The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-10-19
STRIKERS VICTORIOUS
THEIR FULL DEMANDS GRANTED By
THE MINE OPERATORS
THEY GO BEYOND THE DEMANDS
Made by the Strikers Convention.
They Are That the Increase In Wages
Shall Extend Beyond the First OF
April Next-The Sliding Scale to be
Abolished and Conferences TO be
Held on such Grievances as Their
Employees May Present

Philadelphia, October 1.-THE strike
Of the anthracite mine workers OF
Pennsylvania, which began September
18th, practically ended today when the
Philadelphia and Reading Coal and
Iron Company and the Lehigh Valley
Coal Company agreed to abolish the
sliding scale in their respective regions
and to grant an advance in wages Of
10 per cent net, the advance to remain
in operation until April /, 1901, or there
after
IT'S decision was arrived at after
conference between representatives OF
the individual coal operators and the
large coal carrying companies The
conferences began yesterday.
To-day's action was the elimination
of the recent meeting of the individual
operators at Scranton, following the
mine workers convention in the same
city. Nearly all of the collferies in the
coal region had previous to the mine
workers convention posted notices
granting an advance Of 10 per cent.
The mine workers in considering this
demanded that the sliding scale in the
Lehigh and Schuylkill districts be
abolished, the increase 10 be guaran-
teed until April l. 1901, and all other
differences be submitted to arbitration.
The individual operators agreed to
everything and the appointment of
committee to induce the Reading and
the Lehigh capitalists to abolish the
sliding scale and make the wage in
crease permanent followed.
1t is conceded that the results Of to-
days conference is a complete victory
for the men. All the demands of the
convention are acceded to and, as one
OF the individual operators put 1t after
the conference, the operators go a little
further in agreeing to maintain the
wage advance after April 1st. This
same operator, who suggested that his
name be not used, said in speaking Of
| the conference:
1T is up to the miners now. We have
| agreed to everything and nothing re-
| mains now but for them to return to
| work as soon as the notices are posted
by the colliery managers. These no.
| tices will be practically similar to the
| Reading Company's notice, the phrase
| ology only being changed. 1 look for
| a resumption Of operations by Monday
| night at the latest. The conference
| was entirely harmonious and every
phase of the Strike situation was gone
| over"
The Reading Company's notice reads:
| 1T hereby withdraws the notice post
| ed October 8, 1900, and, to bring about
| practical uniformity in the advance OF
| wages in the several coal regions gives
| notice that it will suspend the opera
tion of the sliding scale. will pay 1C
| per cent advance on September wages
| till April l, 1901, and thereafter until
further notice. and will take up with its
mine employees any grievances which
they may have"
Hazleton, Pa, October 1.-THE news
| from Philadelphia today that the
Philadelphia and Reading Coal and
| Iron Company had agreed to the an
thracite miners proposition brought
forth many expressions of surprise that
1T should come SO soon after the con-
| vention.
President Mitchell. of the United
| Mine Works, when informed of the
Reading Company's action by a repre-
sentative Of the Associated Press, was
pressed for statement on this ac-
ceptapce of the miners proposition. AL
he would venture to say, however was
that he would be glad ito know that
| the anthracite operators had decided
to change the notices previously post
ed so as to comply with the provisions
of the resolutions adopted at the Scran-
| ton convention.
Mr.. Mitchell declined to say whether
the union would LIT the men return tc
| work at those cCIlle.ies where the op-
orators had acceL;-t The miners propo-
| sition before all L.. companies had
fallen into line Il IS generally be-
lieved that the -. coal carrying rail.
| roads that mine c1al will quickly fol.
low the Reading ompany, and grant
acceptance of the proposition and that
all other operators Will do the same
The first company in the Hazletor
region to take action similar to that oi
the Reading Company were Calvin
Pardee & Co., operating the Lattimer
collieries and the A. Pardee Company
owners of the Cranberry mines, both
Of them individual concerns. The no.
tees announcing their acceptances will
be posted tomorrow morning.
These companies will reduce the price
of powder from s2-75 to s1.50, which re-
duction is to be considered in arriving
at net increase in wages