Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-10-23
MARKED BY UNCERTAINTY
Complications of the Coal Miners
Strike Make Doubtful an
Early Settlement.
PRESIDENT MITCHELL VERY Rs1IcEnr.
nays II All Companies Would Post
Notices Accepting Conditions Laid
Down by Miners 1t Weuld Simplify
Matters-No Partial Resumption Of
Work Possible.

Mitchell, of the United Mine Work
ers, practically admitted to repre-
sentative of the press Saturday that if
every operator in the region were to
post notices similar to those that are
now being tackled up by some of the
mine workers this action would In it
self probably not end the strike. He
was asked if all the companies were
to post such notices what his next
step would be. At first he hesitated
aud then replied:
Under the conditions laid down by the
Scranton miners convention there could
be no partial resumption of work.
When it was suggested that his re-
ply did not answer the question he
said:
We'll, all I will say is that if all the
companies post notices 1t would clear up
matters considerably. 1t would remove
some of the obstacles that now present
themselves"
This is the first public statement
that Mr.. Mitchell has made bearing
on settlement of the contest since
the operators at Scranton took their
decided stand that the reduction of
powder price must be considered in
figuring out the advance in wages.
More Notices Posted.
Notices similar to those already
posted by individual operators in this
region were issued Saturday by three
more companies. They were j. S.
Wentz & Co.. operating Silver Brook
colliery; Dodson & Co., owners of
mines at Morea and Beaver Brook, and
the Mill Creek Coal company, which
operates collieries at Buck Mountain
and New Boston in Sohuylkill county.
Tyler and McTurl, who operate a
washery at Audenreid, employing
about 80 men, have posted notice
giving employees an increase in wages
OF ten per cent. The only large indi-
vidual operators In tAis region that
have not posted what is known as
che second notice are Coke Brothers
& Co., G. B. Markle G. Co., and the
Lehigh q Willsesbarre Coal company
There is much interest manifested
here as to what steps, if any, the
Markle firm will take. This firm is
the only one in this region which has
not consented to give its employees an
increase of any sort.
The members of the firm maintain
q strict silence.
No Tn!:s of Another Convention.
Mr.. Mitchell is said to be contem.
plating trip to Scranton next week,
but for what purpose is not known.
Nothing has been salo here about an
other convention and there is no prob.
ability Of conference of strike lead
ers here Saturday.
Some OF the strike leaders say the
union officials are not authorized by
the Scranton convention to decide the
powder grievance, and that another
convention of miners will be neces-
sary to dispose of the question. A
prominent official of the United Mine
Workers said that the men through
out the anthracite coal fields are in.
aistent on fat ten per cent. increase,
without the powder reduction being
considered in figuring out the per-
centage of advance. When he was
asked what the United Mine Workers
would do II the operators refused to
recede from their stand, he said the
contest would continue until the CD.
orators made the concession. When
it was suggested to him that there
might be break in the ranks of the
strikers before the operators would
weaken, he expressed the utmost con-
fidence in the loyalty of the men in
the entire region. Notwithstanding
~ fla Lob,
their ability to hold the men togeth-
er, there is a belief prevalent here that
break will come sooner or later.
Strikers seeking relief from the United
Mine Workers are becoming more
restless with each succeeding day.