Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-09-24
CLAIMS A VICTORY,
President Ratchford Talks of Sue
cess of the Strike.
IT Has LASTED FOR TWELVE WEEKS.
While II IL Ended In Pennsylvania
and Ohio, There IL stan Trouble
IN Other States-New Scale for
Illinois Miners.

Washington, Sept. 22. - NJ. d. Ratch-
ford, president of the United Mine
Workers of America, who is here to at
tend special meeting of the officers Of
the Federation of Labor, gave the fol-
lowing authorized statement Tuesday:
To-day will see about 900 miners re-
sumo work in the bituminous coal fields of
the central states. The strike generally
ends Tuesday. This is the middle Of the
twelfth week of its duration. 1t was
Drought to close at our convention, held
at Columbus. o., September to II, the ten
days time being given to allow miners and
operators to come togethern in Illinois and
West Virginia to meet the prices fixed-85
cents . ton in Pennsylvania, So cents in
OHIO and Indiana. the same to continue
TILL the end Of December. The mining situa-
ton u not likely to become disturbed again
until the beginning of next year. at which
time We hope to be able to settle wage diff
ferences amicably and without the neces-
eity OF strike. 1t is well understood that
she fight will continue from the present
time IN all fields and against all operators
who refuse to meet the rates. The greatest
trouble will be found in West Virginia and
o portion Of Illinois. I am still hopeful,
however, that the producers in those fields
will conform to the change and put their
mines In operation. Failing to do this. we
Will fight them as we have done until the
beginning Of next year, at which time It
~ said their present contracts will expire.
Organized Lab0r's Victory.
am well satisfied with the agreement
reached, and feel that It is the greatest VIC
tory gained by trades unions for years. OF
course the victory Is not altogether one of
the miners. While they have done the
striking, trades unions and organized
bodies have supplied the necessaries with.
out which the miners could not possibly
succeed. It is victory for organized la
Dor. and not for any particular trade. and
we want our friends who have helped US
to feel that 1t Is their victory as well as
ours. feel very grateful for the assistance
given us by the American Federation of
Labor and the kindly disposition shown us
at all times by Mr. Gompers and members
of his executive committee"
My advices from West Virginia are to
the effect that our miners are standing
firm, are well pleased with the agreement
reached, and eyince determination to
fight their battle to the end. Our purpose is
to bring the miners and operators Of that
state together in joint convention. that
a uniform mining price may be fixed and
paid for the same vein of coal and a fair
relative price for other veins within the
state. In short to fix a mining rate that
will give to West Virginia fair competing
opportunities and nothing more
Inc liking OF mining rate that will
give fair competing opportunities Is the
object Of the miners organization every.
where. We have been working to bring the
operators of the several states together
with this end in view. Though our efforts
nave been futile, we will continue to adj
yocate that policy. believing there is but
one sure way to 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 fix prices
for each district that are fair and just, and
each party to the agreement to observe 1t
faithfully until subsequent agreement
takes its place. During the eight year.
that this system was in vogue strikes and
disturbances Of general character were
unknown, and the causes which gave rise
90 them can again be removed as soon as
the operators interested will see their In.
forests In this light
More Men Return to Work.
Hazleton, Pa, Sept. 22.-Peace has
been restored in the anthracite region
and nearly every colliery therein
worked Monday. Included in these
were the Lehigh and Wilkesbarre COM
pany's Audenried mines, employing
1850 men. The strike was practically
inaugurated by them and their return
to work Monday caused stampede of
the other strikers. Tuesday, however,
the grievance committee of the Auden-
ried men waited upon Superintendent
laval and complained that they are
receiving less than the men at any other
colliery in the region. He told them to
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 collieries still idle are
Wentz & Co.'s at Silverbrook, and the
Lehigh Valley at GAINESVILLE and York
town. The Yorktown men have re-
solved to return to-day.
BelIeville 0IlJ Mines Resume.
st. Louis, Sept. 22.-Pursuant to an
agreement reached at the mass meet
ing of miners held in Belleville, ILL.,,
Sunday, work was resumed at number
of additional mines in the Belleville dis
trict Tuesday. This agreement was
that all should 60 to work who could
get the scale of 371a cents ton, mine
run. The operators who have not yet
agreed to pay the scale are Reinecke,
Brandenburger, Donk Bros, Crown
Coal company, Scott Coal company.
Wilderman, st. Clair and the Consoli.
ated Coal companies.
Operators VIII Sign New Scale.
Springfield, ILL.,, Sept. 20. At the
miners convention the scale reported
by the scale committee based on the
Columbus price was adopted. The
scale modifes prices in the principal
fields in Illinois as follows:
Springfield. 377-10 cents; streator ana
Clark City. 49,; Wilmington. including
ing, same; La Sale. 641s; Lincoln,
42h; Bloomington. third vein, IS: second
vein. IS; Pontiac, 641s; Peoria and Canton
sub-district. As: Danville and Grape Creek,
81; Belleville, same: Duquoin, 80: Coal
Valley, 81; Gilchrist. same; Assumption
field, 32h; Sorrento. 81: Litchfield. No. T.
By; No. to be paid in proportion to No.
2. Day work-track layers, $2.25; timber
men. s2.25; drivers. $500; cagers. $500; trap
pers, IS cents; inside laborers on top not
less than s1.55: bumpers, $500; car trim
mers. 500; laborers, 500.
The machine mining scale was adopt
ed as whole. Machine price runs
about three-fifths hand mining. Price
Of running the air drills is to be left to
local settlement. The scale was ordered
printed and copies sent each operator
md delegate. TWAS voted that ut any
place paying the price to resume work
at once without contract.
The convention adopted resolutions
condemning the operators for their fail
ure to attend the convention, of which
they were notified on September 10, and
declaring they disregarded their prom
ises to meet and advance prices when
ever operators In competitive fields
should do So 1t was resolved that min
ers in all places complying with the