The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-07-29
ENDS IN SMOKE.
Meeting of Mine Operators and
Others at Pittsburg
From Which the Public Was
Led to Expect Much
DOES ALMOST NOTHING
Striking Miners Were Not Con-
sidered by 1t.
Conference Was Declared to
Have No Relation to Strike.


orators of the Pittsburg district con-
cluded its work last night at 9:15
O'Clock. after a two days session of
close and persistent work. The TWEEN
ty-one sections of the uniformity plan
were thoroughly discussed, section by
section. The best of feeling prevailed
throughout the meetings, the only ex-
ception being the boiling of Colonel
Rend. Just previous to adjournment,
however, Judge Owens announced that
Colonel Rend had authorized him to
state that any agreement of the confer
ence would receive his hearty co-opera-
ton, and he would sign it if IS, so or
even 20 per cent of the operators were
sincere in their sanction of it, The
conference appointed a committee of
five w. P. De Armitt, J. B. Zerbe, j.
J. Stoytler, J. c. Dyoeart and N. F.
Sanford, with General John Little, to
secure the signatures of the operators
to the agreement. This committee Will
begin its work tomorrow. It will be
aided by the Ohio board of arbitration.
When the requisite number of sigma
lures have been secured, another meet
ing will be held to ratify the agree
ment.
Speeches were made by De Arnitt,
DempSter, Zerbe and others, and all
expressed satisfaction over the result of
the meeting and predicted the success
of the plan. The agreement as adopted
provides for cash payment of wages,
1000 pounds to the ton, check weigh
men on the tipples, miners to be cred
tied with the full quantity of coal con-
tanned in the mine car, abolition of COM
pany stores, semi pay days,
uniform price for pick mining in the
thin and the thick vein districts. 1t
also provides that in case of the viola
ton of the terms of the agreement a
penalty of 10 cents per ton on the total
output OF coal mined by the violater
will be charged, which penalty is to be
paid to a commission, subject to the
rio of ~ her n ii rat 1nT
Said penalty, when collected, is to be
distributed among the signers of the
agreement shall not become effective
total amount of tonnage OF output by
them during the year.
The commission is to be chosen an
nually and shall be known by the name
of the uniformity commission. 1t shall
be composed OF nine members, the
thick and the sthin vein operators haV-
ing proper representation. The mem
bers shall be sworn to faithfully and
impartial1y perform the duties of their
office and will be authorized and en-
powered to enforce the judgments and
awards.
1t shall also be empowered to sub
poena witnesses with the same force
and effect as a board of arbitration duly
appointed under the act of the assem-
bly, of the state of Pennsylvania re-
lating to compulsory arbitration The
agreement shall not become effective
unless it has been signed by So per cent
of the operators on or before January
1, 1898.
After 30 per cent have signed the
agreement, if any 15 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,
wanted 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 to
disabuse their minds of any such theo-
ries.
The operators have also shut out the
miners leaders from taking any part in
the conference that may take place
through questions arising between the
operators and miners by inserting
clause in the agreement stating that
the commission shall be composed of men
employed by the subscribers. Hereto
fore the miners officials have repre-
scented the miners, but now the miners
are to grapple with the questions in
dispute alone.
1t was decided that present contracts
could not be made the basis for arbi-
tration.
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 fill these
contracts at the rate of mining on
which the contracts are based. Here is
where the miners and operators will
separate.
Inc attendance al the session was
not as large as the day previous. Oper-
atorS from IS rail mines and five river
mines agreed to take part in the con-
vention, which is a larger per centage
than it was hoped to get together.
The operators worked smoothly and
few objections were raised to the agree
ment as written. There was a close
vote on the question whether the COM
mission to be appointed should be priv
ileged to tamper with the differential
in the thick and thin vein regions
Frank Osborn made motion to let it
stand usage and custom had made
it, but Mr.. De Armitt argued that if the
differential was fair and just, none
should fear to have the subject arbitra-
ted. The vote on the question result
ed in IL to settle by commission and
II to have it stand as at present. All
the voting was lghtA
Mr.. Hosack almost broke up the as
Semblage when he moved to make the
agreement become operative when rs
operators sign it. Objections were rails
ed to this motion and J. B. Zerbe, who
acted as chairman. heSitated to put the
would be void and the motion was an
obstruction. The vote was then taken
and resulted in six to make it IS per
cent and IA to make it IS per cent.
Charleston, w. Va, July 29-Presi-
dent Ratchford of the United Mine
Workers, President Gompers of the
American Federation of Labor and
Grand Master Sovereign of the knights
of Labor, arrived here last evening and
Immediately called upon Governor At
k1nson to get an expression from him
as to their rights to speak and hold
meetings in West Virginia and espec-
tally to complain of the injunction is
sued by Judge Mason, prohibiting the
organizers to appear or hold meetings
on the grounds of any coal company
without permission, OF upon any roa
leading to the company's property
Governor Atkinson pointed out to his
visitors that three branches of state
government, the executive, the legisla-
tive and the judicial, are entirely sepa-
rate and distinct one from the other.
that he had Jurisdiction only in the ex-
alaI Il tls,H