Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-10-04
LABOR UNYIELDING
OVERTURES OF OPERATORS
HAVE NO EFFECT.
WANT UNION RECOGNIZED
Wilkesbarre Meeting Fails Of Its
Representatives, Say They Have
Other Grievances Beside Wage and
Powder Matters to be Adjusted
Determined to Have Their Own.

Philadelphia, Oct. THE mine
operators of the Wyoming, Lackawan-
ma and Lehigh regions yesterday at
meeting at Wilkesbarre followed the
action Of the Reading company III OF
fering an increase of 10 per cent. IN
wages to the mine workers. Ihey
furthermore decided to reduce the
charge for powder from $2.75 to $l.oo
per keg. The latter price prevailed at
the Reading cOmpany's mines for q
long time. The action Of the Wilkes
barre meeting means an Increase OF
10 per cent to all mine workers eH-
cept miners The latter will earn an
increase of about 10 per cent by rea-
son of the reduced cost Of powder.
The meeting was attended by repre-
sentatives of all the leading railroad
companies which own mines in the
regions named. Some Independent OPP
orators opposed the proposed increase,
unless the coal carrying companies
should reduce the tolls on their prod
uct to tidewater.
The strikers, however, show no in
dication of accepting the offer. None
returned to work yesterday at the
Reading company's cOllieries in re-
spouse to the notice of higher wages,
and in fact many who had been at
work there quit and joined the ranks
of strikers. AS a result there were
fewer collieries in operation yester-
day in the Schuylkill region than at
any time since the strike
began. In other regions there
were also additions to the strik-
ers' forces. Notices of the increase
in pay were posted throughout the en-
tire anthracite region last night, but
the opinion is general that few if any
strikers will return to work. The
strikers say they have other grieV
ances to be adjusted besides wages
and powder charges, and, further, the,
want recognition of their union. Pres
ident Mitchell of the United Mint
Workers will visit Willkesbarre tOda,
to address a mass meeting and review
a parade of miners.
At the United Mine Workers head
quarters this statement was given out
"What we want is: Ia better en-
forcement of existing mine laws. 2
TO obtain that which is fully our OWL
l. e. the value of the labor actuall
performed and hitherto taken from us
3-TO obtain the right to purchase tn
implements of labor at fair marke
value and escape from the compulsOr
rule which forces us to pay the opera
tors more than twice what the sam
materials can be purchased for at re
tail in the open market. ITO ALLOW
a REIMBURSEMENT of the wage scale tina
will more nearly conform to the COnd
tions of the anthracite trade and es
tablish as nearly as practicable a uni
form price for each class Of work il
and around the mines" The striker
say that unless these concessions ar
granted and the union recognized, the
will not return to work.
Strikers Are Obdurate.
Hazleton, Oct. 2.-AlthOugh Iabo
leaders positively said they were
pleased to learn that a 10 per cent
advance had been granted by the Phil
duClDuli N ACdQIuS COdl anu 1lOi
company, it was totally ignored by the
striking mincWorkers yesterday.
was predicted that many strikers
would return to work under the belle
that the 10 per cent increase would
be the limit of the operators Conccs
sions, but the unanimity of the mer
in deciding TO stand Out for a further
advance caused much surprise. 1t was
expected in some quarters yesterday
would bring the turning point in the
strike, but nothing came to the sur
face that would lead to any indica
ton the strike was nearing an end
Since the operators began to hold
conferences President Mitchell is re-
Ceiving more information than for.
mcrly and giving out less. There is
still lack of anything tangible on
which to base a report of immediate
settlement. Several hundred men
quit work at the Calvin Pardee
mines and at Latimer as result of
persuasion on the part of 400 march
ing strikers, and at Oneida and Gran
berry the coal companies lost addi-
tional men. No cOlIieries closed down
in this region yesterday.