The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-19
TO ABOLISH SCREENS
SOFT COAL DIGGERs WANT THE
MINE-RUN SYSTEM ADOPTED.
Ohio Operators Determined to Main
tain Their Difereutial Rate-The
New England Strike.


sions were held by the joint convention
of bituminous coal operators and miners to-
day The scale committee appointed yester-
day made but little progress, and, pending
the receipt of report from it, the conven-
ton adjourned until tomorrow. Progress in
the scale committee was slow. Every phase
of the situation was thoroughly discussed.
President Ratchford, of the mine workers,
advocated, it is said, the wedding out of
unskilled labor. The adoption of the mine
run system, it is thought, is a certainty.
over this matter and the differentials al
lowed by the proposed new scale trouble
may occur. The Ohio operators are put
ting up strong fight for their differentials
and declare that they will procure contracts
with their employees to work on the lump"
basis if their demands are not acceded to.
When the joint convention assembled to-
day the state delegation had been thor
oughly organized and a scale committee had
been named. The miners made no attempt
to conceal the fact that what they want
is an advance throughout the field of 10
cents per ton. The operators are far from
agreeing with the operatives on this point,
and say a Accent advance is about what
may be expected. The morning session was
of only a half hours duration. During that
time yesterdays action in according the
West Virginia delegation a seat and avoice
but no vote in the convention was reconsid-
cred. and the miners were unanimously ac-
corded full privileges. The following mem
bers of the scale committee were an
Eounced:
Indiana = w. S. Boyle, w. H. thinner
man, w. w. Fisher, j. S. Tally operators;
j. II. Morgan, Is. A. Navin, G. w. knight,
Samuel Wall, miners.
Ohio-H. l.. Chapman, j. L. Morton, II.
IL. Farnes j. j. Mossop q. W. Scharckert,
Il. j. Lewis, miners
>, Illinois-A. L. Sweet, j.. A. Ango, G. w.
Traer, j. &. Simpson, j. M. Browning, OPP
erators j. ]. Stanley, Joseph Manuel,
James Connery John Green, James Boston,
miners.
Pennsylvania-F. L. Robbins, F. NJ. Os-
born, l.. H. Taylor, Alexander Dempster,
OPERATORS William Warner, Patrick Dolan,
George Harris, Samuel Allen, miners.
The nominations reported by the scale
committee We're approved and the conven-
ton took recess until O'Clock The
scale committee went into secret confer
ence Immediately after the recess was
taken. A. l.. Sweet, of Illinois, was elected
chairman, and William Warner, of Penn
sylvania. secretary of the meeting. No ma
terial progress was anticipated by the COM
mitteemen and none was accomplished. The
general situation in the coal trade was dis
cussed at length by both miners and opera
tors Hon. ii. l.. Chapman, Of the commit
tee for the operators, said: The situation
is an extremely complicated one, and will
require thorough discussion, which Will
probably continue for several days. Owing
to the large attendance at the convention
1T was deemed ineXpedient to enter on
discussion of the wage scale in open SEES
sion Such proceeding would precipitate
endless discussion and be entirely fruitless.
In the selected committee both sides will
be free to express their opinions, and, l
have no doubt, reach a satisfactory and
amicable agreement, which would be utter
ly impossible in the open convention"
The afternoon session of the convention
was very brief. Chairman Holcomb an
able to report, and that its progress was
extremely slow. No other business being
presented, the convention adjourned until
a m. tomorrow.
mittee developed the fact that the mine-run
system would be undoubtedly adopted by
the committee. The miners delegates are
a unit for the adjustment Of the old screen
ever, were not disposed to accept the mine
run proposition, and the only discordant
note in the secret conference was the dec
laratlon OF heavy Ohio operator that he
would go home and procure contracts with
his miners on the lump basis President
Ratchford occupied a large portion of the
session and calmly discussed the several
points at issue, among them being higher
scale, mine run, an eight-hOur day and the
betterment of the miners condition gener-
ally. he, 1t is understood, favored a move
ment TO weed out the unSkilled labor in the
mines BY this arrangement the men as a
class would be placed on a much higher
plane, and the operators would in their turn
be benefited; Check weighing was dis
cussed by Patrick Dolan. The committee
did not reach a vote on any of the ques-
t1oES discussed. and adjourned until to-
morrow morning. Members of the commit
manner, and the fight between Ohio and
Pennsylvania over the differentials will un-
doubtedly be warm one.