The true northerner., 1900-10-12
NEARING THE END
President Mitchell Issues a Call
for a Convention.
PROSPECTS OF A SETTLEMENT
belief That the Convention Will
Not he a Long one-Operators VIII
Not Talk. hat Prefer 10 Wait
Action Of Convention.

Not he a Long One-Operators Will
Not Talk. hat Prefer tO Wait
Action of Convention.
Hazleton. Oct. 0.-The issuing or
the call by President Mitchell, of the
United Mine Workers OF America, for
joint conference of the anthracite
miners to be held at Scranton begin
ming next Friday for the purpose OF de-
Gliding whether TO accept or TO reJect
the 10 per cent net increase in wages
offered by the operators, is long step
In the direction of bringing the great
roal miners strike to close. Genuine
satisfaction was expressed yesterday
by both miners and persons not direct
ly connected with the coal industry
that the contest is approaching an end.
Business throughout the entire anthra-
cite coal field is practically at stand
still and il will take some time before
normal conditions will again prevail.
1t is believed the convention VIII not
be a long one, as ii is expected the
strikers will almost unanimously ac-
cept the advance in wages. There is,
however, possibility that by the in
PRODUCTION of proposition TO abolish
the sliding scale and another to have
the operators agree TO yearly wage
contract the termination of the strike
might be somewhat delayed.
Operators Say Nothing.
<s<p OF the operators WHO could be
seen hero yesterday would nave any
thing TO say in regard to the conven-
ton call. Most OF them preferred TO
wait and see what action the conven-
tion viii take.
Sr Of the local unions in various
parts If the coal field have selected
their g., gates to the convention and
many "a hen were in session last
night fos a. purpose. President Nit
chell will 1--we here to-day for Sham
okin. where a la,or demonstration is TO
take place in the afternoon. On We'd
nesday he will 6, TO Scranton to take
part i'm big mas meeting and par
ade of miners on uat day and will re-
main there until he convention ad-
journs Mr.. Mitchell will then proba-
bly, return TO Hazeltn.
ApproachinR an End.
Hazelton. Pa. OCT 6.-The belief
prevalent here that Tn anthracite coal
strike is approaching IN end was con
siderably strengthened yesterday by
the action Of the individual operators
in followinl the lead q the big coal
Offering q net increase q 10 per cent
ON the wages of their employees. The
FIRST break among the inGgidual oper-
ators in this district wa made yes
terday when A. Pardee & Co. operat-
ing the Cranberry and CrEtal Ridge
collieries offered its employs n 10 per
cent net increase in wages and a re-
duction in the price of powds 10 S1.50
per keg. The decrease in the price of
powder is To be taken into account in
the advancing OF the wages. That four
more of the individual mine owners
will make the same offer Is hardly
doubted Ii was learned that before
the advance was made public b. the
Partiee company several of the general
sunerinteudents Of other individual
coal companies were invited 10 thel'ar-
dee company's office in this city Tor the
purpose Of giving their views on The
proposed offer These representatives,
did not says what their companies
would do. but il was learned that he
consensus of opinion was that IL the
mine owners wish 10 keep their O.
Iieries in operation they would have to
increase the wages of their men. None
of the superintendent ut the meeting
would say anything I'm rgard 10 the re-
mort that the coal-carrying roads had
made concessions to the individual
operators i'm the matter of freight
rates.
Mitchell Isn't Talking.
President Mitchell, Of the United
Mine Workers. is much interested IN
the advance made by the individual
companies but would say nothing toI
publication There is a strong belief
here that Mr.. Mitchell is waiting for
all the coal companies in the anthracite
region 10 offer the 10 cent increase be
fore he will call a joint convention 70
consider the proposition. Mr.. Mitchell
would say nothing on this particular
subject He has all along advocated
unity OF action, and II is this that
strengthens the opinion that he will
call the convention after all the com
panies have made al offer. He con
tinues to say that the strike cannot be
settled without a convention, and that
he Is waitiI on the operators. In the
meantime the men now on strike, said
20 number $4,000, are not waverinc
under the proffered increase in wages
In the Lackawanna and Wyoming dis
tricts not a man is working. The con.
ditions rem.lin about the same as tie
Lehigh Valley region, while in the
Schuylkll district more men have laid
down their tools and quit.
-. otrsQes e.. ~o-.--''--.~
Washington. October BY direc-