The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-08-27
The Strike TO CONTINUE.
TIE CONFERENCE OF THE PAR
TIES A FAILURE.

ing Arb~ttratiOn-This the Operators Re-
fused-An Propositions by the Latter
Rejected Missionary Work Among
Working Acknowledgements for Wages
Againsi the De Armits.
Pittsburg, August 24.-The final eff
fort to a a plan for ending the
big coal strike has proved a failure and
the strike goes on. AT noon the on
ference between a committee of coal
operators and the miners national and
district officials closed. and the con-
ference adjourned without date. The
miners representatives did not recede
from their original proposition to settle
the strike by arbitration and start the
mines at the So cent rate.
The operators offered to divide the
difference between the "a and SO cent
rates, making the price at which the
mines should start 611A cents per ton,
but this was rejected. Then additional
propositions were made. One was to
start the mines without fixing any
price for thirty days and then to pay
the rate agreed upon by the board of
arbitration. This was also refused by
the miners. They claimed they had
been fooled too often to trust the op-
orators again. They declined to work
for a month giving the operators the
output for that length Of time without
knowing what wages would be paid. A
proposition was then mad to operate
the mines for ten days without fixing
the price, and allow a board of arbi-
tration to fix the price for that time.
President Ratchford insisted that MOTH
ing but the SO cent rate could possibly
be accepted.
Tho nrnrotnrc r,nrn G~ro hut thu
miners were equally determined and
every argument of the mine owners
was met by the Miners leaders. Meth
er side would concede another point
and it was decided to end the confer
ence.
President RatchfOrd had but little to
say on the matter, but gave out the
following statement: I'VE have dis
agreed. Our proposition remained I'M
changed. Besides our proposition to
arbitrate, we made them a second one
along the lines Of bringing bout a
general conference of miners n Op-
orators of all the mining states. They
refused to lend their efforts in that di-
rectiOn and the strike will be continued.
We have no other plans for the flu
ture."
Immediately after the close of the
morning conference, j. B. Zerbe called
a meeting of operators for 2 o'clock
this afternoon to discuss the situation
and outline a plan for future action.
The operators were in secret session
for several hours and when the doors
were opened their press agent an
nounce that the mines would certain
ly be started with the old diggers if
possible, with imported men if the old
men refuse to work. A committee was
appointed, composed of representa-
tives Of every firm in the district, to
map out the mode Of procedure for the
resumption. This committee will meet
tomorrow morning for this p II
President Patrick DOlan, after the
conference, said he was very sorry that
no conclusion had been reached. Many
of the operators seem to think that it
would be humiliation for them to max
concessions. The time to talk about
humiliation is passed. I am of the
opinion that if the operators had ac-
coded to our requests, which were GER
tainly fair, they would not have
stamped themselves as towards, but as
gentlemen, who are DESTROYS of doing
what is fair and just. They have alb
solutely refused to meet our demands
and there is no other course for us to
pursue. We must continue the strike
with undated vigor."
In accordance with this statement
Secretary Warner mapped out an itin-
erary for new organizers that are to
be put in the field. Fayette City, Port
Royal, CharlerOi, Bellevernon, Vista,
Wampum, mining towns of Mercer
county,, are included in the list. 1t is
proposed to keep at the work and push
organization with undated vigOr.
j. B. Zerbe declared this evening that
if the operators should concede the SO
cent rate, some twelve of the largest
would lose at least $3.50, 900. This was
not to be thought of. The proposal to
call for a general conference had been
rejected because it would be a waste of
time so far as ndian and Illinois are
concerned and because the Ohio opera
tors are anxious to have the Pitts
burgers either lose their contracts or
work them at a loss.
The camp of the striking miners,
which has been maintained for the past
four weeks, at Sandy Creek, in order
to keeptthe miners from returning to
work in that pit, was broken up this
morning and the seventy men were
sent to their homes. This action was
taken by the miners officials because
the mine there is tightly closed and
the strikers are fully in sympathy with
the mJvement for higher wages.
There will be a meeting Of all the
striking miners Of the Oak Hill mines
at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon at the
camp grounds in Turtle Creek.
In the case of Thomas Deere against
the New York and Cleveland Gas Coal
Company to recover wages retained,
Alderman S. j. Toole this afternoon
gave the plaintiff a judgment for $4O.26.
Deere sued for wages alleged to be
due from July 18th to August 9Th. He
is one of the De Armitt men who joined
the strikers at Plum Creek and his
wage were declared forfeited under
the iron-clad contract.
Suits for wages have also been enter
ed against the same company by five
others. A hearing will be held by AL
derman Toole next Monday morning at
IL o'clock.
During the day the aEapers succeeded
in doing considerable work by going
about in groups of two They claim
to have made a number of converts
and that only twenty-five men were
at work in the Oak Hill xnine today.
The offsets this claim, how