Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1900-10-11

Wilkesbarre, Oct 6.-The crisis in
the coal miners strike seems to be
approaching. Both sides are playing
a waiting game, and each imagines it
has the winning card up its sleeve.
The statement of President Maxwell
of the Central Railroad of New Jersey
yeste1 day, in new York, that the COM
panies have made all the concessions
they propose to make, bears out the
prediction made Thursday that the
companies would offer no additional
inducements for the men to return to
work 1t is said that the individual
operators will all fall in line AMI give
their employees the ten per cent. in
crease granted by the big companies.
A waN-known operator here said
there was an understanding at a
meeting of representatives of the big
companies and individual operators in
this city last Tuesday that notices of
increase were not to be posted all at
the same time, but gradually. This
part of the program has now been car
ried out The companies and nearly
all the operators are now in line for
the ten per cent. increase. 1t is now
up to President Mitchell to decide
what he is going to do in the matter.
If he delays action, with the idea that
the operators will make better offre
he is liable to delay the settlement of
the strike indefinitely. An analysis OF
the ten per cent increase offered
shows that the average miners wages
will not be increased fully ten per
cent should they return to work, but
it is argued that it is victory after
all for the strikers, and that if the
United Mine Workers keep their or
gsnization intact they can compel the
operators to make further concessions
in years to come.
The first break among the Individual
operators of this district was made
yesterday, when A. Pardee & Co., OPP
Grating the Cranberry and Crystal
Ridge collieries, offered their employees
a ten per cent. net increase in wages
and a reduction in the price of powder
to $3.50 a keg. The decrease in the
price of powder is to be taken into
account in the advancing of wages.
That four more individual mine own
ers will make the same offer is hardly
doubted. 1t was learned yesterday
that before the advance was made
public by the Pardee company, sew
efal general superintendent of other
individual coal companies were invited
10 the Pardee companys Office for the
purpose of giving their views on the
proposed offer. 1t was learned that
the concensus of opinion was that If
the mine owners wish to keep their
collieries in operation they will have
to increase the wages of their men.
President Mitchell of the United
Mine Workers is much interested in
the advance made by the Individual
companies, but would say nothing for
publication. There is strong belief
here that Mitchell is waiting for all
the coal companies of the anthracite
region to offer ten per cent. increase
before he will call joint convention
to consider the proposition. In the
meantime, the men now on strike are
said to number $4,000, and are moi
wavering under the proffered increase
in wages. IN the ackawanna and wy
oning districts not a mine is work
ing. The conditions remain about the
same in the Lehigh valley region
while in the SchuyllSill district more
men have laid down their tools and
quit.