The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-01-27
1HE MINERS JUBILANT.
Successful Termination Of the Con-
l. ference at Chicago. .....,
EIGHT HOUR DAY, HIGHER WAGES
OtlerAQroements Entered Into Which
VIII End the Long Pending Differ
ences between the Mine Owners and
Mine Workers..

ences Between the Mine owners and
Mine Workers.
Chicago, Jan. 27.-The interstate joint
conference of bituminous coal operators
and miners came to an end at 10 o'clock
last night. The miners were jubilant
over the results of their ten days ses-
sion, for 1t means to nearly 200, 900 soft
coal miners an advance of ten cents
per ton and a uniform day of eight
hours, at uniform day wages. And the
operators congratulated one another
with victory over themselves.
The following are the resolutions
adopted with but two dissenting votes:
Resolved, That an advance of ten
cents per ton for mining screened coal
take effect in the western Pennsylva-
mia district, Hooking Valley (OD dis
trict and Indiana btuminous district
on April /, 1898, and that a relative run
of mine price be determined in all the
districts named by a uniform fiat or
Akron SHAPED bar screen of u feet
superficial area, IN inches space be-
tween the bars; that the price Of rln
Of mine coal in Grape Creek district
and in the Indiana bituminous district
be 40 cents per ton for the same district,
based upon 66 cents in Pittsburg thin
vein district, and that in Hooking VAL
ley and Indiana, and that on and after
April 1, 1885, the eight hour day shall
be in effect In all districts here repre-
sented; that uniform wages for day
labor shall be paid the different classes
of labor in the field named, and that
internal difference in any of the
states. both as to prices and conditions,
shall be referred to the states affected;
that we further agree to the use of the
diamand bar screen of present pattern
in the block district of Indiana, with
the privilege Of run Of mine as may be
desired by the market conditions"
The convention completed its work
by naming scale committee to con-
sist of the national executive board of
the mine workers, the district presi-
dents and secretaries and two operators
from each state. to tabulate the scale
and perfect all the arrangements for
putting it into effect OH the date set.
II was determined that hereafter the
miners and operators will meet in jan
uary each year to fix a scale for the 12
months beginning April 1. Pittsburg,
Pa, was selected for the next annual
Joint convention, which will meet on the
third Tuesday Of January, 1899.
The afternoon session of the conven-
tion was very stormy, and for few
hours appearances led to the belief
that after ten days hard wok the con-
vention would fail to reach a settle
ment.
The scale committees final report, as
outlined above, was presented, and
with II come the protests of two Hook
ing Valley operators, Messrs. Morton
and Ellsworth. They insisted upon a
tifferential being established between
their scale and that of the thin vein of
Pennsylvania. Operator Robbins. of
Pennsylvania, proposed that the Nues-
tion of differential in favor of the Hook
ing Valley district be left to arbitration.
This was at once accepted by the Hook
Ing Valley operators but brought out
demand from the operators of Ohio
outside the Hooking Valley that they
be included in the arbitration, and,be
allowed differential as well.
When the Ohio operators got through
to the plan the Indiana min
ers. or part of them, announced that
they could not support the new scale.
In the midst Of the tangle the con-
vention took O recess. No further
trouble was made by the Indiana min
ers. they being prevailed upon not to
wreck the work of the convention.
Upon reassembling a roll call was
ordered on the resolutions. 1t resulted:
Yeas, "a; nays. g.
Mr.. Morton, of Ohio, in casting the
two negative votes, explained that they
were against the 66 cent rate for Hook
Ing Valley. Mr.. Chapman, in casting
two votes yea, explained that he cast
them for the balance of Ohio, excepting
Guernsey county. In order to ascer-
tain the standing Of Guernsey county
operators President Ratchford called
Tor a vote from them. After short
conference the Guernsey county men
voted for the resolution.
President RatchfOrd then moved that
the majority vote on the resolutions be
made the sense of the convention by
viva voce vote. The motion carried
unanimously, and the convention ap-
plauded wildly.
Arrangements We're made for the
meetings of the various committees to
arrange state diGferentials, and the
convention adjourned sine die.
After the adjournment President NJ.
ID. Ratchford, of the United Mine Work
ers expressed himself as highly salts
fled with the work Of the convention.
Ee said: Il consider the establishment
of an eight hour day for the miners one
of the greatest labor victories Of the
EnntllrV. If is in my estimation of far
more importance than the ten cents per
Ton advance"
Colonel W. p. Rcnd, of Chicago, who
owns and operates coal mines in Penn
sylvania, Ohio and Indiana, expressed
himself highly pleased with the results
Of the convention.