The San Francisco call., 1897-08-18
PENNSYLVANIA Mines Are
to Be Started Up
at Once.
Will Import Men, if Necessary,
and Protect Them With
Armed Forces.
Hanna & Co. the Only Firm That
Refuses to Abide by This
Decision.

CLEVELAND, ONO, Aug. 1L-Tele-
grams were sent from Cleveland this even
ing TO the Pennsylvania mines controlled
by twenty five of the leading operators or
dering that the mines be opened and
operations begun Immediately. This ac-
tion was taken to-day by operators who
have been in conference here for two days.
Ninety eight per cent of the coal operators
were represented. The meeting was called
at the instance OF certain executive officers
of the Il publican com mittee, who hoped
that an amicable settlement of the strife
between the mine operators and miners
could be obtained. The suggestion of the
Republican managers was that ii 1T was
necessary to secure settlement the oper-
ators should make complete surrender
and grant the 15-cent increase demanded.
Many operators were of the opinion that
the time for the operators to take decisive
action had arrived and accordingly at
tended the meeting.
The statement of President Ratchford
of the Mine Workers Union that no work
would be done in any coal mine until all
the operators had acceded to the terms. de-
manded by the strikers determined some
s;vely awaited settlement. The opera
tors met and resolved to offer the miners
an increase of 10 cents, making The price
per ton "a cents. The miners demand SO
cents. The offer was signed by the coal
operators and sent TO President Ratchford
to-day, who gave this answer:
Il do not think the miners will accept
less than a 15-cent increase. We can get
Is cents if we wait. However. l shall pre-
sent the proposition to the miners and it
will be given fair consideration"
1t was urged upon Ratchford that if the
union would accept the 10.cent offer it
would e victory for the miners, and the
conference thereupon discussed the sltua-
ton in all its points.
Dan r. Hanna and E. T. Young, repre-
sentatives of NJ. A. Hanna d Co., urged
other operators to wait and not take basty
action. The prevailing sentiment OF a
! large majority was against remaining idle,
| and by an almost unanimous vote the OPP
orators decided to open the mines imme-
diateIy. The firm of Hanna refused to
| bide by the decision.
| The operators will import new laborers
! to their mines, and if necessary employ
armed forces to protect them from vio-
lence. Wherever possible union miners
willing to work without authorization
| from headquarters will be re.em ployed,
but it is thought by the operators that de-
| spite the sufferings of miners in certain
| Sc ctions it is likely that comparatively
| few of these can be obtained. At the rate
| offered the operators claim that it is pos
| sible for even common labOrers to earn
from 81 so to 81 75 per day. One reason
why the operators would not give the adj
ditional cents asked is that they have al
ready made large contracts on basis OF "a
cents for mining.
The operators before ad djourning drew
up a statement to the public, signed by
all operators, except Hanna & Co.. which
| is as follows:
An enthusiastic meeting of operators OF
Pennsylvania mines was held at Cleveland
| to-day and it was determined that the min es
| OF Pittsburg district should be started up at
| once and operated without further delay.
The miners have taken the high-handed po-
| st1on that nothing but an unreasonable price
| Tor mining will satisfy their demand, and
/ have been unwilling to treat with the ope-
| rators on any tair ground. There is no other
| course left open to the operators at this time,
and they nave determined that all coal sold
| at 54-cent basis of mining this year must
| be mined at that price. No change in the
| price of mining will be considered until con-
| tracts made on a 54cent basis OF mining are
filed and uniformity agreement completed.
At least three-fourths of the tonnage of
| Pittsburg district was represented. All
were unanimous and agreed 10, if neces-
sary, forcibly resume operations. with the
exception of Hanna & Co., who notified
the operators that the firm would not
agree TO stand with the other operators to
/ attem pt to force settlement on 54-cent
basis. The firm thinks that The operators
are somewhat incon Sistant in demanding
that no change be made in the price paid
| for mining until a uniformity agreement
has been adopted when but three out OF
$500 have signed it. If they insist that it
be adopted and refuse TO give it their
sanction it will look very much like no.
| tice that they never intend to pay higher
price than the 54cent rate tor mining.