The Dickinson press., 1897-07-31
TRUE UNIFORMITY
p.rTssvRa OPERATORS ADOPT THE
PROPOSED AGREEMENT.

ANVO0 ON1I O1OXx1A i
p,TTssvRo OPERATORS ADOPT THE
PROPOSED AGREEMENT.
Il Pssvides for Cash Payment Every TIVE
Weeks Abolishes Company Stores sad
Institutes Other Reforms, but Does Not
Directly A1rect the Present Strike.
P1rrsBuRa, July 29.-The "true uni.
formity" conference Of the coal op.
orators Of. the Pittsburg district con.
cluded its work at V:l5 O'Clock after Q
two days session Of close and persistent
work. The 81 sections Of the uniform
ity agreement were thoroughly dis
cussed and adopted section by section.
The best Of feeling prevailed through.
out the meetings, the only exception be.
ing the bolting Of Colonel Rend. Just
previous to adjournment, however,
Judge Owens announced that Colonel
Rend had authorized him to state that
any agreement the conference adopted
would receive his hearty cooperation
and he would sign IL 80 per cent Of the
operators were sincere in sanctioning It.
The conference appointed a commit
tee Of five to secure the signatures Of the
operators to the agreement. When the
requisite number of signatures have
been secured another meeting will be
held to ratify the agreement.
Provisions Of the Agreement.
The agreement as adopted provides
for cash payments of wages, 2.00O
pounds to the ton, check weighmen ON
the tipples, miners to be credited with
the full quantity Of coal contained in
the mine car, abolition Of company
stores, semi-monthly paydays, uniform
price for pick mining in the thin aud
thick vein districts, and screens not ex-
ceeding one-half inch. 1t also provides
that in case of the violation of
the provisions and terms of
the agreement o penalty Of
10 cents per ton ON the total output Of
coal mined by the viAator will be
charged, which penalty is to be paid
commission, subject to the right Of fur
ther arbitration or appeal. Said pen
atty when collected is to be distributed
among the signers Of the agreement pro
rata in proportion to the total amount
of tonnage or output made by them
during the year.
The agreement shall not become ef.
fective unless it has been signed by %
per cent Of the operators on or before
Jan. l, 1898.
Has No Eject ON the Strike.
The operators, with few exceptions,
want it distinctly understood that the
passage Of an agreement whereby all
operators are to adopt o similar system
and are to pay the same relative price
for mining, has nothing to do with the
great strike. The operators have also
shut out the miners leaders from tax
ing any part in the conference that may
take place through questions arising be-
tween the operators and miners by in.
serting clause In the agreement stat.
ing the commission shall be composed of
workmen employed by the subscribers.
Many firms have taken contracts for
a stipulated period at a fixed price. It
is understood that these shall have the
right to supply the product to fill these
contracts at the rate of mining Of which
the contracts are based. Here is where
the miners and operators will separate.
ENTHUSIASM LAee,Ne.
Strike Situation Less Encouraging From
the Miners Standpoint.
PITTsBURG, July 3D. The general
strike situation is less encouraging from
the miners standpoint than it was
week ago. Breaks in the ranks Of the
river men and general feeling of dis.
couragement over the West Virginia
situation have combined to 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
devising ways to stop coal shipments
from the disputed territory. On all
sides the conference was confidently
looked upon by the men as presenting
speedy solution Of the West Virginia
problem and means of making the tie.
up general. The issuance of long reso.
lutions was in the nature Of boomer.
ang.