Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-08-31

Pittsburg, Pa, August SO.-A meet
inc Of the coal producers who 90 not
ship to the lakes has been arranged
for tomorrow. 1t will likely be held
at the Monongahela House, but those
interested are keeping quiet Tor tear
of iniuring their business relations
with the large shippers. 1t is Known
that in order to fill the contracts Tor
coal taken in the Northwest the lake
shippers are compelled to buy coal from
the producers. If any movement tax
en- by the smaller operators results IN
ending the strike by paying the BY
cent rate it is believed the shippers
will discriminate against them in plac-
ing their orders.
One of the operators interested in the
meeting tomorrow in talking to re-
porter. said: 1--WE want to start our
mines and are willing to pay the 69-
cent rate. We have no contracts, but
believe we will have no trouble in
selling coal. The fact that the lake
sbippers are paying $1.25 ton for coal
at the mines in West Virginia, and
higher rate for coal here, is an indl-
cation that we can dispose of our coal
at the usual price of 20 cents a ton
above the mining rate. If we can get
enough operators to join us in the move
ment we will make proposition to the
miners officials that l believe they
will accept. l have talked with a num-
Der of operators who are in sympathy
with the movement, but they are afraid
to ioin us and the meeting may be
fzzle. They are dependent or the lake
shippers for a market for their coal,
and if by this action they offend their
consumers. they believe they will be
without trade, and prefer to await the
result Of the heavy operators plan to
break the strike by importing men"
Another operator who will attend the
meeting to-mor- ow, said: Il want to
made by the big Shippers. They have
claimed that they had contracts based
on the 54-cent mining rate, and had to
fill them at that price. Now this is
fOOlishness. The mining rate at the
majority Of the mines was 60 cents
until within a week or two before the
strike was inaugurated. James w.
Shields and the Youghiogheny River
Coal Company, and several other large
f producers, were paying 60 cents when
the strike began. That was the mining
rate, and why should contracts be
taken based on a lower price? If the
operators who are in sympathy with
this movement will attend the meeting
tomorrow the strike will soon be bro
ken and the miners will win"
The lake shippers have but little to
say regarding their plans except that
they are going ahead, and will carry
out their original intentions. They had
not heard of the proposed meeting of
the producers until informed by re-
porter. Some admitted that such
move might force other operators to
concede the demand They dispute the
statement made by an operator that
they are paying S1.25 a ton for West
Virginia coal at the mine One Of
them, in denying the statement, said:
1T is true. and it is not true. Some
operators are paying that price. but
only for pressing contracts. Others
have pressing contracts for coal with
West Virginia operators taken early
in the strike at a much lower figure"
J. c. DySart said the strike was in
juring the Pittsburg district miners.
If the ~Fike is prolonged until navi-
cation closes" he said, and the large
operators are prevented from filling
their contracts. the coal for the north
west will be supplied by the Illinois
and Indiana operators. The miners Of
those States will have employment
while the PittSburg diggers are idle"
George W. Schluederberg. who rep
resents the Robbins interests. said il
would he impossible to pay the 69-cent
rate. 'If it is paid" said he. "the
mines will only be operated tempOr-
arily at that price. The operators have
offered an intermediate price. and if
that had been accepted the mines could
be operated and the trade that belongs
70 PittSburg could be held here. If the !
strike is settled in any other way the !
miners will be only benefited for a |
short time"
Mr. Schluederberg denies that II will !
require 100000 tons Of coal to supply |
the lake Trade. as is claimed by the |
miners officials. A great deal Of coal |
has already been shipped. and less than |
100000 tons will be required to I'll |
the contracts.
An operator. in speaking of contracts |
taken al the 54-cent rate. said it was |
necessary on account Of the New York I
& Cleveland Gas Coal Company having /
made contracts at that price "That |
company" said he, has the same out
put as twenry-four large mines in the
an-Handle field. and the fact that this
one company took contracts at the low
rate was sufficient reason for others
to do the same.
The Pittsburg & Chicago Gas Coal
Company may have some trouble in
evicting the present tenants Of the
houses 10 make room for men TO be
imported to take their places. The
tenants compel them 70 move out Of
the houses under thirty DAYS notice.
If the company insists on ejecting
them on account of non-payment Of
rent they will demand the payment Of
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