Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-10-09
CONVENTION CALLED
Of Anthracite Miners to Con-
slider Operators Offer.
Propositions from Men May Seine
what Delay Settlement.
Convention Will Be Held al Scranton. Be
ginning Next Friday.

Philadelphia. Pa, Oct. 8-prcsi lent
Mitchell issued his call. today, for the
much talked Of miners convention 10
consider the operators offer of a 10
per cent. increase in wages. The con
vention viii be held at Scranton and
win open. Friday. Representation in
the convention will be on the basis Of
one delegate with one vote for each
100 persons on strike. II is the general
expectation that the decision of the
convention will be to accept the in
crease and return TO work.
Quietness prevailed throughout the
anthracite region. today. the call for
the convention being generally accepted
as a signal for cessation Of hDstiliti.s
all around. There We're many express
sions Of satisfaction by miners ana op-
orators and By merchants and others
in the mining section. today. over the
prospect Of an early settlement of The
troubles.
The miners viii have parades and
mass meetings at Shamokin ana at
Scranton, Wednesday. President
Mitchell will De in attendance and Is
expected ID speak at both places
Hazelton. Pa. Oct S.-The issuing Of
the can, today. by President Mitchell
IF tn" United Mine Workers IF Amer
lea. for a joint convention NJ the an
thracite miners to be held at Scranton.
beginning next Friday. for the purpose
of deciding whether 10 accept or reject
the 10 per cent. net increase lib wages
offered by the operators is long step
in the direction Of bringing The coal
miners strike to a close. Genuine sat
isfaction was expressed. today, by both
miners ana persons not directly con
nected with tn coal industry that The
contest Is approaching IN ana. Iusi-
ness throughout the anthracite coal
field ie practically 40 a stanistin ana
ii win take Some time before normal
conditions will again prevail.
It is believed the convention viii not
be long one. as il is expected the
strikers will almost unanimously ac-
copt the advance in wages T'hc-r is.
however. q possibility that hy the in
PRODUCTION Of proposition to abolish
the sliding scale and another u have
the operators agree to Il yearly scale
contract, the termination Of the strike
might tie somewhat delayed.
None II the operators who could be
seen. today would have anything Up
say in regard to the convention call.
Most Of them preferred II wait ana soc
what action the convention viii take.
In anticipation of marching by the
strikers. this morning. every one Of tn"
colleries in this district still in opera
tion. in q more or less crippled CON
Iitipn. was virtually an armed camp.
during the night but the peace Of The
community remains undisturbed. 1t
was the uneasest morning since the
strike began, three weeks ago today.
In addition 20 the concentration of
sheriffs deputies in this city, last
night. every colliery in the region had
extra forces of the Coal and Iron police
fully armed. There was no marching
Of large bodies Of men. but crowds of
strikers gathered as usual in the Vicin
ity of the various cnlleries i'll opera
ton.
The largest crowd. probably 500 men,
assembled near the Cranberry Collicry
of a. Pardec e co., on the outskirts
Of the city. Quite Il large number of
the uorkmen on their way 10 this mine
were turned back. some through fear
and others through persuasion. The
company officials said the cOlliery is
working as usual. today.