Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-01-29

Chicago, January 2S.-The following
is the contract between the operators
of the competitive coal fields and the
United Mine workers of America, 1t
having been signed to-day:
The following agreement made ana
entered into in joint convention IN this
city Chicago, Ills), January 70, 1922
by and between the operators and
miners of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and
Western Pennsylvania, known as the
Pittsburg THU vein district, Wit
nesseth:
1.-That an equal price for mining
screened lump coal shall hereafter form
a base scale in all the districts above
named, excepting the State of Illinois,
the block coal district of Indiana, to
pay ten cents per ton over that OF
Hooking Valley, Western Pennsylvania
and Indiana bituminous districts, and
that the price of pick run of mine coal
in Hooking Valley and Western Penn
Sylvania shall be determined by the
actual percentage OF screenings pass
ing through such screen, as is herein
after provided; it being understood and
agreed that screened or run OF mine
coal may be mined and paid for on the
above basis at the option Of the opera
tors, according to market require
ments, and the operators Of Indiana
bituminous shall also have like OPP
ton of mining run of mine or screen
coal.
2.-That the screen hereby adopted
for the State of Ohio, Western Penn
sylvania and the bituminous district
Of Indiana, shall be uniform in size, 6
feet wide by II feet long, built of fiat
or Akron-shaped rods, of not less than
five-eights of one inch surface, with
IL inches between bars, free from OBJ
structioDe, and that such screenings
shall = ! upon q sufficient number Of
bearings to hold the bars in proper
position.
3.-Tnat the block coal district cf
Indiana may continue tie use o. the
diamond screen of present size and
pattern with the privilege of run Of
mine COAL the mining price Of which
shall be determined by the actual
screenings, and that the State of Hi
nois shall be absolutely upon a run Of
! mine system and shall be paid for on
that basis.
4-That an advance Of ten cents per
ton Of 1000 pounds for pick mined
| screened coal shall take effect in West
ern Pennsylvania, Hooking Valley and
Indiana bituminous districts on April
/, 1898, and that Grape Creek, Ills. and
| the bituminous district OF Indiana
shall pay forty cents per ton run Of
| mine coal from and after same date,
| based upon sc cents per ton screened
in Ohio, Western Pennsylvania and
| the Indiana bituminous district, same
to continue in force until the expira-
;, ton of this contract
5.-That on and after April /, 1898,
the eight hour work day with eight
hours pay, consisting of six days per
week, shall be in effect in all of the
! districts represented and the uniform
wages for day labor shall be paid the
| different classes of labor in the fields
named and that internal differences in
any of the States or districts, both as
to prices or conditions shall be refer
! red to the States or districts affected
for adjustment.
6.-That the same relative prices
and conditions between machine and
pick mining that have existed in the
different States shall be continued dur
ing the life of this contract.
THAT present prices for pick and
machine mining and all classes of day
labor shall be maintained in the com
petitive States and districts until April
l, 1898.
S.-That the United Mine Workers
organization, party to this contract
do hereby further agree to afford all
possible protection to the trade and to
the other parties hereto against any
unfair competition resulting from a
failure to maintain scale rates.
9-This this contract shall remain
in full force and effect from April l.
1898, to April 1, 1899, and that our
| next annual Interstate convention
shall convene in the city of Pittsburg
on the third Tuesday in January, 1899
Adopted.