Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-12-12

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OFFERED BY THE TRADES AS
SEMBLY- AND REFUSES LONGER
TO DEAL WITH THE ARBITRA-
TTON COMMITTED
The strike at the Richland coal
works, operated by j. P. Gilchrist, is
still unsettled with slight prospects of
the difficulty between the operators
and miners being adjusted. The mat
ter was brought up again in the Ohio
Valley Trades and Labor Assembly
yesterday and the arbitration commit
tee made a report through its chair
man, T. ]. Duffy. Chairman Duffy
read to the assembly a contract which
had been drawn up by the committee
and submitted to Mr.. Gilchrist- Chair
man Duffy thought the terms of the
contract were just and reasonable and
said they would certainly have been
accepted by Mr.. Gilchrist if the latter
had been disposed to be fair. Mr.. Gill
christ rejected the contract, which was
as follows:
1--WE. the Richland Coal company, Of
Wheeling, W. Va, of the first part.
and Local Union No $685. of Wheeling,
w. Va, of the second part, do hereby
agree that the following rules shall
govern the Richland coal works for
the term beginning December 1, 1893,
and ending December 81, 1899: First,
it is understood that all the miners
of the union shall be employed or re-
instated; that none but union miners
shall be hired, this not to bar any
miner who will join the union. Sec
ond. that the price paid for mining
shall be the price paid by majority
of the mines in this vicinity, VIZ: Elm
Grove, Glendale, Bogg's Run and
Moundsville, the same rule to govern
the day labor Third, that on all
questions in dispute except on ques-
lions of wages, no strike or lockout
shall be inaugurated until after a full
and complete investigation by the
Ohio Valley Trades and Labor Assem-
hlv arbitration committee. The action
of the miners to be governed by the
decision of the 0. V. t. and l.. A.
after the arbitration committee has
submitted fair and impartial report of
its investigation and efforts to settle
the dispute The right to discharge
any person or persons for just cause
shall not be questioned, but it is
further understood that activity in
looking after the interests of the
cause. AS the prices paid by the ma
jority of mines in this vicinity shall
prevail, the rule governing the load
ing of coppertons is to be the same.
All rules on orders or an ounUxivus
nature either by the Richland Coal
Company or the local union shall be
subject to paragraph No. 8. Any
agreement once entered into shall not
be terminated by either party until
two weeks notice shall be given by
the party desiring its abrogation."
In rejecting the contract Mr.. Gill
christ also wrote to Mr.. Duffy refusing
to hold any more conferences with the
Arbitration Committee of the Ohio
Valley Trades and Labor Assembly
and stated that hereafter he would
treat with his miners as individuals
only instead of recognizing their local
in his dealings with them. This de-
cision abruptly ended all efforts of the
Arbitration Committee to effect a com
promise, and drew forth a warm reply
from the chairman of the committee.
Mr.. Duffy set forth clearly and forci-
bly, all the circumstances attending the
strike and the events of the negotia-
tions that followed between the ope-
rator and the Arbitration Committee
which sought to bring both parties to-
gether. In his reply Mr.. Duffy charged
the operator with being inconsistent
and insincere, cruel and selfish, stat
ing that there was only one conclusion
to come to in the matter and that was
the operator did not want to run a
union mine.
The Richland coal works are still
being operated, notwithstanding the
strike the operator having secured 9TH
er men to run the mine. Some of its
former mines have secured employment
elsewhere, but the majority are still
idle and their families are said to be
in exceedingly poor circumstances.
The strike was not caused by any diff
ference in wages, but owing TO the dis
charge Of one Of the miners who is
charged with loading copper-stone. The
men went out because they considered
the discharge unjust. but agreed upon
the solicitations of the Trades Assem-
bly, to return to work. Thereupon, the
operator refused to take any back I'M
less they would sign an agreement
which he offered. The terms were
considered harsh by the miners and
they considered that it's acceptance
would mean the breaking up of their