The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-08-24

Pittsburg, Aug. 23.-"Miners to re-
sumo work at the 54-cent rate, pending
a decision of board of arbitration
Miners to resume work at an inter-
mediate rate between the rate de-
manded and the one paid before the
suspension, pending a decision of
board of arbitration.
Miners to resume operations without
a price named pending a decision of
board of arbitration
! These three propositions were sub
mitted by the special committee OF
railroad coal operators of the Pittsburg
district at a conference held tonight
Miners to resume work at the So
cent rate pending the decision OF q
board of arbitration"
| This is the proposition submitted by
the officers of the miners to the special
| committee. The propositions were
talked over in an informal manner by
both sides when an adjournment was
taken until 10 o'clock tomorrow morn
ing.
As near as. can be learned. the
miners officials will stand firm on the
| proposition they have made. In support
of this claim, they say that it is equally
as fair for the miners to resume at the
I b3-CGQJ rate DGUQlIS dIDIlIdilOIls d. IL
is for them to go TO work at the 54-cent
rate under the same conditions.
ONLY PITTsBURG DISTRICT.
After the conference tonight several
members of the committee of operators
said that d conference Of operators in
which are to be included the operators
of other states had been entirely eliIni-
mated from the controversy, and that
only the Pittsburg district was being
considered.
National President Ratchford and
District President Dolan- stoutiy main
tanned that the question: was Stlu an
/ inter state one, and the general ques-
ton is being generally deIberated
upon.
From the best information at hand.
the contending parties are still TAR
apart. The operators hope that one OF
| their PROPOSITIONS will be accepted,
while the miners officers say they viii
not recede in the least from the position
they have taken. President Dolan,
/ however. after the conference said that
all were going to take good sleep and
/ he was satisfied that they would come
i to some definite understanding within
ten minutes after meeting in the morn
/ ing.
WAS A LIVELY MEETING.
lit was a lively meeting Of operators
! During the forenoon there was split
/ among the producers. The miners ot1l-
! Gals wanted to know if every operator
( in the district was represented
i They had received a negative answer,
| and in return said there were down
/ stairs John Shields and others VINO
were not represented. They adjourned
| and promised to have the rest of the
| operators present
/ At the afternoon session there were
/ present on behalf of the miners Ma
/ tfonal President Ratchford, National
! Secretary and Treasurer w. Z. PeaIce,
| District President Patrick Dolan, First
| vice President Edward Mckay and
| Secretary W. 4. Warner President
! Ratehford made a statement OF. the
/ case. He said on former occasions the
| miners went to the operators when,
with crocodile tears, their CONVICTIONS
were deplored BY the operators. Now,
! ne said. il was different-the operators
/ had come to the miners. He expressed
/ himself in favor Of arbitration at d
I living rate of wages.
REND GREW ANGRY.
This brought Colonel w p Rend to
his feet. He said that there could be
no arbitration on the lines as laid
/ down by Ratchford. He referred TO
/ the meeting at st. Louis, Ratchford
having fntimated that universal
! strike and demand for an elgnt nour
day and readjuStment OF the wage
] question would be the result OF the 81:
/ Louis conference. Mr.. Rend replied
( by calling RatchfOrd villain, traitor,
| BLACKBOARD and an anarchist with
| ernnhasis he told him that seven an
/ archists had been hung in Chicago,
and all were better than he; that II
| he orecipitated an insurrectiOn in THIS
county hire would be hangea' ana wn9 ~,
| ne was hanged he (Rend) wanted TO
r,111 tha rome Colonel Rend left the
| conference in a rage
After some more discussion, the op-
orators decided that committee De
appaonited to meet with the miners
! officials and if possible come to some
/ agreement. -
lasted for several hours. The PROPOSE
tions as stated were made and discus
sed and an adjournment taken until IL
1 o'clock tomorrow morning without a
conclusion being reached.
RATcHFORD'S STATEMENT.
This evening President Ratchford
made the following statement:
1--WE met and heard the purpose Of
the conference explained. When
! heard Colonel Rend talk in the meet
/ ing I learned that the object was to
submit the matter to arbitration. Be
| ing favorable to arbitration and also
an interstate conference, L decided that
! both objects were worthy, and during
the afternoon we discussed both OF
them. The operators believe that work
should be resumed at the old prices
pending arbitration at a retroactive
rate. We struck against the old prices
i because it did not afford our miners a
living, and will not resume work at
any price less than the price demanded,
which is the lowest possible rate that
4 men can labor for. To prove the sin
certify of this claim, we are willing to
refer it to a fair board of arbitration
In the meantime the 69-cent rate must
prevail. It will require no less than so
i days for a board of arbitration to reach
the desired conclusion
-..They never proposed arbitration un-