The record-union., 1897-08-25

PITTSRURG, Aug. 24-The final ef-
fort to arrange a plan for ending the
big coal strike has proved a failure,
and the strike goes on. AT noon the
conference between a committee OF
coal miners and operators, national and
distract officials, closed and the confer
ence adjourned without delay.
The miners representatives did not
recede from their original proposition
to settle the strike by arbitration and
start the mines at the 69-cent rate.
The operators offered to divide the
difference between the "a and 69-cent
rates, making the price at which the
mines. should start 6112 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 bv the Board of Arbitration. This
was also refused by the miners, and
theypSaid they had been fooled too often
TO trust the operators again They
declined to work for a month, giving
the operators the output that length
of time without knowing what wages
would be paid.
A proposition was then made to OPP
crate the mines for ten days without
fixing the price, a Board Of Arbitration
TO fix the price for that time.
President Ratchford insisted that
nothing but the 69-cent rate could be
possibly accepted.
The operators were firm, but the
miners were equally determined, and
every argument of the operators was
met by the miners leaders. 1t was
therefore decided to end the conferenc.
President Ratchford gave out the fol-
lowing statement:
1--WE have disagreed. Our proposition
remains unchanged. Besides our prop
osition to arbitrate, we made them
second one along the lines of bringing
about a general conference of miners
and operators of all mining States.
They refused to lend their efforts in
that direction and the strike win be
continued. We have no other plans for
the future"
Immediately after the close of the
morning conference J. B. Zerbe called
a meeting of operators for 2 O'Clock
this afternoon to discuss the situation
and outline a plan for future action.
Some of the operators favor the plan
decided upon at the Cleveland confer
ence to make a fight to start the mines
with the old men, if they can be induced
to dig at "a cents, or to import men to
take their places.
Others, however, say they will not aid
in carrying out this plan and favor
complete surrender.
The outlook for the adjournment Of
the conference seemed to be encourag-
ing for the miners. There is no ques-
ton as to the anxiety of the operators
to start their mines. Nearly every coal
company in the Pittsburg District was
represented at the Monongahela House
during the conference.
BOTH SIDES WAITING.
PITTSBURG Pa~), Aug. 24.-Quiet
prevails at the strikers camps about
the DeArmitt mines. Both sides are
waiting for the decision of the court in
the cases of the five men arrested on
Saturday morning.
The Sheriff does not want to go on
making arrests until he is sure the
court will sustain him, and the strikers
do rot want to be arrested if the court
will sustain the Sheriff in making the
arrests. So a sort of truce has come
about.
This morning, on account of rain, the
campers remained under shelter, and
passed an uneventful day, awaiting
r1Iews of the conference between the OPP
senators and miners officials in session
sat Pittsburg.
The threatened eviction at Plum
, Greek will not take place this week, as
the company discovered an error in the
papers served on the tenants, which
made them illegal. New papers are be-
ing prepared. Anticipating the evic-
.tions. several strikers, who occupied
company houses, have moved out.
Yesterday was pay day at the Plum
Greek mine, and about 200 of the men
received their money. Pay was with
held from about 80 men on account of
the strike. A number of the miners
threatened to enter suit for the amount
due them.
A FAILING STRIKE.
WHEELING CIV. Va), Aug. 24.-The
strikers suffered further losses in the
Kanawha Valley, in the Upper Loup
Creek region and along New River to-
day. New River mines loaded 600 cars
of coal yesterday, which is a big days