The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-08-25


PITTSBURGH, Pa, Aug. a-The
final effort to arrange a plan for ending
the big coal strike has proved failure
and the strike goes on.
At noon the conference between a
committee of coal operators and min
ers' national and district officials closed
and the conference adjourned without
date. The miners representatives did
not recede from their original PROPOSE
tlon to settle the strike by arbitration,
and start the mines at the slxty-nlne
cent rate.
The operators offered to divide che
difference between flfty-four and sixty
nine cent rates, making the price at
which the mines would start sIxty-one
and onc-half cents per ton, but this was
rejected Then additional propositions
were made; one was to start the mines
without fixing any price for thirty days
and then to pay the rate agreed upon
by the board of arbitration.
This was also refused by the miners
and they said they had been fooled too
often to trust the operators again. They
declined to work for n month, giving the
operators the output that length Of time
without knowing what wages would be
paid. A proposition was then made to
operate the mines for ten days without
fixing the price. and allow board OF
arbitration to fix the price for that time.
President Ratchford insisted that
nothing but the slxty-nine cent rate
could be possibly accepted. The opera
tors we're firm, but the miners men
were equally determined and every ar
gument of the mine owners was met by
tile miners leaders. Neither side would
coucede another point and It was decid-
ed to end the conference
Agreed to Disagree.
President Ratchford had but little to
say on the matter but gave out the fol-
lowing statement:
I'VE have disagreed Our proposition
remained unchanged. Besides our prop
usitiOn to arbitrate, we made them.
second one along the lines OF bringing
about a general conference OF miners
and operators Of all the mining states
They refused to lend their efforts In
this direction, and the strike VIII be
continued. We have no plans for the
future"
Immediately after the close Of the
morning conference j. y, 2erOe called a
meeting Of operators for 2 o'clock this
afternoon, TO discuss the situation ana
outline n place for future action
From the tone OF the remarks Of some
Of the operators they favor the plan de-
clded upon at the Cleveland conference
to make a fight and start the mines
with the old men II they can be induced
10 dig at fffty-four cents or TO import
mon 10 take their places. There are
others. however, who say they VIII not
aid In carrying out this plan avn faVor
n conplete surrender. The ou|)hk az
ter the adjournment OF the conference
seemed 10 be encouraging for the MN
,rs There Is no question as 90 the an
Yirtv Of the operators 20 start their
mI-es and nearly every coal company IN
the Pittsburgh district was represented
M the Nonongahela House during the
conference,
m. orerators' conference was In Sc
crot seagion for several hours, ana when
tbr donrs were opened their press agent
announced that the mines would GER
t6lnIv he started with the old digBefs
n p6ygIble. with imported men II the
old men refuse to work
A committee was appointed COM
pogad OF representatives OF every hrm
in the district to map out the mode OF
rroeoedure for tho resumption THIS
committee will meet tomorrow morn
ipr far this purpose. The statement
concerning the Joint conference Issued
Ly the operators press committee TO-
night follows.
op-rni0rs' statement
"The conference committees OF the
coal operators and the officials OF the
miners failed to agree and adjourned
finally. The miners were represented
hy their national and district officers.
Operator j. i. Zcrbe wns chosen chair
man of tho conference and w. G..
pfarcp. OF tho miners, secretary. Mr.
Hnrbp ptntCd that II was desired 10
hiring nbout "A settlement OF the strike.
Mr. Rntchford stated that he and MS
araoclnteg we're. empowered to enter
tain. discuss and decide upon any prop
0sltiona the operators might submit.
Chairman Zcrbo asked that the cues.
ton of Interstate agreement be waived
aud thls was nHacntod to.
"Mr. Rntchford then stated the tormH
upon which the miners would return to
work, aaylng that they would go to
work nj once on the % cent ratio being
plld until such time oa u board OF ar
Mlrntlon could make an award OF what
would be- fair wage rate. any excess
riId To the miners above the award OF
inu arbItratofa to be- deducted from
tho pay Of the miners following the
HHnl
"Tho operators stated tholr reasons
why thls could not be- accepted, nnd In
l.Hu thereof submitted four PROPOSE
lions Tor arbitration, one that the mon
should return to work, leaving 10 arbl-
traitors what rate shall be pnld. one
lulvlng the question NJ tnto until nftor
nu award has been mndci ono that the
arJllrnlorp decide within ten or twchty
d1yH tho miners remaining IDLE, nnd
Que that the aFbItratota have thltty
days I'm which 10 decide, the miners
remaining l1l0.
NAll tlUHif yVfU uUTDmulurlly tplOClOl