The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-27
WORK DAY TO BE EIGHT HOURS
UNIFORM RATES TO BE PAID LABOR
ERs IN ALL THE FIELDS.
Operators Seemingly as Much Pleased
as Their Men at the Result of
the Long Conference.


advance of 10 cents per ton and a uniform
cay of eight hours at uniform day wages.
And the operators congratulated one an
other with victory over themselves The
following are the resolutions adopted with
but two dissenting votes:
THAT an advance of 10 cents per ton for
mining screened coal take effect in the
western Pennsylvania district, Hooking
Valley (Ohio) district and Indiana bitumin-
ors district, the LIST day of April, 1898, and
that a relative run Of mine price be deter
mined in all the districts named, by uni
form fiat or acorn-shaped bar screen of
seventy-two feet superficial area, one-and-
one-fourth-inch space between the bars;
that the price of run of mine coal in Grape
Greek district and in the Indiana bitumin-
Gus district be 40 cents per ton for the same
district based upon 66 cents in the Pitts
burg thin-vein district, and that on and
after April ], 1898, the eight-hour day shall
be in effect in all districts here represented;
that uniform wages for day labor shall be
paid the different classes of labor in the
field named, and that internal differences
ia any of the States, both as to price and
conditions, shall be referred to the States
affected; that we further agree to the use
of the diamond bar screen of present pat
with the privilege of run of mine, as may
be desired by the market conditions"
SCALE COMMITTEE NAMED.
The convention completed its work by
naming scale committee, to consist of the
national executive board of the mine work.
ers, the district presidents and secretaries
and two operators from each State, to tab
ulste the scale and perfect all arrange aelrts
for putting it into effect on the date set
It was determined that hereafter the min
ers and operators will meet in January eacn
year to fix a scale for the twelve mcn hs
beginning April l. Pittsburg was selected
for the next annual joint convention which
will meet on the third Tuesday of January,
1899.
The afternoon session OF the convention
to-day was very stormy and for a. few
hours appearances led to the belief that
after ten days hard work the convention
would fail to reach a settlement. The scale
committees final report, as outlined above,
was presented and with it came the protests
Of two Hooking Valley operators Messrs.
Morton and Ellsworth. They insisted upon
a ldifferential being established between
r1eir scale and that Of the thin vein of
Pennsylvania and quoted masses of Stats
tics to show that Ii the plan were put into
operation Hooking Valley mines would be
compelled to close down in face OF COMPETE
ton from Pittsburg and West Virginia. OPP
orator Robbins, of Pennsylvania, finally
proposed that the question of differential
in favor of the Hooking Valley district be
left to arbitration. This was at once ac-
cepted by the ocking Valley operators, but
brought out o demand from the operators
of Ohio outside the Hooking Valley that
fbaxy he in he orbi No,aH hc
allowed a differential as WE'LL
When the Ohio operators got through OBJ
jectirg to the plan, the Indiana miners, or
a part of them, announced that they could
not support the new scale. Instead of bas-
ing on the Grape Creek scale of 20 cents,
they demanded that 1t be made As 2-3 cents.
In the midst of this tangle the convention
took a recess No further trouble was made
by the Indiana miners, they being prevailed
upon not to wreck the work of the con-
vention.
THE VOTE ON THE SCALE.
On reassembling a roll call was ordered
on the resolutions 1t resulted: Yeas, "a;
nays 2, as follows: Illinois operators
votes yea; miners, votes. yea; Indiana
operators, votes, yea miners, votes,
yea; Ohio operators 2, yea. nay; miners,
all yea. Mr.. Morton, of Ohio, in casting the
two negative votes explained that they
We're against the 66-cent rate for Hooking
valley. Mr.. Chapman in casting two votes
yea explained that he cast them for the
balance of Ohio. except Guernsey county.
In order TO ascertain the standing of Guern-
sey county operators President Ratchford
called for a vote from them. This plainly
meant that if it became necessary to tie
the Hooking valley mines Guernsey coun-
L. .
After a short conference the Guernsey
county men voted for the resolution.
President Ratchford then moved that the
majority vote on the resolution made the
sense of the convention by a vive voce
vote The motion carried unanimously and
the convention applauded wildly for several
minutes President Ratchford addressed the
convention. urging the operators OF Hook
ing valley and Pennsylvania TO get togeth-
er and adjust their differences. so that on
April I they would be able to give their
miners the advance and better hours which
would then become effective elsewhere, and
he promised TO use his best endeavors TO
bring them together
Operator Dalzell, of Illinois, put through
a motion that the scale adopted be III effect
from April l. 1895 to April /. 1899, and that
the miners and operators meet in joint con-
ference in January 1899 to adopt a scale
for the rate of mining for the ensuing
year.
The arrangement OF the state scales was
then discussed. President Ratchford ex-
planned that the adjustment of the day rate
would be arranged by each State, the day
men TO have an advance in ratio with the
mining rate, eight hours labor with eight
hours pay, forty-eigist hours labor per
week. Mr.. Ratchford expressed the hope
that at the end of the year perhaps even
better hours could be obtained. The eight
hour day he considered even greater vic
tory than the 1O-cent advance and one of
the greatest movements yet accomplished
by organized labor
Operator Robbins. of Pennsylvania, con-
graduated the miners on the grand victory.
IN conclusion, he moved that the same rela-
tive price that has existed between pick and
machine mining shall be In force during the
ensuing year. The motion was unanimously
carried
Arrangements We're made for the meet
ings OF the various committees TO arrange
state differentiais. ana the convention adj
iourned sine die.
WHAT THE LEADERS SAY.
President NJ. d. Ratchford. Of tile United
Mine Workers. expressed himself as highly