Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-10-04
OVERTURES OF OPERATORS
HAVE NO EFFECT.
WANT UNION RECOGNIZED
Wlkesbarre Meeting Fails of Its
Purpose-Strihers Say They Have
Powder Matters to be Adjusted
Determined to Have Their Own.

Philadelphia, Oct THE mine
operators of the Wyoming, Lackawan
ma and Lehigh regions yesterday at a
meeting at Wilkesbarre followed the
action Of the Reading company in of
fering an increase of 10 per cent. in
wages to the mine workers. They
furthermore decided to reduce the
charge for powder from $2.75 to $3.50
per keg. The latter price prevailed at
the Reading company's mines for a
long time. The action of the Wilkes
barre meeting means an increase of
~ per cent. to all mine workers ex-
cept miners. The latter will earn an
increase of about 10 per cent by rea-
son of the reduced cost of powder.
The meeting was attended by repre-
sentatiyes of all the leading railroad
companies which own mines in the
regions named. Some Independent OPP
orators opposed the proposed increase,
unless the coal carrying companies
should reduce the tolls on their prod
uct to tiaewater.
The strikers, however, show no in
dication of accepting the offer None
returned to work yesterday at the
Reading company's colieries in re-
spouse to the notice of higher wages,
and in fact many who had been at
work there quit and joined the ranks
of strikers. AS a result there We're
fewer collieries in operation yester
day in the Schuylkill region than at
any time since the strike
began In other regions there
were also additions to the strik-
ers' forces. Notices of the Increase
in pay were posted throughout the en-
tire anthracite region last night but
the opinion is general that few if any
strikers viii return to work. The
strikers say they have other griev
ances to be adjusted besides wages
and powder charges, and, further, they
want recognition of their union, Pres
ident Mitchell of the United Mine
Workers viii visit Wilkesbarre today
to address mass meeting and review
parade of miners
At the United Mine Workers head
quarters this statement was given out
What we want is. "a better en-
forcement of existing mine laws, q
To obtain that which is fully our own,
i. e. the value Of the labor actually
performed and hitherto taken from us.
$40 obtain the right to purchase the
implements of labor at a fair market
value and escape from the compulsory
rule which forces us to pay the opera
tors more than twice what the same
materials can be purchased for at re-
tail in the open market. Ito allow
a REIMBURSEMENT Of the wage scale that
viii more nearly conform TO the condi.
tions of the anthracite trade and es-
tablish as nearly as practicable n uni,
form price for each class Of work in
ana around the mines. The strikers
say that unless these concessions are
granted and the union recognized, they
will not return to work
Strikers Are Obdurate.
Hazloton, oct. although labor
leaders positively said they were
pleased to learn that q 10 per cent |
advance had been granted by the Phil
adalphia & Reading Coal and Iron
company, it was totally ignored by the
striking mineworkers yesterday ItI
was predicted that many strikers
would return to work under the belief
that the 10 per cent increase would ,
be the limit of the operators c01ccs.
sions, but the mauimity OF the mon
in deciding TO stand out for a further /
advance caused much surprise It was
expected % some quarters yesterday I
would bring the turning point in the
strike. but nothing came to the SUR /
faco that would lead to any iudica
zion the strike was nearing an end. |
Since the operators began to hold |
conferences President Mitchell IS ra- /
ynyng more information than for
marly and giving out less. There is
sti lack of anything tangible ON !
which TO base q report of immediate /
settlement. Several hundred men
Quit work at the Calvin Partea 7
mines and at Latimer as a result of F.,
persuasion ON the part OF 400 march .
ing strikers, and at Oneida aud Gran /
berry the coal companies lost aldi- /.
tic men. no collieries closed down I.
n tbis region yesterday