The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-09-26
REPLY OF COAL FIRM.
Refuses Some Demands of Men
Comedies Others.

Aazelton, Pa. Sept 25-ThA most i'm
portant development here TODAY aside
from the request for soldiers was the
answer of G.. b. MarkIe q Co. tn the
demands presented by the firms en-
ployees ten days ago The answer 10
not considered satisfactory bv MANY of
the Marlde employees and what action
they viii take at their meeting tOnnor-
TOW is not certain. There is much talk
among them tonight in favor of a
STRIKE The firm fatty refuses To grant
the demand of the men for a and 10
per cent advance, announces its will
Iinghess 10 pay the men semi-monthIy
agrees 10 arbitrate the question of
. cheaper powder. refuses the demands of
the driver boys and engineers for more
pay, promises to adjust grievances. re-
iating TO the carrying of men and tools
down and up the slope in mine cars
offers the timbermen a new scale FOR
prOpOlnS, Which is lower than the rate
asked for; agrees to build powder
houses SO that the men will not have
TO carry the explosive a great distance
and comedies the pillar-robbing griev-
ance.
The Markle firm tonight announced
that at the request of the mine work.
ers in its reply, work will be SUSPENDED
. tomorrow in order to give the men a.
chance to consider the company's an
swer TO their demands made ten days
ago."
The United Mine Workers held a
meeting at Jeddo this afternoon be-
fore the answer of the Markles had be-
come public. Many of the MarkIe
strikers were present. A speech was
made by President Mitchell who hav-
ing heard rumor that the Markles
had '-Nanted the demands of the men.
urge the miners who had struck not
to go back to work. but to stand firm
in the fight until victory comes
The labor leaders would make no
comment tonight on the Markle answer,
but 1t was known they are much
pleased If the company had conceded
the wage demand, which is only about
half of what the United Mine Workers
are asking throughout the region, it
was feared there would be a big break
among the men who struck at the
Markle mine. They now believe that
the firms mines will be completely tied
up and point to tomorrow's voluntary
SUSPENSION as evidence that the Mar
kles are afraid that their men will quit.
Lfitchen Is Pleased.
President Mitchell, in discussing the
situation in this region tonight, said:
Reports from the SchUyllkill district
are that the entire Mahanoy valley
from Mahanoy City to Ashland is idle
This is a gain of three large coIlieries.
In the Lehigh valley region Eckley,
Derringer, TomhiclSen and Gowen
were closed today and we made sat
fSfactOry gains at other mines where
the men have been working. II is gem
orally conceded that the strike in the
every man employed there. On the
whole we are well satisfied with the
status of the strike
Coke Brothers & Co. admitted today
hat their cOllierieS at Derringer and
GOwen were slightly affected this
morning, but claimed that the men who
did not go to work were intimidated by
the marchers.
The operators at other corlieries
claimed, as usual, that they We're in
better shape today than at any pre-
vious time during the strike.
General Superintendent Kudlick of
the Coke Brothers e Co.'s mines was
arrested today on q charge of assault
ana several minor charges. He waived
q hearing on two of the charges this
afternoon and viii be given a hearing
on the other charge tomorrow Peter
Gallagher, a striking miner of FreeIand,
is the prosecutor He charges that
Kudlick deliberately drove his horse
into him on the public road.
Text III Marlzle Reply.
The reply of G.. B. Markle & Co to
the uc-0and of their miners, made ten
days ago, was made public today.
In their reply they said:
Believing that arbitration was the
proper method of Getting all difficulties
between Employees and employer, as
far back az 1885 an arbitration clause
was embodied in The agreement with
our men.
AT this time, when the answers to
your grievances are due, we find a
number of men absent from work. OF
course. soma advise us they are re-
strained from working through fear.
while others, we know, have connected
themselves with labor organizations.
Under these circumstances, we believe
we could in perfect good faith an
nOunce that our al bitration arrange
ment was at an end. But we do not
feel that men who regard their pledges
as sacred should be dishOnCred through
breach os faith by others.
''Our answers to your grievances are
given with the understanding that only
those who are working today have the
right 10 act upon them, and with the
further understanding. that their action
shall be binding upOT IS. Those identi-
fed with labor organizations. having
by that utilization disqualified them
selves from voting under our arbitra-
ton agreement are not entitled to vote
Those who are deferred from work by
conditions for which we are not re-
sponsible must be considered as in
state OF voluntary Suspension and their
votes also must be excluded.
The question having arisen as to |
the possibility of failure on the part
OF two arbitTatOrS chosen under our
mutual compact 90 agree upon the |
third arbitrator, we have expressed our |
willingness, whicn we again confirm, /
that If they cannot agree, Archbishop
Ryan of Philadelphia. if agreea BILE to |
you, shall act in that capacity. We |
dASO c5AEG tlldl II any tndnSeS De maze /
as the result of arbitration they shall |
be effective as of date of Sept To- 1909 |
that being the date upon which the |
committee awaited upon US"
The company then proceeds to give |
specific answers to various demands |
made by the men.
Regarding the request for semi
monthly payment Of wages, the com /
pany says that in 1892 the announce
ment was made that all who desired |
wages seTni-nonthly could have them |
upon giving notice, but. the company
adds. the men did not take advantage |
Of the notice and monthly payments /
were resumed. Until 1897, the COM /
pany says, no request for semi-monthly |
payments have been made. This griev- !
ance is then disposed of by the COM |
pany stating that if after mature de-
liberation the men want to return 10 /
semi monthly plans. it will be resumed. |
The company says the wages of dri- /
vers are based upon such service from |
a M to 8 M, but in most cases
the men are through by D. m, and |
are always paid for a. full day.
On one OF the principal grievances,
the price of powder, the company asks
for arbitration. The price now charged
Is S2.70 key. The men want it maze /
a 8 low as possible.