The Van Buren press., 1899-03-04
ARKANSAS STATE NEWS.
Operators Refuse to Accede TO the
Demands of Coal Miners and
the Strike is On.
EVENTS OF 4 WEEK BRIEFLY CHRosIGLED.
An aged Ssgress Accused Of Roasting Her
Grandchildren AIfve-Home Capitalists
Investing in Mineral Lands-Dardanelle
&oIa Railroad Co. IneorPoratsd-Brisf
Mention.
Coal Miners strike.

Speaking Of the strike Of coal miners
in Arkansas and the Indian Territory
Manager Wood, of the Choetaw, Okla
homa & Gulf and the Choctaw & Mem
phis railroads, in an interview printed
in q Little Rock daily, says the strike
is due principally to an effort to compel
operators to recognize the United Mine
Workers Union, and to accept the scale
adopted by the union. The miners IN
this territory heretofore belonged TO
no union, and were only recently organ
lied. The Choetaw company, the larg-
est operators in the Territory, and the
Western Coal Mining Co., operating
mines at Denning, Coal Hill and Jenny
Lind, refuse to grant the demands OF
the union. Operators claim the men
are better paid than those Of other sec
tions, and unless non-union man are
secured their mines will remain closed
indefinitely On the other hand, the
strikers claim they have just cause for
complaint.
Following is the scale demanded by
the union:
/. All coal shall be weighed before
being screened, and 2,o0o pounds shall
constitute ton.
Q There shall be run Of mine at 80
cents per ton for the Indian Territory.
and 65 cents per ton, run of mine, for
Arkansas, except the Russellville and
Spadra districts. The Russellville dis
trict shall be s7H cents per ton, run OF
mine; 1000 pounds to be ton. And we
further request that the maximum dis
tance for pushing cars at Russellville,
Denning, spadra, Ouita and Coal Hill
shall be so yards.
3. That the question of yardage and
deadvork be left to individual locals
for settlement by agreement or arbitra-
tion.
4 That the relative difference be-
tween pick miners and machine men
remain the same, except that the load
ers shall receive 80 cents per ton, run
of mine
5 Miners and mine aborers shall be
paid every two weeks.
6 There shall be uniform price Of
sl.7s per keg for powder.
7. Also uniform price for drivers
Of s2 IS per shift.
5. Also a uniform price for trappers
of o. per shift
9. Further, that tim nbermen, track
layers. cagers, rope riders, and slope
switchmen shall receive not less than
81. % per shift.
10. When the driver receives 4 car OF
coal. and after it leaves the miners
room, it is in charge Of the company
and the company shall be responsible
for it, therefore, the average weight be
paid for broken cars, and further, the
company shall keep all cars in good
shape, with full doors and ends
II. Shot hrers shall receive not less
than 81 rs per shift.
12 The operators of the district oi
Arkansas and Indian Territory shall
not discriminate against the United
Mine Workers of America.
13. The operators Of this district
shall grant the check-of system.
IA. bumpers shall receive not les,
than s1.SO per SHIFT, and the car trim
mers and other top hands shall receive
not less than 81 90 per shift. This scale
shall be in operation from the 1st day
of March, 1899, until the s1st day Of
August. 1899