The herald., 1897-07-28
THE OPERATORS
Meet to Discuss, But Express Little
Faith


Faith
PrTrsBURG, July 27.-The long
loeked-for confert nee of Pittsburg coal
operators which the joint arbitration
commission fully expects to formulate
plan which will settle the big miners
strike, was called for IL o'clock this
morning in the court house, but, OWNS
to the siowness of o perators in, gathering,
IT was almost noon before it was called
to order 1t is the Largest meeting of the
kind ever held in tn is district. The con-
vention being open, one of the miners
officials and many in terested citizens are
on hand as spectators. AS yet the true
uniformity plan, which is being urged
by the arbitration commission, is the
only one presented for action by the coll
ference. While the operators generally
ale apathetic and have little faith in
the successful contamination of the
commissions work, they are anxious to
discuss and adopt some plan which will
put the miners to work.
True uniformity" calls for cash pay
ments for every 1000 pounds Of coal
of company stores and the multiform
screen; the difference between thick
and thin veins of coal. and between Ohio
and Pennsylvania coal, may also come
up for consideration. Operators in the
thin-vein coal say IA cents difference in
favor OF the thick-vein coal is too much,
and some go so far as to say there should
be-a cut of one-half. This cut if made,
would be fought by the thick-vein oper
ators and may be the first rock on which
the conference will split, as all other
points mentioned have been granted in
former conferences.
There are JOG railroad mines in the
Pittsburg district, ard they are oper-
ated by SO mining firms. Thirteen of
these are said to mine and control almost
% per cent of the coal mines in the dis
trict. The ambition of the arbitrator
and W. p. Dearmitt, father of the uni
formity agreement, is to have 95 per cent
of the SO operators agree to adopt the
system or standard OF doing business.
Eighty-nine coal companies mines To-
Gated in the Pittsburg district were rep
resented at the meeting. The operators
who ship by river and those owning
mines in the Westm oreland field were
not present. Very little was accom-
plished at the sessions today. The old
uniformity agreement, with the new
clause inserted, was reported on by
committee and the meeting tomorrow
will take up the agreement by classes
for discussion.
The only sensat ional incident of to-
days session occurred when Col. w. p.
Rend presented minority report on the
uniformity agreement, denouncing the
procedure of the meeting in severe terms
and boiling the conference.
w. p Murray called the meeting to or
der at IL: 80 by nominating Alex Demps-
ter for chairman. Col W. p. Rend named
George w. Sehledberg, but he declined
and Dempster was chosen to preside.
Gen. John Little was chosen Vice Pres
ident. He made short address, saying
the Board of Arbitra ton were here as
citizens and had no personal interest in
the coal business. He hoped by concili-
alton and mediation to bring a settle
ment between the contending factions
The State laws had nothing to do with
the question. Others had the power to
settle this controversy. AS PittsburG
goes so will other States go.
After electing Marshal H. Reno Secre-
tary, a committee was appointed to take
up the proposed uniformity agreement,
revise it to suit the change of conditions
since it's first formulation and report to
the conference at o'clock. The COM
mittee consists of w. p. Dearmitt, Geo.
w. Schledberg, Thomas e. Young, w. p
Rend, d. p. Black, Y. A. Andrews, Jas.
Armstrong and F. NJ. Osborne. A recess
was taken until O'Clock
At four o'clock the report was read and
Captain Steyttler moved that it be re-
ceived and the committee discharged.
Col. Rend demanded recognition for
the hearing of a minority report. He
prefaced the report with a few remarks
on what he termed the bunco intention
of the meeting. Col Rend said he had
been misled by Gen. Little as to the
purpose of the meeting. He understood
that it had been called with a view of
Fastening a. settlement of the strike and
was assured of that at conference with
the general on Monday night.
The preamble to the resolutions recites
the earnest desire of the coal operators
of Western Pennsylvania to devise hon
orabe methods to bring the strike to a
termination, deplores the poverty and
misery of the vest army of miners and
their families and claims the public has
been misied by crafty and false state
ments as to the causes responsible for
the present and past turmoil
Tonight Gen. Little and Judge Owens
are in secret conference with Secretary
William Warner and Organizer Miller.
Nothing definite can be learned as to the
subject under discussion.
SENATOR HANNA'S EFFORTS.
CLEVELAND. Ohio. July 27.-Thomas
Young. representative of Senator NJ. A.
Hanna, has gone to Pittsburg with in
structions to use every effort to bring
about speedy settlement of the strike.
All the Cleveland operators are hopeful