The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-09-25
SAYS IT'S OFF.
President Ratchsord Declares tho
Strike Is Ended.
Satisfied with the Result, which lie
Chnracterizes as Victory for Or
gnniEed Labor - New Scale
for Illinois Miners.

Washington. Sept %. - M. ID. Ratch-
ford. president OF the United Mine
Workers of America. who is here 10 at
tend a special meeting of the officers OF
the Federation OF Labor, gave the fol-
lowing authorized statement Tuesday:
To-day will see about 5000 miners ro-
sumo work In the bltuminous coal fields OF
the central states. The strike generally
ends Tuesday. This Is the middle or the
twelfth week OF It's duration. IL was
brought 10 a close at our convention. held
at Columbus. o.. September 10 II. the ten
days time being given 10 allow miners and
operators TO come togethern In Illinois and
West Virginia 10 meet the prices fixed-65
cents a ton In Pennsylvania. &c cents IN
Ohio and Indiana, the same TO continue
till the end OF December. The mining situa-
ton Is not likely TO become disturbed again
until tho beginning OF next year, at which
time we hope 70 be able 10 settle wage diff
ferences amicably and without the neces-
silly OF strike. II Is well understood that
the fight VIII continue from the present
time In all fields and against all operators
who refuse to meet the rates. The greatest
trouble VIII be found In West Virginia and
a portion or Illinois / am stu hopeful.
however, that the producers In those fields
will conform 10 the change and put their
mines IN operation. Failing TO do this, we
Will night them as we have done until the
y
Is said their present contracts will expire.
Organized Lnbor's victory.
Il am well satisfied with the agreement
reached. and feel that II Is the greatest vic
tory gained by trades unions for years or
course the victory is not altogether one OF
the miners. While they have done the
striking, trades unions and organized
bodies have supplied the necessarles. with
out which the miners could not possibly
succeed. IL is a Victory for organized la
Dor. and not for any particular trade, and
we want our friends who have helped US
10 feel that Il Il their victory IS well as
ours. feel very grateful for the assistance
given us by the American Federation OF
Labor and the kindly disposition shown us
AZ all times by Mr.. Gompers and members
OF his executive committee"
MY advces from West Virginia are 20
the effect that our miners are standing
firm. are well pleased with the agreement
reached, and evince a determination TO
fight their battle to the end. our purpose liz
TO bring the miners and operators or that
state together In Joint convention, that
a uniform mining price may be fixed and
paid for the same vein OF coal and a fais
relative price for other veins within the
state In short TO fix n mining rate that
VIII Rive 10 West Virginia fair competing
opportunities and nothing more.
The liking OF mining rate that will
give fair competing opportunities Is the
object OF the miners organization every
where. We have been working 10 bring the
operators Of the several states together
with this end Ia view. Though our efforts
have been futile, we will continue 10 nd
vocate that policy. believing there Is but
one sure way 10 keep down strikes and dis
putes. which are no advantage TO either
side. and that that Is for the miners and
operators interested from the various
states to meet annually. mutually n prices
for each district that are fair and Just, and
each party 10 the agreement 20 observe Il
faithfully until a subsequent agreement
takes It's place. During the eight years
that this system was IN vogue strikes and
disturbances Of general character were
unknown. and the causes which gave rise
10 Them can again be removed as soon as
the operators interested will sec their in
terests Ia this light"
More Men Return To work.
Hazleton, Pa, Sept. 22.--Peace has
been restored in the anthracite region
aud nearly every collicry therein
worked Monday. Included in these
were the Lehigh aud Wilkesbarre COM
pany's Audenried mines, employing
$500 men. The strike was practically
inauguruted by them and their return
10 work Monday caused IA stampede Of
the other strikers. Tuesday, however,
tie grievance committee of the Auden-
RED men waited upon Superintendent
laval and complained that they are
receiving less than the men n any other
colliery i'm the region. He told them 10
submit list of names and figures to
him and he would give it every consid-
Grafton. More than two-thirds OF the
strikers In the region are now work
ing The only collicries still idle are
Wcntz d Co.'s at Silvcrbrook, and the
Lchigh Valleys at GAINESVILLE and York
town. The Yorktown men have re-
solved to return to-day.
Operators WI Sign New scale.
Springfield, ILL.,, Sept. 22. - At the
miners convention the scale reported
by the scale committee based on the
Columbus price was adopted The
scale modifies prices In the principal
fields IN Illinois as follows:
Springfield. 81 7-lO cents. Streator ana
Clark city. Is; Wilmington including
Brushing. %. Spring Ill., including Brush
ing. same: La Sale. Gils Lincoln.
f2ik. bloomington. third vein. CO. second
vein, %, Pontiac, cas- Peoria and Canton
aub-district. %, DanVille and Grape creek,
81. Boucvillc, same. Duquoin. 49,. Coal
b2ib. all mines on &. q a. south OF Spring
field. S2ia Sorrento. 81; Litohneld. No T.
S2ia No. ] 20 be paid IN proportion To- No.
2 Day work-traek layers. SD timber
men. s. 70 drivers. 800, cagers. 500 trap
pcrs. % cents inside laborcrs on top not
less than sl55; bumpers, $780, car trim
mcrs, sZuU laborers. 800.
The convention adopted resolutions
condcmuing the operators for their fall
ure 10 attend the convention, of which
they were notified on September 10. and
declaring they disrcgarded their prom
Uses TO meet and advance prices when
ever operators in competitive fields
should do so. II was resolved thar min-
ers In all places complying with the
scale decided upon be allowed to work,
and that ten per cent Of all
wages be deducted to support those on
strike in Illinois. The resolutions de-
nounce the killing Of strikers by Sheriff
Martin and his deputies az iazclton,
Ia and THANKING Gov Tanner aud 9th.