The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-08-25
NO END IS IN SIGHT.
The Operators and the Miners Or
ficials Gould Not Agree.
OUTLOOK ENCOURAGING FOR MINERS.
Mode Of Procedure for Resumption
to BE Agreed On.
OUTLOOK ENCOURAGING FOR MINERS,
ANXIETY TO START THE MINES
The Operators Issued q Statement i'm
Which They Discuss the Confer
encc and Its Failure to Agree.

fort to arrange plan for ending The big
coal strike has proved failure and the
strike goes on. At noon the conference
between n committee Of coal operators and
miners National and district officials
closed and the conference adjourned with
out date The miners representatives did
not recede from their original PROPOSE
ton to settle the strike by arbitration and
start the mines at the 6o-cent rate
The operators offered to divide the diff
ference between "a cents and GO cents and
make the price at which the mines should
start at 64ia cents but this was rejected
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 arbitra-
ton. This was also refused by the min
ers and they said they had been too often
fooled to trust the operators agai1. They
declined to work for month giving the
operators the output for that length OF
time without knowing what wages would
be paid. A proposition was then made 10
operate the mines for ten days without
fixing the price and allow the board OF
arbitration to fix the price for that time
President Ratchford inslted that nothing
but the SO cents could be possibly accept
cd The operators were firm. but the
miners were equally determined and every
argument OF the mine owners was met
by the miners leaders. Neither side
would concede another piont aud 1t was
decided to end the conference.
President Ratchford had but little 10
iSEey on Gte matter. but gave out the fol-
| lowing statement:
"We have disagreed. Our propo
| siti"n remnfnrd unchanged. he
sides our proposition 10 nrbitrntc
we mnde them second one along
the lines of bringing about n gem
eral conference of miners and opc-
rators of all the states. They
refused 10 lend their efforts In that
direction and the strike will he con-
the future"
Immediately after the close Of the morn
ing conference j. d. Serb called a nesting
| for 2 p. m. to discuss the situation and
outline plan for future action. From
the tone OF the remarks OF some OF the
operators .thoy favor the plan decided
upon at the Cleveland conference to make
fight and start the mines with the old
men II they can be induced to dig at 81
| cents or to import men to take their
PLACES. There are others who say they
will not aid in carrying out this plan and
favor complete surrender.
The outlook after the adjournment of
tho conference seemed TO be encourag-
ing for the miners. There is no question
az 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 con-
ference. The operators conference was In
secret session for several hours and when
the doors wero opened the president an
| ounced the mines were certain to be start
ed with the old diggers IL possible and
with imported men IL the old men refused
to work. A committee was appointed COM
posed OF representatives OF every Arm In
| the district 10 map out the mode OF pro-
cedure for the resumption. This COM
mittee will meet tomorrow for the stated
| purpose
| The statement concerning the joint con-
| ference issued BIZ the operators press COM
mittee tonight follows;
| The conference committees Of the coal
operators and the officials OF the miners
| failed to agree and adjourned finally. The
miners we're represented by their National
and district officers. Operator j. b. Serb
was chosen chairman Of the conference and
| w. G.. Pearce OF the miners. secretary
! Mr.. Serb stated that II was desired 10
bring about a settlement OF the strike.
Mr. Ratchford stated that he and his as
! sociates were empowered 10 entertain, dir
CUES and decide upon any propositions that
] the operators might submit. Chairman
! Serb asked that the question OF Interstate
agreement be waived and this was ascent
/ ed 10.
! Mr. Ratchford then stated the terms upon
/ which the miners would return ID work.
| saving that they would do so at oace On
tho SO cent rate being paid until such
| time as board OF arbitration could make
an award Of what would be a fair wage
| rate and excess paid TO the miners above
| the award OF the arbitration TO be deducted
! from the pay Ct the miners following the
award
| The operators stated their reasons Why
| this could not be accepted and in lieu
| thereof submitted four propositions for ar
] bitration. one that the men should start
/ to work. leaving TO arbitration what rate
| shall be paid: one leaving the question OF
rate open until after an award has been
made: one that the arbitrators decide
within ten or twenty days, the miners re-
manning idle, and one that arbitrators have
thirty days In which to decide. the miners
remaining idle, All these were peremptor-
| lily rejected by the miners representatives
ana the conference adjourned.
The operators feel that In submitting