration at living rate of wages
He concluded with the statement that
if the strike is not settled by the oper
ators the labor conference to be held il
ST. Louis on the 30th will cause strike
a of all trades all over the country tha
- will appall the world.
"a The operators were surprised a
. Ratchford's talk about cripplng thu
"a business of the country. as if it was al
n everyday occurrence.
\ Col. Rend moved uneasily in his seat
n and then he sailed into Ratchford. Th
Il angrier he became the more eloquent,
i he talked. The colonel asked Ratchfort
j. If this would not be an insurrection, ant
lv the colonel claims Ratchford replie
"a that if it is necessary for the miners t.
"a secure living wages the insurrectio
"a will come. Col. Rend then said:
a. "You are keeping up this strike for tn
benefit of certain operators. With thou
w sands of women and children starving yo
ly talk of another strike of greater magn
IN tude, which, If successful from your stanc
: point, would bring the business of thi
&c country to standstill Such strike woul
6. be nothing more or less than insuI
N, rection. 1t would lead to another civ
!, war. Why, out in Chicago we hange
seven better anarchists than you Any pei
'u son that takes my property and tells m
lie / shall not operate 1t, as you are doing,
,s ! worse than an anarchist. Ine people {
- this country put their foot down on al
oe nrchy, but have not stamped it out. The
e, are ready with more ropes to hang any otl
w | ers, and l am ready to take hold of roT
a and help them. You are Judas to III
w. cause of labor as we'll as being an al
H. nrchist."
lg AT the conclusion of the conferenc
lg President Ratchford said that Co
I'm Rend had misunderstood him. Whf
he he had said in regard to the St. Lou
w conference, he said, was that if it doe
what he thinks it will there will be
general strike of all trades, He de
MED a serious charge Col. Rend hi
made against him in connection wit
several Ohio mines during the last gel
eral suspension.
Activity In Michigan Lumber Cam
lss Bessemer, Mich, Aug. 24-The con