The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-07-30
COAL OPERATORS
OF PITrsBURG DISTRICT HOLD
A. CONFERENCE.

- ~
Etghty.nine Coal companies Represented.
The River Mines and Westmoreland
Fields Were Not Represented-A Conn
mittee Appointed to Make Report on the
Uniformity Kend Offers q
Minority Report, Abuses the Conference
an Wfthd1aws.
Pittsburg, July 27.-Eighty-nine coal
companies mines located in the Pitts
burg district were represented at the
coal operators uniformity meeting here
today. The operators who ship by riv-
er and those owning mines in the West
moreland field were not present. The
river operators held a meeting at the
coal exchange this afternoon and de-
cided to take no part in the uniformity
movement. No attention was paid to
the call by the Westmoreland people.
Very little was accomplished at the two
sessions today. The old uniformity
agreement with the new clauses in
serted were reported on by a commit
tee and the meeting, tomorrow will take
up the agreement by clauses for dis
cussion. Where changes in the condi-
tons since 1896 warrant different provi-
siOns, committees will be appointed to
draw up clauses that will cover the
points at issue.
The only sensational incident of to-
days sessions occurred when Colonel
W.. P. Rend presented a minority re-
port on the uniformity agreement, de-
nouncing the procedure of the meeting
in severe terms and boiling the con-
ference
w. p. Murray called the meeting to
order at 1870 o'clock a. M, by nominal
ing Alex mpste for chairman. Col
onel W.. P. Rend named George w.
Schleudeberg, but he declined and Mr..
Dempster was chosen to preside.
General John Little was named vice
president. He made a short address,
saying the board was here as citizens
and had nc personal interest in the
coal business. The members hope by
Cancellation and mediation to bring
about a settlement between the con-
tending factions. state ines nave
nothing to do with the question: ne
said. you have the power here to set
tie this controversy. AS flttsDurg
goes, so will go the other states"
A committee was appointed to take
up the proposed uniformity agreement
revise it to suit the changed conditions
since it's first formulation and report to
the conference at 3 o'clock. A recess
was then taken until 3 o'clock.
At o'clock the committee asked for
another hour and the meeting took a
second recess until 5 o'clock when the
committee reported the old uniformity
agreement with the new clauses and
preamble prepared by the visiting arbi-
traitors. The report was read and Cap
tain Strittler moved that it be received
and the committee discharged.
Colonel Rend demanded recognition
for tho ~hoorinO IF a minority r0DOrt.
He prefaced the report with a few re-
marks on what he termed the buncO
intention of the meeting. Colonel Rend
said he had been misled by General Lit
tie, as to the purpose of the meeting.
He understood that it had been called
with a view of Fastening a settlement
Of the strike and was assured OF thai
at a conference with the general on
Monday night. When he got to the
meeting he learned that the strike was
not to be taken into consideration or
discussed in connection with uni
formity.
The preamble to the resolutions re-
cites the earnest desire Of the coal
operators OF western Pennsylvania to
devise honorable Methods to bring the
strike to a termination, deplores the
poverty and misery of the vast army
of miners and their families and claims
that the pnblic has been mislead by
CRAFTY dIu LdlSC oo W tAS
causes responsible for the present and
past turmoil. The resolutions follows:
Resolved, That we favor the speedy
adjustment Of this strike and all ques-
lions and controversies connected
Herewith by Cancellation employed in
a joint conference of miners and their
employers and that failing, by an ad-
jucation by a tribunal of arbitratOrs
composed Of three United States judges
or three other gentlemen of ma
tional repute and in whom the entire
country can repose confidence.
Resolved, That We favor the princi-
pie and practice of uniformity in its
true and homes sense, but We are un-
alterably opposed to it in the false,
perverted sense in which it has been
used to cloak sham schemes and trans
parent rauds.
Resolved, That we favor true and
honest weights and measures, cash
payments and all other just and equi-
table methods in the prosecution Of the
coal business.
Resolved, That we denOunce as a
foul falsehOod and glaring outrage the
charges and ins%inuations so often pub
licly made that general dishonesty has
been practiced in weights and measures
in the mining industry Of western
Pennsylvania.
Resolved, That the efforts to fasten
on the public mind these slanderous
and atrocious charges are a moral
crime and that we denounce the guilty
author of this accusation as a moral
criminal, violating Gods holy COM
mandment: Thou shalt not bear false
witness against thy neighbor:"
Resolved, That we are ready n
willing to advance the wages of the
miners, but-find ourselves unable to do
this to the full extent demanded by
them viz: 20 per cen advance on
prices that were paid prior to the
strike end now being paid by one of
the largest coal companies in western
Pennsylvania and which company pre-
sents the chief obstacle to the settle
ment of the present conflict.
After the resolutions had been read
the chairman asked to have some por-
lions eliminated, but the colonel re-
fused emphatieally to allow a single
word to be dropped and after a short