The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-09-09
PROSPECT NOT so BRIGHT.
PIttsburg Miners Want 90 Cents or
NOthing-RatchfOrd SO Notified.

Pittsburg. Sept 2.-,Judging from sur
face indications it seems reasonably GER
tain that President Ratchford of the
United Mine Workers and his colleagues
in Office will reject the offer of the oper-
ators TO return to work at the 81 cent
rate, pending arbitration. Great i'll
fiucnce has been brought to bear upon
the strike leaders from this district TO
induce them to assume such an attitude.
The sentiment among the miners here is
so intense for go cents or nothing set
tlement that as the local labor leaders
now in the city have advised strongly
for continuance of the fight along the
present lines and TO the bitter end. Sec.
rotary Warner wired to Mr. Ratchtord
shat the miners here want CD cents or
defeat. and to submit the Hanna propo..
sition, MS it is called, TO n vote would
conly entail needless expenditure of time
and money. The result, he said. would
not be in doubt for an instant. The
miners believe that they have victory
well within their grasp, and having n
/, firm belief in the justice of their cause
they will not submit to anything that
savors of temporizing or partial relief
from the original stand. The members
of the district executive board are in
hearty accord with this view Of the
, ease. One of the miners said today:
Al the nutlOHul tAtNutiNN bvhih VI
United Mine Workers of America Il res
, oluIion was passed to allow the miners
Ito decide by referendum vote all propo-
sitions 10 settle the strike. The matter
will have to go to the miners all over the
country for vote. and such procedure
will not only entail large expenditure
of money. but it would require two
weeks at least. perhaps longer. to get
such vote in. This referendum reso..
lution in itself is looked upon rs one OF
the principal Instructions in the way OF
a speedy compromise
ID. w. Van Emmen of Gastonvillc,
manager of the Pittsburg and Chicago
Gas Coal company, went to Washington
this morning for the purpose OF securing
IDENTITIES. The company, he says, IL de-
termined to start the mines Tuesday next
and the miners now occupying the com.
pany's houses there have been notified
to vacatc on that day, ms new men will
be put in unless the old force goes to
work by that time. Van Emmcn fears
trouble and wants the deputies for the
occasion.
Separate sessions were held tonight by
che national executive board of the
miners and the committee of the Pitts
burg operadors. Both meetings were OF
an informal nature. but that of the
miners board was the most important
The members agreed to reject the propo'
sition. of the operators. 1t appears that
the price to be paid for machine mining
is the principal stumbling block. The
operators offer to pay only one-half of the
price on pick mining for machinery. min
ing, and the miners demand two-thirds
1t is doubtful, however whether the
other differences can be settled. The
miners will offer no counter proposition
and the operators are not empowered tc
ence will be held tomorrow aaj both
operators and miners will endeavor t.
STRIVE at Il more perfect understanding
of Just what each side demands.
4 member of the miners board STATED
tonight that he thought some step might
yet be taken toward n settlement, bu
had no definite idea along what line il
might be.