Birmingham state herald., 1897-05-06
COAL CUTTERS DISAGREE Pratt City and West Pratt Dele
 gations Walk Out. THEY FAVORED A REDUCTION And obeyed the Order Given By Their UnlOn- Blue Creek and BIocton Insist
 On the Contract.
 


 The state convention of coal miners failed to eongeal yesterday and a split was the result. -z---~
 The convention was held in Br4cklayers' hall this city, yesterday morning and the object of the convention was to consider q proposition from the coal mine operators to grant a reduction of 2ia cents per ton for mining coal.
 The following unions were represented by properly accredited credentials: Pratt City, West Pratt Blocton, Blue Creek, Belle Ellen and Hargrove.
 At n:30 o'clock Chairman John Lloyd. of Blocton. called the convention to order and stated the object of the call. He announced the first order of business as the election of chairman, His name was proposed and there being no opposition he was chosen to preside, E
 MT. F. N. Lannon, of Adger. was elected secretary.---
 Reports of delegates were next in order and Biocton was first to respond. The delegates were instructed to vote for the
 Pratt City came next and MT. Fairly for that. delegation moved that Pratt City be been called before Pratt City ~ On vote vote qraeseS fs Sraa to repSd apSd the dent was censured by the Pratt City dele gates.for- his action. The chair then con- sented to allow other delegations to report.
 Belle Ellen and HargroVe reported in fa- vor of the contract The former reported contract, but the latter had none. the delegate stating that wages ruled with them according to the scale in force at Blocton.
 West Pratt reported as being instructed to act in accord with Pratt City. The Pratt City delegation presented the Pratt City, May 8. 1897. On motion that a committee be appointed outside of delegates to wait on the com- pany and offer a reduction of 215 cents per ton. provided the company will abolish the sub-contrnct system and the abolition of IaborersI This motion lost.
 Amendment is that in case the other del- egatss have not the same me instructiens s r, as mines withdraw from the state conven- ton and settle it for ourselves. This mo- 1 FRANK FOURNIER, Chairman.
 R. HOOPER, Secretary. After hearing the report the chairman or dered vote on the question of accepting or derlining the reduction. The vote stood % to 2 against reduction. The vote by delegations was as follows: Against Reduction-Blocton. 15; Blue Greek, g; Hargrove, ?; Belle Ellen. B. Total
 For Reduction-Pratt City. IS; West Pratt, The 'aniioiIncement was the signal for the two latter delegations to retire. MT. Fair ley stated that their instructions were pos itive and they had no alternative. Mir. Lamont, of West Pratt, also made a state- ment and the two delegations withdrew: delegatious afterward held meeting In Foxs hall, the result of which was not given out
 ANOTHER MEETING. A meeting was held in the company's off, flee Morris avenue yesterday between the officials and delegates from Pratt City and West Pratt.
 After full and complete discussion of the details the following agreement was reached:
 The sliding scale is again to be adopted. Iron, No. foundry at T.50 per ton, is to be the basis. For every 50 cents advance on iron above this there is to be an advance of 2h cents per ton in coal mining. Coal mining is to be paid for at the rate of 37h cents per ton when No. 1 foundry iron Is S.5G or less per ton.
 The company agree to the following in the contract:
 Abolition of sub-contracts. Regulation of boys turns as may be agreed with the company. Square turn in the mines except where it is shown to be necessary to be other- wise. &
 If found that the last twenty-five cars built at Slope No. are larger than the others, they will be changed to uniform
 Although this agreement was made no contracts were signed nor will they be until tomorrow morning when they will be signed in this city. The contract now In force will then, of course, become lnopera- tive.
 CHANGE OF MEETING PLACE.
 It is said that the future meetings of the miners will be held at or near Blocton.