Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-07-06
WILL co INTO EFFECT ON JULY A.
1t Is Intended to Enforce a Higher
Scale of Wages, and VIII Involve
$4,000 Men-General Re-
Spouse Expected.

bus o.. January 1916. 1887, it was deter
mined that the scale Of prices should be
advanced to the following rates: Pennsyl-
vania pittsburgh districp-pick min
ing, 50 cents per ton; Ohio. 60
cents per ton; Indiana (bituminous) GO
cents per ton; Illinois Grape Creek. IS
cents per ton. Machine mining to be paid
three-fifths per ton of the price for pick
mining, except in Indiana (bitumihous),
where the price shall be four-ffths per
ton Of the price paid for pick mining; other
mining sections corresponding increase
in price that will place them on relative
basis.
Let the watchword be-" says the cir
cular, mine workers are entitled to a fair
days pay for fair days work. Local
committees are directed to be formed and
to see that action Is taken at once. The
field Is large and 1t will be an impossibility
for the national and district officers to at
tend to all points, consequently local lead
ers are urged to assume the responsible
ity and authority for successful consum-
nation of our desires.
ITO insure success great care should be
exercised by all that no breach of the
peace occurs at any time or place, or un-
der any circumstances. Bulletins will be
issued from time to time 10 keep you in
formed of the progress of affairs"
The national executive board is COM
posed of Fred Dilcher, S. L. Davis, j.
H. Kennedy, Harry Stephenson, James
N. Carson and Patrick Dolan.
The district presidents are W. E..
Farms, w. g. Knight, James NJ. Car
son and Patrick Dolan.
M. D. Ratchford is president of the
national executive board, John Kane
vice president and w. C. Pearce secre-
tary. All these names are signed to the
circular.
Involves $4,000 Men.
The officers here say that 900 men
are involved as proposed strikers. So
far as anything can be learned here
from officials, the call for the Pitts
burgh meeting of miners on Saturday
is to decide how the strike is to be con-
Quoted in that district. They have to
consider plans to take care of the wom-
President Ratchford says this is the
best time to settle the question of
wages, as during the summer the men
can make use of their little garden
plots in obtaining subsistence. The
needs of clothing are not SO great as
In winter.
The proposed scale is intended by
The miners to make work for miners
profitable to them in the Pittsburgh
district and elsewhere. Pittsburgh, as
Is claimed, is paying 81 cents per ton
and Ohio 81. To make the differential
what the Ohio operators claim it ought
TO be they threaten 10 reduce Ohio
miners to As cents per ton, or nine cents
below the Pittsburgh. The miners pro-
pose, if possible, to raise Pittsburgh
prices so as to prevent reduction in
Ohio to As, and the possibility of even
further reduction here in case Pitts
.burgh should keep on lowering as
Ohio lowered to maintain the differen-
tial of nine cents.
Think 1t Won't BE General.
A number of operators were seen dur
ing the day, but none appeared to be
worrying over the probability of a
strike. They are of the opinion that a
strike at this time cannot be made
general. Some say they will pay the
advance, and can do so and make money
provided the majority of the mines are
closed. The miners leaders believe
however, that If the convention orders
strike they will be able to bring out
all the miners, whether they are work
ing under contract or not.
VIII Quit at Spring Valley.
Spring Valley, ILL.,, July 3.-The
miners of this city held meeting in
the opera house Thursday night and
voted unanimously to obey the order
of the national executive board of the
United Mine Workers of America to
mine no more coal after July 4. The
miners are not the only ones that will
quit work, but all the employees of the
company whose wages rise and decline
when the wages of the miners is affect
ed have also been asked to come out
That means that all the company men
trappers and even the cagers who have
charge of the hosting cars will also
come out. This puts serious aspect
upon the situation, for if the mines are
allowed to remain idle without the
constant attention of the company.
men 1t would not take long for then
to cave. The miners Of this city ar,
very determined. They have had thei
wages reduced nearly SO per cent. in the
past four years, and rs cents day i.
hardly the average.
Object of the Strike.
Terre Haute, Ind, July 3.-Presiden1
Knight, of District No. IL, United Mine
Workers of America. officially con
Arned the news Of miners strike
His estimate, however, of the number
of men who will be involved is about
100000, about third Of the estimate
sent out from Columbus. Mr.. Knight
says the object of the strike is to clear
out the markets and enable the opera
tors to pay living wages to their men
He declares it is not Q war on opera! ors
and the miners do not SO regard it
They admit, according to Mr.. Knight
that the operators are not responsible
kor the present aggravated condition
of affairs, but are, like the men they EN-
ploy, the victims of overproduction and
under consumption. Mr.. knight say.
that while the miners may not be es.
rpecially hopeful as to the outcome Of
the strike, they feel sure they have moth
ing to lose and trust they may gain
something. It is believed the block coal
miners will also join the strike.
In the Brazil District. .