The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-24
is THE STRIKES END NEAR?
CONFERENCE BETWEEN OPERATORS
AND MINERS IN PITTSBURG.

Taken Until To-Dny-Tho Hitch in Settle
ment IL ns 10 the Details OF an Arbitra-
tion AEreemeut-whht Each side wanted.
PIrTsBuRo, Pa, Aug. 23.-The coal operators
and miners held q conference to-day that 10 not
particularly encouraging to those who wish TO
end the strike. Tho operators gave way right
along. hoping to induce the miners representa-
tives to agree to some kind OF a settlement
For every point that tho operators gave up in
the interest of pence the miners advanced their
own claims. A meeting will be held tomorrow,
but unless the miners show q moro conciliatory
spirit the idle mines will DO started with nom
union Llen. with all the consequences that such
a proceeding implies.
Each side will agree to arbitration providing
its own terms are accepted. Early in the day the
operators learned that the miners insisted that in
case of arbitration the miners must get SO cents
q ton pending a decision of the nrbitrators, and
the operators, therefore. started to do their
utmost to effect n settlement. 1t can be said
positively that the operators made tho following
proposition:
1--WE will agree to arbitrate tho question Of
wages. Pending q decision we will pay to the
coal miners 611a cents a ton, thus split
ting the difference between 81 and 60
cents. The arbitrators are TO render
their decision within thirty days. As ac-
cording to custom two weeks wages are
withheld from the miners, there will be
no pay day for thirty days. On pay day, sup
posing the arbitrators to have rendered their
decision, we will pay the miners for their work
any additional wages that the arbitrators may
award TO them up to 90 cents. Should the arbi.
traitors award less than Gig cents we agree not
to deduct the amount from the miners wages"
This proposition was rejected by the miners
representatives, temporarily at least.
The conference between the miners officials
and the operators committee OF seven began
about IL A. NJ. The operators were represented
by w. P. Rend. J. C. Dysart, George n.
schluederborg. J. B.. Zerbee. J. y. o'Neil. F. NJ.
Osborne, and N. A. Andrews. The miners in
terests were represented by w. d. Ratchford.
National President; W. c. Pearce. National
Secretary; District President Patrick Dolsn.
and District Secretary William Warner. The
conference had been in session only n few mo
@ sSrnra T 6nsr. there WA Was had q ' nai fniDs al I'm, lne m aoSs:
ment to reopen the mines were outside. They
told the miners representatives that the ON,
mittee OF seven did not represent all The ope-
rators. and they insisted that the meeting be an
j. b. zerbee protested. saying that the men
who wanted admission to the meeting had no
right there, as they did not belong to The re.
ford said he would hold no conference unless all
the operators were admitted, and the doors were
in the arrangements was considered favorable
TO the miners. as the operators who were thus
| aumltted were Wiling 10 pay the bN-Cenl rate.
and had refused TO Join the scheme to reopen
the mines with non-union labor.
ment for dinner. until 4 O'clock. until Col. ". +.
Rend and Mr.. Ratchford got into an altercation,
he had left the conferenee because Ratehford had
said he would not agree TO arbitration unless
all the competitive coal fields were represented,
tion. to go to work al the os:ceht rate.
After Col. Rend left a long discussion followed
and the operators tried TO convince RatChford
that the Indiana and Illinois mine owners would
not consent to an interstate conference; At
representatives. he said. wanted an Interstate
conference, II possible; ifthe Indiana and Illinois
operators refused to come in, then the miners.
officials would consent to discuss the question OF
settlement with the Pittsburg operators. The
tine operators would agree TO pay the 69-cent
rate pending a decision OF the arbitrators.
the operators TO confer together. These were
30 hopeful that the miners would consent to
waive their contention for an interstate agree
with them after supper. the to be the
s seeded Is S oei0rf Ree edce and 'R a.. + +. B ni Shi toos ! ME-.
O'Neils place.
After supper the committee Of operators and
the miners officials met, talked together until
1880 =. NJ, and adjourned until 10 o'clock to-
morrow morning. Both sides were asked for a
orators committee said that all idea Of having
an interstate conference had been abandoned;
Ratchford and Dolan said this vas not true, and
four States interested.
IL was IeATn0u rs u IaCL tDut hJ tne tln OF the
meeting the discussion was all on arbitration.
1t seemed impossible for the conference to agree
on a wage rate. the miners representatives in
sistinE on 90 cents a ton, the operators being
willing to compromise on some rate between 81
Finally the miners announced that they
would agree to arbitration provided, that,
i the miners returned TO work pending q
tested, and said that either the miners
received when they struck, or that the arbitrA-
tors should be allowed to name tho rate at which
the miners should return to work pending n de-
cision. The miners refused to agree TO this prop
osition. and said sixty-nine cents was the ulti-
n niSRt. anu 'n' meeting ADJOURNED lot tho
At midnight the operators committee issued
the following statement:
AT the Joint meeting OF the committees Of
operators and miners various propositions sub
mitted as a basis for arbitration were discussed.
The point at issue Is the wage rate which shall
be paid pending a decision by a Board OF Ar:
bitrators. No agreement being arrived nj, and
tho conferees desiring time TO consider the pro-
posals made, the conference adjourned until 10
The alteration in tho morning. between Col.
Rcnd and Ratchford was caused by the ~latter's
recent call for a general labor conference In st.
Louis. Col. Rend's report OF the discussion is as
create an i m III fn This n causes wss t any insu TO
%rectlon,' said Ratchford, let it go Al that
"Buty you will cause violence and bloodshed. 1
n. "!dGpp't s ssgus that htoes 2 .h general ala strike would 2ons
but II II should we are prepared TO bear the re-
r sponsibillty.,
Then ! called him an Anarchist, " added tho
Colonel, land told him we would soon hang
him and | would be one to pull the rope"
Later Ratchford, was told OF Rend's statement.
He denied all talk OF willingness to bring on
bloodshed, and said the proposed conference at
s.; Louis, he hoped, would be instrumental in
The shooting that occurred between De
Armitsa's m rassI,s ana ID s striker, a ns%r Turtle Creek
Two of the men, Frank MaccOui and DpEano
Furi, were captured here to-day at Torchis
Bank Just ae they were about to draw their
} money. They are strikers recently employed by
De Armitt. and are held temporarily on the
brothers named .Belotino, DE Arniitt miners,
we're brought to Jail this morning, charged with
shooting. Other arrests were made this evening.
In view Of the fact that the DE Armitt men
attacked the house in which the strikers
l them, tho miners officials this morning issued
the following statement:
Armed assassins in the employ Of the corpor.
atoms arc intimidating and shooting down