The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-13

gencies as this and is naturally eminently
well prepared for the work. Most or the
others interested are labor commissioners
and Industrial statisticians, who are also
Well able to act in the capacity of arbitra-
tors from the nature of their work in keep
Ing in tOhch with the working classes gen
orally. The Ohio board is composed OF Sci
wyn n owen, chairman, Of Columbus who
was formerly chief justice Of the Supreme
court or Ohio; eX-Attorney John Little, OF
Nenia, and Joseph Bishop. of Columbus,
formerly president of the Amalgamated AS
sociation. The Indiana labor commission
ers here are L. p. Mccormack, ex-president
or indianapolis Typographical Union and
=. r. Schmid, of Indianapolis. James NJ
Clark, industrial statistician of Pennsyl-
Vania,s arrived from Harrisburg this morn
ing. The same officials from the State or
West Virginia are expected to get here to-
bor-D. j. Keefe, j. ID. Gill and II. r. Golf
are on their way TO Pittsburg and will
meet the other commissioners in this city
on Wednesday. Thus all the States, with
the exception of Kentucky and Tennessee,
where the strike is on will be represented
in the conferences which are TO be held
here during the next few days.
Invitations have been sent to the coal
operators of the Pittsburg district TO meet
the arbitrators informally and talk over
the matter of settling the strike. James
Young representing the NJ. A. Hanna min
ing interests, came on from Cleveland this
morning and was in consultation with the
peacemakers at the SeVenth-avenue Ho-
tel. one or two of the smaller operators
dropped in to look over the situation, but
no large conference has yet been held 1t
Is expected by the arbitratorS that a repre-
sentative number of the local operators will
get together within the next twenty-four
hours. However, persons who are well ac
quainted with the warning factions that
exist among the coal operators here say
they will be hard to get together in this
move, although the extreme gravity of the
outlook may have the desire effect. Those
in touch with the situatic.I 1 say that the
attempt at conclialon WI simply reopen
the old discussion of Pr sident Dearmitts
position on the necessity of a price differ
ential to compete with the company stores.
An operator who did not desire TO have
his name used. said:
Personally, l think this plan of concila-
tion will fail President Dearmitt will hard
ly be prevailed on at this time TO abandon
the position he has held for years To eff
feet a settlement it will be necessary for
Mr.. Dearmitt to come into conference with
us and pledge himself to pay the same
price that we are paying FOR the rest of
the lake season or longer. l do not think
he will agree TO this. However, II Dear
mitt agrees to give up the fight l think g..
settlement could be reached very, speedily.
But / have no hope that he Will. What
ever can be said about Dearmitt, his posi-
ton on these points has been fought out
consistently along one line TO one end, and
do not think that the interference of out
side influence will have any effect"
Peace emissaries called at Dearmitts
office to-day and it is said he told them
that it would be at least a day or two be-
fore he could give them a definite answer
follow. If the operators can be brought
into line on the conference idea there will
be NO obstacles interposed by the miners.
President Ratchford notified the operators
publicly a few days ago that he was ready
for a conference at any time to-day. This
afternoon he wired the arbitratorS that the
miners officials would meet with him to-
morrow.
There is a strong indication of a coal
famine confronting the country within the
next ten days. 1t is claimed by conserva-
tive operators that the marketable supply
at present, which is placed at ten million
bushels, would be only able to meet the
demands of the market for about a month
under ordinary conditions. With scarcity
of coal already prevailing at the lake ports
it is claimed the supply will not last over
two weeks at the longest. In anticipate
of such a condition the coal operators are
not very anxious to fill orders and are
expected to result. The only source Of sup
ply is from the river mines, the railroads
are confscating for their own use all the
coal ready for shipment along their lines.
This order was issued last week, and with
the exception of permitting the railroad
operators filing orders for coaling vessels
at the lake ports. coal is allowed to
leave the district. With the supply limited
to the MOnongahala district, the prospect
of famine is declared to be a certainty.
There has been a marked increase in the
price of coal within the past few days and
it is claimed that a 10-cent per bushel rise
in boat-load lots will be reached within
the present week. The retail dealers, as
well as the operators III general, concede
that famine is imminent and look for prices
to advance beyond the limit reached dur
ing the previous general strike of the min
ers in 1894.