The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-29
An Agreement Between DiEgers and
Operators That Covers the COM
petitive Fields of Four States.
COAL PRICES TO BE RAISED
RATES NAY BE INCREASED % CENTS
Or MORE TON.
Operators Will Recoup Themselves
for the Advance Granted Dig
gers in Bftuminous Mines.

CHICAGO, Jan. 2S--Following is the con-
tract between the operators of the COM
petitivc coal fields and the United Mine
Workers of America, it having been signed
to-day:
''The following agreement made and
tered into in joint interstate convention in
this city (Chicago) Jan. IS, 1898, by and be-
tween the operators and miners of Illinois
Indiana, Ohio and western Pennsylvania,
known as the Pittsburg third vein district
witnesseth:
''First-That an equal price for mining
screened lump coal shall hereafter form
base scale in all of the districts above
named, excepting the State of Illinois, the
block coal district of Indiana to pay 10
cents per ton over that of Hooking valley,
Western Pennsylvania and Indiana bi.
luminous districts, and that the price OF
pick run-of-mine coal in Hooking valley
ard western Pennsylvania shall be deter
mined by the actual percentage of screen
tngS passed through such screen, as IS
hereinafter 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 operators.
according to market requirements. and the
operators of Indiana bituminous shall also
have like option of mining n-of-mlnei or
screen coal.
'Second-That the screen hereby adopted
for the State of Ohio, western Pennsyl-
Vania and the bituminOES district OF Indl-
ana shall be uniform in size six feet wide
by twelve feet long, built of fiat or Akron
shaped bar of not less than 5s of one inch
surface with IA inches between bars free
from distractions, and that such screen
ings shall rest upon a sufficient number OF
bearings to hold the bars in proper posi-
ton.
'Third-That the block coal district of
Indian may continue the use of the da-
mond 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 Illinois shall be absolutely upon
rnn-of-mine system, and shall be paid for
OF that basis.
"Fourth-That an advance of 10 cents per
ton of 1000 pounds for pick-mined screened
coal shall take effect in western Pemnsyl-
vana Hooking valley and Indiana BIZ
luminous districts on April ]. 1898, and that
Grape Creek Illinois, and the bituminous
district of Indiana shall pay 40 cents per
ton run~of-mine COAL from and after the
screened coal in Ohio western Pennsyl-
vana and the Indiana bituminous district,
the same to continue in force until the ex-
piration of this contract.
''F'ifth-Tnat on and after April l. 1898,
the eight-hol r work day. with eight hours
pay consisting of six days per week, shall
be in effect in all of the districts repre-
scented. and that uniform wages for day la
Dor shall be paid the different classes OF
nal differences in any of the States or dis
triets both to prices or conditions, shall
be referred to the States or districts AFFECT
ed for adjustment
"Sixth-That the same relative prices and
conditions between machine and pick min
ing that have existed i'm the different States
shall be continued during the life OF this
contract.
''Seventh-That present prices for pick
and machine mining and all classes OF day
labor shall be maintained by the compet-
tive States and districts until April !. 1898.
"Eighth-united Mine-workers organiza-
ton. party TO the contract, does hereby
further agree to afford all possible protec
ton 10 the trade and to other parties hereto
against any unfair competition resulting
finn a failure to maintain the scale rates
''Ninth--That this contract shall remain
in full force and effect from April l. 1898,
to April ], 1885, and that next annual
interstate convention shall convene in the
city of Pittsburg on the third Tuesday IN
January, 1899"
The contract was signed by J. III.
Garaghty and e. r. Bent. for Illinois opera
tors; Walter S. Boyle, for Indiana opera
tors; C.. b. Niblock, for Indiana block Oper
ators; j. c. Dysart and f. M. Osborne, for
Pittsburg thin vein district operators; j. M.
Hunter and w. ID. Ryan, for Illinois miners;
W. c. Knight and j. II. Kennedy. for Indi-
ana bitumnous miRaEs: j. r. Evans, for
Indiana block coal miners; w. r. Farms
and r. l.. Lewis. for Ohio miners; Patrick
Dolan and Edward Mckay. for Pittsburg
thin vein miners: Henry Stephenson, for
West Virginia miners. The members of the
nationai executive board of the United
Mine workers of America whose signatures
were attached are: Fred Dilcher. John
Fahy, Henry Stephenson, Edward Mckay,
]. H. Kennedy, w. -. Ryan NJ d. Ratch-
ford, president: John Mitchell vice presi-
dent w. G. Pearce, secretary treasurer.