The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-10-19
POWDER QUESTION A sNAG.
Another Convention May Have to be Called by
the Miners.
(By the Associated Press. }

Scranton, Pa, Oct. 1S.-Representatives
of nearly all the big coal companies of
the region conferred here today and made
an agreement to amend the notices al
ready posted by attaching the following:
In further explanation of the above
notice this company desires to say that it
is its intention to pay the advance in
wages above noted until April LIST, 1901,
and thereafter until further notice"
The following statement was issued to
the press:
The representatives of the larger coal
companies after their meeting this after
noon stated in reply to inquiries that they
had offered their men a ten per cent.
advance as indicated by the notices they
had posted that this notice specifically
stated that the reduction of powder from
1915 to $50 would be considered in ar
irving at the wages of the contract miners.
1t was expected when the notices were
posted that the offer was to stand until
April 1st and indefinitely thereafter, but
inasmuch IS there seems to be some
misunderstanding in this matter they
have agreed to add to their notice a
clause to the effect that it is their inten-
ton to pay the advance in wages until
April LIST, 1901 and thereafter until furth-
or notice"
National President Mitchell District
President T. ID. Nichols. District Secre-
tary John T. Dempsey and National Or
ganizer Dilcher, of the United Mine Work
ers, have all been quoted as saying that
the resolutions of the Scranton convention
contemplated a straight advance OF ten
per cent for all parts of the region, and
that the matter of having this increase
made up in part in the decrease in cost
of powder, in the upper regions where
powder is sold for S2.75 key was not
to be agreed to. The powder question,
they one and all said. was left out or
the present negotiations with the under
standing that Il should form one of the
grievances to be adjusted in the confer
ences which the offer. says the operators
agree to have with their men to take up
any grievances they may have"
President Mitchell when informed by
telephone OF the action of the operators,
stated that he would have to decline to
discuss it's probable effect in regarding a
settlement until he had given the matter
careful consideration. He would not say
whether or not it would be possible to
another convention
President Nichols. whose whole district
is affected by the powder question, said
this evening that it looked to him as If
another convention was necessary.
81 do not know that the delegates will
consent to waving their demand for a
straight increase and allowing the sub
stitution Of this clause about powder,
which the operators are so insistent about,
but without their consent l do not see
how the matter can be adjusted. To me
it looks like pr9longation of the fight
The Gibbons Coal Company's drift,
which supplies fuel for the city schools
started up this morning full handed, with
the approval of the United Mine Workers.
1t is understood that the company shall
mine only sufficient coal to fill it's contract
with the school district. The men are to
receive the straight ten per cent. adj
vance. Fifty hands are employed
COAL BEGINS. FALLING.
New York, Oct. 18.-The announcement
of the end of the strike had an imme-
date effect on the local coal market and
it is stated by the retail dealers that
beginning tomorrow all domestic sizes of
coal will be offered to the consumer at a
reduction of so cents ton from the
prices that prevailed during the strike.