The record-union., 1897-07-24
Efforts of the Arbitration Commits
sion Successful.
Leading Operators Agree to Issue a Call
for a Conference.
Railroads Greatly Exercised Over
the Probability of a Shortage of
Coal in the Near Future-De-
mands of the Illinois Mine
Workers.

PTTTSBURG, July 23.-The situation
In this district has not materially
changed The efforts of the Arbitra-
ton Commission have been so far sue
cessful that a call for a meeting of
operators on Tuesday has been issued.
1t is signed by ]. B. Cerbe of the
Pennsylvania Coal Company, E. A.
Young for NJ. A. Hanna & Co., J. Q.
Schlendberg, w. P. De Armitt and 9TH
er leading operators. The names to
the notice of a meeting are sufficient
guarantee for the success of the meet
ing in point of attendance.
PITTSBURG, July 23.-The Arbitra
ton Commissioners who are trying to
settle the coal strike have finally sue
ceeded in getting the consent of a ma
jority of the operators in the Pittsburg
district to join in a general conference
for the purpose of discussing the true
uniformity plan 1t will probably be
held Monday or Tuesday. The call will
be sent out tomorrow.
The greatest difficulty found by the
arbitrators in pushing the movement
has been a certain lethargy on the part
of the operators. They have little hope
of settling the strike by arbitration,
and are, therefore, slow to act. In no
case, however, has there been a dis
position to arbitrate.
General Little, of the Board, stated
to-day that the matter was now very
near a climax. After this meeting has
been held he thinks there will be but
little difficulty in completing other ar
engagements for the selection of arbi-
traitors.
General Little says the miners have
all expressed their approval of the
agreement and are ready to do all in
their power to bring the question to an
early settlement.
The agreement as prepared, is not en-
tirely satisfactory to some of the oper-
ators. The Objectionable clauses will
be taken up at the meeting and chang
ed 10 suit the desires of all cerIesFned-
President Dolan said there was no oc-
casion for apprehension in the Canons-
burg district, for the reason that there
were only a few men at work and that
they were relatives Of the manager. The
preparations made by the New York
and Cleveland Gas Coal Company to
head off marching miners We're ridicul-
ed by the officials who said the distance
which men from the Carnegie district
would be obliged to march, viii be in
itself a guarantee that there would be
no such march, and that none was in
tended by the miners
This afternoon Henry Floerscheim,
who is one of the largest operators in
the district, inserted advertisements in
the papers Offering his company stores
for sale He says he is getting in line
for the uniformity movement. and no
one can accuse him of operating pluck
me- stores hereafter.
The mines of the Washington Coal
and Coke Company at Sickle Hollow,
continue in full operation, and fifty cars
of coal are being shipped from the
mines every day.
Armed deputies are on guard to pro-
tect the men, and a gattling gun is in
readiness for immediate use in case of
attack.
The Pittsburg McKeesport and You
ghiogheny Road, which is carrying this
coal. abandoned their trains one night
this week on account of the discovery of
Instructions upon the track placed
there, it is claimed, for the purpose of
wrecking the coal trains from the
Washington mines.
ST. LOUIS. July 23.-The latest re-
ports from Belleville, H., where 1000
miners went out yesterday, are to the
effect that everything is quiet there.
The following demands have been for
mulated, and it is designed to make
them apply throughout the Southern
Illinois coal fields:
l. We demand 40 cents per ton, mine
run, gross top weight, 1000 pounds to
constitute a ton.
,. Leaders after mining machines who
chute their own coal and timber their
own places, p cents a ton, mine run,
men to furnish their own supplies
3. Machine runners to receive 4
cents a ton and machine helpers to re-
ceive 3 cents a ton, mine run.
t. Daily wages as follows: Track lay
ers, 50 %; timbermen, 81 %: drivers,
50; cagers 50; trappers, 10 cents; la
or'ers inside not less than 81 10; labor
e1's outside not less than 81 so; dump
ers, 50: box car laborers not less than
ST 50; car pliers, 81.
We further recommend that we re-
strict ourselves as follows: Hard miners
to six tons day; leaders after ma
chine miners, to nine tons a day; ma
chine runners and helpers to sixty tons
a day.
The four mines of the Illinois Central
Railroad around Freeburg were visited
after midnight last night by delega-
ton from BeIleville The men working
in them We're asked to quit,and they did
so without delay.
The strikers are still encamped at the
west end BAH park in Belleville. As they
are weary and footsore, General
Bradley, their leader. will go to Muir
physboro alone and try to get the men
there out. Murphysboro is seventy
miles from Belleville, and there are a
number of mines between the two towns
which the agitator will also visit.
AT Breeze, H., $50 men, employed
IN the mines have gone out at the re-
quest of a marching delegation from
O'Fallon.
A MEETING ASSURED.
INDIANAPOLIS Qnd) }, July 23.-The
News" to-day received the following
telegram from Pittsburg:
Coal operators meeting at Pittsburg
sSs11red Robbins De ArInitt and