The evening times., 1900-10-06
Suspicious OF STRIKERS
Coal Operators Offer Vague and
Unsatisfactory.
Nothing Definite ia the Proposed
Wage Increase or Reduction in the
frtce of Powder-Demand for 9
Plain and STRAIGHTFORWARD state1
ment of Concessions to Be Made.

HAzLEToN, Pa, Oct 6-Ag was gen.
orally expected, the concessions offered tos
their striking miners by the individual
coal operators. a. Pardee & Co. have beeuz
without the slightest effect in inducing
those of their men who are On strike to
return to work.
The concessions are identical with those
offered by the Lehigh Valley and the other
big coal companies and are entirely toos
vague and unsatisfactory from the miners.
point of view. While net increase of IU
per cent is offered it does not state for
what length of time or whether on per-
manent or sliding scale. The same COM
plant of Vagueness is made against the
promised reduction in the price of powder.
No fixed price is promised and the OFFER
that powder viii be sold 10 miners for 81 so
a keg and that the difference between this
rate and the old rate OF S2.75 shall be Ia
ken into account into figuring the net ad-
vance OF 10 per cent, the miners say admits
OF 100 many different interpretations and
Juggling to be at all satisfactory
What they want and probably wili ger Is
pialn straightforward proposition on tbs
part OF the opera 0rs ard companies which
] cannot be misinteTpreted and which in ey~
cry way definitely fixes terms ard dates.
President Mitchell this morning reiter-y
ated, in so many words. that an offers
emanatfng from only a single firm could
not be considered and no action would or
could be taken by him or his colleagues
until all the operators and companies had
offered terms OF settlement
Still, although no definite declaration to
this effect has been made a settlement Of
the strike is likely to be made very
shortly
number Of local unions have already
chosen delegates to the convention which
is 10 be held soon, and this is Z Llost sig
nilcant step, despite the fact that the
unions officials say that it was entirely
premature
Otherwise, there were no notable
changes in the strike situation here this
morning Only one demonstration of vio-
lence took place and that occurred at an
early hour this morning at the Lattirner
colliery OF A. Pardee & Co. This coIIiery
has been working almost fulI-handed.
The subjugation of the men working at
this plant was determined OF several
times and raids were made up but were
prevented by the leaders.
This morning, however, the place was
carried by large display CT force and
strategy combined, which was not with
out its amusing features. The colliery
Office is situated at the extremity of a
long and narrow lane, fanked by the
houses occupied by the miners Of the COM
pany. Down this street and directly to-
ward the store and Office, the men marched
at an early hour this morning, with
band Of strikers headed by Mother
Jones. Around in front of the store,
Mother" Jones began addressing the
crowd and this attracted the deputies and
police officers VINO left the colliery and
stripping several hundred feet back OF the
office almost u1gGarded-
While this was going on, a crowd Of
strikers, numbering perhaps LOCO, had
quietly proceeded 10 a position back OF
the workings. Suddenly, while the atteu-
ton of the police and deputies was at
tracted by the occurrence at the Office,
the second crowd swooped down upon the
workings and prevailed upon the men to
go out They scattered like flock OF
sheep, and did not return for work, SO
the plant had to close down for the day
at least. Whether it will try to resume
on Monday or not is not known.
WILKESBARRE, Pa Oct AT most
of the coIIieries Of the individual opera
tors in this region notices were posted
this morning offering the employees a 10
per cent net increase.
The Pennsylvania and the Susquehanna
companies have not yet made this offer.
but it is believed they will do SO in
day or two and then the offer viii be gen.
eTai throughout tie region.
The general impression mere among bus
mess men and miners Is that President
Mitchell VIII NOW order the convention
which he has stated would be called when
he could place before the delegates an
offer of the operators for q settlement.
The strikers st5il insist fhst the opera
tors must reeSnize the union The opera
tors. however. have said 5ecisiveIv taey
viii never do this. 4 speedy settlement
is confidently expected in this district