Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-02-01
Coal Operators and Miners
Seem Unable to Agree.
TWO DAYS WILL DECIDE
Joint Scale Committee at Indianapolis
Adjourns After n stormy Wrangle
What May be Expected
as the Outcome.

sand coal miners in what is known as
the competitive field-Illinois, Indiana,
Ohio and Pennsylvania likely
to be called out on a strike within two
days.
The joint scale committee, which has
been wrestling with number OF dis
puted points for several days, adjourn
ed last night without reaching an
agreement. The probable result will
be a strike of gigantic proportions.
1t will begin in the four states men,
toned, and, once in motion, is eN-
tremely likely to spread to Iowa aid
Missouri. Saturday is given as tine
limit for reaching an agreement.
The charge was made on the floor
OF the committee room yesterday that
the Indiana operators had deliberately
come into the convention with the pur-
pose OF breaking up the interstate
movement, and whether or not this is
true, their action has certainly made
the reaching of an agreement a remote
possibility.
Charges by the Miners.
Another charge made on the floor
came from the miners and is to the
effect that the operators are. beginning
to think the interstate movement too
large. and for that reason want to seq
it go to pieces. The beginning of the
end came when Iowa was denied into
the competitive field.
Late Tuesday night Walter S. Boyle
telegraphed all of the operators in the
state of Indiana to come to the city
and they answered promptly, great
number arriving yesterday morning.
The meeting of the joint scale COM
mittee was adjourned in order that the
delegates might meet the new arrivals
and determine on course of action.
In this ineeting i. was determined to
stand unequivocally for single screen
standard and accept no compromise.
This precipitated movement that
finally resulted in complete bolt of
the Illinois operators, who say that
they have been imposed on by The
miners in their field who have accumu.
lated large amount of money. This
imposition. they asserted, had grown
so burdensome they had determined
to come into the competitive field on
the same basis as the other states or
to remain out entirely.
Given Until Saturday.
The time limit set for report from
the committee to the joint conference
expired this afternoon at 2 o'clock, and
President John Mitchell of the E,i1ed
Mine Workers of America said last
night that unless an agreement was
reached by Saturday the conference
would adjourn. This is regarded as
The miners feel that the
operators are not averse to the br .ak-
ing up of the interstate movement.
This would bring about general
strike, and in the event this is de-
clared it is probable each state can
make its own agreement. Under this
state of affairs it is likely some
of the miners would not be out two
days.
During the conference the differ
ences between Illinois and Indiana
delegations practically sidetracked
Ohio and Pennsylvania, but the opera.
tors from these states offered to grant
an advance of 12 cents ton and a
concession on the machine differ ren-
tial, but this was not even considered.
The split came early in the morning.
AS soon as the committee had gotten
together the Indiana operators voted
for the single screen standard, and the
miners insisted on run-of-mine basis,
the same as Illinois. Then the Illinois
operators stated plainly that unless
they We're allowed in the field with a
scale based on screen rate they woull
remain outside, as their troubles un-
der the present agreement We're great
er than they would stand for the COM
ing contract year.