Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-07-29

Will Do Away With the Diff
culties Which Have Stood in the
Way of Uniform Wages and Pro-
per Conditions for the Miners.
De Armitt's Uniformity Plan
Adopted by tho Convention IN
Pittsburg--The Principal Features
of the Scheme.
Pittsburg, Pa, July 2S.-The true
uniformity" conference of coal opera
tors Of the Pittsburg district conclud-
ed it's work tonight at 9:15 o'clock,
after a two days session Of close and
persistent work. The twentyone sec
tions of the uniformity agreement were
thoroughly discussed and adopted sec
tion by section. The best OF feeling
prevailed throughout the meetings, the
only exception being the boiling of Col.
Rend at yesterdays session. Just pre-
vious to adjournment, however, Judge
Owens announced that Col. Rend had
authorized him to state that any agree
ment the conference adopted would re-
ceive the Colonel's cooperation, and
he would sign it if 95. 80 or even 20
per cent of the operators were sincere
IN their sanction Of it.
The conference appointed a commit
tee of five, w. P DeArmitt, j. b.
Zerbe, J. j. Steytler, ]. c. Dysart and
n. f. Sanford, with Gen. John Little,
to secure the signatures Of the opera
tors to the agreement This commit
tee will begin it's work tomorrow. 1t
will be aided by the Ohio Board of Ar
bitration. When the requisite number
of signatures has been secured an
other meeting will be held TO ratify
the agreement.
Speeches were made by DeArmitt,
Dempster, Little, Zerbe and others, all
expressing satisfaction over the result
of the meeting and predicting the sue
cess of the plan.
The agreement as adopted, provides
for cash payment of wages, 1000
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 pay days, uni
form price for pick mining in the
thick and thin vein districts, and
screens not exceeding IL inches. 1t
also provides that in case Of the viola
ton of the provisions and terms Of the
agreement, a penalty Of ten cents per
ton on the total output Of coal mined
by the violator will be charged, which
penalty is to be paid to commission
subject to the right Of further arbitra-
tion or appeal Said penalty, 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 dur
ing the year. The commission is to be
chosen annually and shall be known
by the name of The Uniformity Com
mission. 1t shall be composed Of nine
members, the thick and thin vein
operators having proper representa-
tion. The members shall be sworn to
faithfully and impartially perform
the duties of their Office and will be
authorized and empowered to enforce
the judgments and awards. 1t shall
also be empowered to subpoena wit
nesses with the same force and effect
as a board of arbitrators duly appoint
ed under the act of the Assembly or
the State of Pennsylvania relating to
compulsory arbitration.
The agreement shall not become eff
fective unless it has been signed by 80
per cent of the operators on or before
January /, 1898.
After 80 per cent. have signed the
agreement, if any 10 operators shall
be Of the opinion that enough have
signed to render it effective, a meeting
shall be called in Pittsburg to declare
it in force.
The operators. with a few exceptions,
want it distinctly understood that the
passage of an agreement whereby all
operators are to adopt a similar system,
and are to pay the same relative price
for mining has nothing to do with the
great strike They wish the miners 10
disabuse their minds of any such the
cries. The operators have also shut
out the miners leaders from taking
anv part in the conference that may
take place through questions arising
between the operators and miners, by
inserting a clause in the agreement
stating the commission shall be COM
posed of workmen employed by the
subscribers. Heretofore the miners
officials have represented the miners,
but now the miners are TO grapple with
the questions in dispute alone.
Il was decidsd that present contracts
could not be made the basis for arbitra-
ton.
Many firms have taken contracts for
a stipulated period at a fixed price. 1t
is understood that these shall have the
right to supply the product TO dll these
contracts at the rate of mining on which
the contractG are based. Here is where
the miners and operators will separate.
The attendance al the session was not
as large as the day previous. Operators
from eighty-five rail mines and five river
mines agreed to take part in the conven-
ton. which is larger percentage than it
was hoped TO get together.
The operators worked smoothly and few
objections were raised TO the agreement
as written There was close vote on the
question whether the commission TO be tp-
pointed should be privileged 10 tamper
with the differeFtial in the thick and thin
vein regions. Frank Osborne made a mo-
ton to let it stand as usage and custom
has made it. but W P. DsArmitt argued
that if the diferential was fair and just.
none should fear 10 have the subject ar
bitrated. The vote on the question result
ed in Is to Nave it settled by commission.
and II to have it stand as at present. An
the votiYg was light.
.Ir. Hoosack almost broke up the as