Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-07-29
+" TRUE UNIFORMITY" i"
CONFERENCE OF COAL OPERATORS
REACHES AN AGREEMENT.
NOTHING TO DO WITH THE STRIKE.
The Operators Wish This Distinctly
pnder''ood-| Strike situation Less
Asked for In Illinois.
Asked for I'm Illinois.

tors Of the Pittsburg District concluded
it's. work tonight at 915 O'clock, after
a two days session Of close and persis-
tent work. The twenty-one sections OF
the uniformity agreement were thorough
ly discussed, and adopted section
by section. The best of feeling pre-
vailed throughout the meetings, the only
exception being the bolting Of Colonel
Rend at yesterdays session. just pre-
vious to adjournment, however, Judge
Owens announced that Colonel Rend had
authorized him 10 state that any agree
nent the conference adopted, would re-
celve his hearty cooperation, and he
would sign it II 95. 80, or even 20 per
cent Of the operators were sincere IN
their sanction OF it.
The conference appointed committee
of 6ye-W. Z. De Armitt, ]. y. Zerbe,
J. J. Stoyler, J. r. Dyart, and y. +.
Sanford. with General John lAttle-to Sc
cure the signatures Of the operators 10
the agreement. This committee VIII pc
Gin its work tomorrow. II VIII De alded
bv the Ohio Board Of Arbitration. Nheh
the requisite number OF signatures mas
been secured. another meeting VIII DC
held, to ratify the agreement.
Speeches were made by Messrs. De
Armitt. Dempster. Little. Zerbe, and
others. all expressing satisfaction over
the result Of the meeting, and predicting
the success of the plan.
The agreement, as adopted, provides
for the cash payment of wages, ZVO
mounds 10 the ton. check weighmen on
the tipples. miners TO be credited with
the fun quantity of coal contained IN
the mine-car. the abolition of company
stores. semi-monthly pay-days, UNI
form price for pick-mining in the thln
and thick vein districts, and screens not
exceeding one and a half inches.
II also provides that in case of the
violation of provisions and terms OF the
agreement. penalty Of 10 cents per
ton on the total output OF coal mined
bv the violator will be charged. when
nenaltv Is 10 be paid to a commission
subject TO the right Of further arbitrl-
tion or appeal Said penalty when col
1ected. is to be distributed among lie
sieners Of the agreement pro rata III
nroportion TO the total amount or ton
mage or output made by them during O'e
year. ,.. ,,,,,,-
The commission IS TO be chosen ahhu,
ally. and shall be known by the hauis "
the Uniformity Commission. !. s"ln .,.,.i.
comnosed of nine members, the thlch-
and thin-veiril operators having proper
renresentation. The members shah DC
sworn ia faithfully and impartialIy per
form the duties Of their Office, ana WIZ
ho authorized and empowered 10 enforce
the judgments and awards. -.
II shall also be empowered 10 sup-
roona witnesses. with the same iolco
and effect as a boavd OF arbltrH'oi
duly appointed under the act Oh AS
eonoblv of the state OF Pennsylvania re-
lating 10 compulsory arbitration
Tho agreement shall not become Ell
fective unless it has been signed oy "
nor cent. of the operators On or peioie
January l. 1898. After 30 per cent. nave
signed the agreement, if any hfteeh
operators shall be Of the opinion tha'
enough have signed to render 1t enectiNe'
q meeting shall be called in PlttsDurs
10 declare it in force.
NOTHING TO DO WITH STRIKE
The operators. with a few exceptions
want If distinctly understood that the
massage of an agreement whereby All
onerators are to adopt a similar sys-
tom and are 10 pay the same relative
nrlce for mining, has nothing to do with
Tho great strike. They wish the miners
IN disabuse their minds of any such
theory.
The operators have also shut out the
miners leaders from taking any part
in the conferences that may take place
through questions arising between the
onerators and miners, by inserting a
clause I'm the agreement, stating that
tho commission shall be composed OF
workmen employed by the subscribers.
Heretofore. the miners officials have
represented the miners. but now the
miners are TO grapple with the questions
i'm dispute alone.
II was decided that present contracts
could not be made the basis for arDltra-
ton. Many firms have taken contracts
for n stipulated period at nXed price
II is understood that these shal nave
the right to supply the product TO MI these
contracts at the rate of mining on which
the contracts are based. Here Is where
the miners and operators Will SEPARATE
The attendance at the session TO-DAY
was not as large as the day previous.
Onerators from eighty-five rail mines ana
five river mines agreed TO take part III the
convention, which is a larger percentage
The operators worked smoothly ana
fsw objections were raised TO the
agreement, as written. There was
q close vote on the question
wbether the commission 10 be appointed
should be privileged TO tamper with the
differential i'm the thick and thin VEN
regions. Frank Osborne made motion
TO let IL stand as usage and custom had
made il. but w p. De Armitt argued that
If the differential were fair and just,
none should fear 10 have the subject arDi-
trated. The vote on the question resulted
in l3 to have it settled by commission
and II 10 have il stand as at present.
Ali the voting was light.
STRIKE SITUATION
PIITsBURG. PA, July 2S.-The gene
raj strike situation is less encouraging
from the miners standpoint than 1t was
a week ago. Breaks in the ranks OF tie
river men and a general feeling OF dis
coura cement over the West Virginia
situation have combined 10 quench en-
thusiasm in a remarkable degree. one
prime factor in bringing back this con-
dition OF affairs is thought to be the IN
action of the Wheeling convention IN de-
yising ways TO stop coal shipments from
the disputed territory. On all sides the
conference was confidently looked upon
by the men as presenting a speedy solu-
tion Of the West Virginia problem and
a means of making the tie-uD general.
The issuance Of long resolutions instead
was in the nature Of a boomerang.
Tomorrow morning will witness one OF
the most interesting and what some con-
fidently predict to be the last mass-meet-
ing of the present strike. All efforts have
been concentrated on De Armitt's mines,
ard labor officials are TO rally the men
from all over the country. Eugene V.
Debs and President Ratchford. Of the
United Nine Workers. will be among the
chief speakers, while there will be host
of lesser officials and organizers.
TROOPS ASKED FOR.
ROANOKE, ILL. July &-rhe Sheriff
has wired Governor Tanner asking for
troops 10 protect the mines and miners