Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-07-29
PITTsBURG COAL OPERATORS COME
TO An AGREEMENT.
AN END TO MANY GRIEVANCES.
WAGES IN CASH. sEMI-MONTHLY, on
An "UNsCREENED" BASIS.
Check MeiEhmen to he Allowed on
TippIes and Company stores 10
BE AbOIished-95 Per Cent
of Operators Must
Sign.

Pittsburg. Pa. July 2s.-The true uni
formity" conference Of coal operators Of
the PittsbUrg district concluded its work
tonight at 9:i5 o'clock after a two days
session Of close and persistent work. The
twenty-one sections OF the uniformity
agreement were thoroughly discussed and
adopted. section by section. The best OF
feeling prevailed throughout the meetings,
the only exception being the bolting OF
Colonel Rend at yesterdays session. Just
previous to adjournment. however. Judge
owens announced that Colonel ReHd had
authorized him TO state that any agree
ment Of the conference would receive MS
hearty cooperation. and he would sign
il If 90. 80 or even % per cent Of the op-
orators were sincere in their sanction OF II.
THE conference appointed a committee of
five-W. 2. DeArmit. J. Il. Zerbe, j. J.
Stoytler, J. c. Dyoart and y. F. Sanford
with General John Little, TO secure the
signatures OF the operators TO the agree
Inent. This committee will begin its work
tomorrow. 1t will be aided by the Ohio
board of arbitration. When the requisite
number of signatures have been secured.
another meeting will be held to ratify the
agreement.
Speeches were made by DeArmit. Demp-
ster, Little, Zerbe and others, all express
ing satisfaction over the result of the meet
The agreement as adopted, provides for
cash payment of wages, 2.OOO pounds to the
ton. check weighmen on the tpples miners
to be credited with the full quantity of
coal contained in the mine car. abolition
OF company stores. semi-mOnthly paydays.
uniform price for pick mining in the thin
and thick vein districts and veins not eX-
ceeding one and one-half inches.
1t also provides that in case of the viola
. . Ho nf ba
atty of 10 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 either
arbitration or appeal. Said penalty, when
collected. is to be distributed among the
signers Of the agreement, pro rata, in pro-
portion to the total amount OF tonnage or
output made by them during the year.
The commission Is 10 be chosen annually
and shall be known by the name of the
uniformity commission. 1t shall be COM
posed Of nine members, the thick and thin
vein operators having proper representa-
tion. The members shall be sworn TO
faithfully and impartiaIly perform the du-
ties OF their Office and will he authorized
and empowered to enforce the judgments
and awards.
1t shall also be empowered to subpoena
witnesses, with the same force and effect
as a board OF arDltraJiOn duly appointed
under the act of assembly OF the state of
Pennsylvania relating to compulsory arbi-
tratiOn.
The agreement shall not become effective
unless it has been signed by s. per cent
of the operators on or before January ],
1895
After 90 per cent having signed the agree
ment, If any fifteen operators shall be of
| the opinion that enough have signed to
reEder II effective, meeting shall be
| called in Pittsburg to declare il in force.
The operators, with a few exceptions,
want II distinctly understood that the
| passage of an agreement whereby all oper-
| atOrs are to adopt similar system and are
| to pay the same relative price for mining,
| They wish the miners to disabuse their
| minds of any such theories.
| The operators have also. shut out the
| miners leaders from taking any part in
| the conferences that may take place
| through questions arising between the
| operators and miners by inserting a clause
| in the agreement. stating that the COM
| mission shall be composed Of wOrkmen en-
| ployed by the subscribers Heretofore. the
| miners officials have represented the min
| ers. 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 arbitra- =
| tioE. Many firms have taken contracts for
| stipulated period at a fixed price. II is
| understood that these shall have the right
| to supply the product to fill these con-
| tracts at the rate of mining on which
| the contracts are based. Here is where the
miners and operators will separate.