The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1900-10-09
A JOINT CONVENTION.
The Mine Workers Will Call One 30
Discuss the Operators Offer.
The Belief Is General That the
Miners VIII Accept the In
crease, Thus Putting an
End to the Strike.

ence which is believed to mark the
beginning of the end of the anthra-
cite coal miners strike, which entered
upon its fourth week Monday, was
held at the headquarters of the Unit
ed Mine Workers here Sunday after
noon.
Although no information was
given out, Il is known that the ques-
ton of issuing a call for joint con-
vention was the principal matter
discussed. The coming convention
will be held at Scranton unless some
thing unforeseen should arise be-
tween now and the time of issuing
the call. Besides taking up the mat-
ter of a convention call, it is UNDER
stood that the question of represen-
tation was also considered. The
three district presidents made full
reports as to the conditions as they
now exist in the respective dis
tricts.
il the date has been fixed, only Mr..
Mitchell and his colleagues know it.
OF course, the principal matter to
come before the miners will be the
acceptance or rejection of the ten
per cent. net increase offered by
most of the operators. President
Mitchell said Sunday that not one
official of the United Mine Workers
will take a hand in any action the
convention might take, as the men
must at first settle everything that
comes before them.
The belief is general that the
miners will accept the increase. Most
of the mine owners who have granted
the wage concession do not specify
in their notices how long the advance
shall remain in force, and it is not
unlikely than an attempt will be
made by the miners in convention to
open negotiations with the operators
looking toward an understanding in
the matter.
Scranton, Pa, Oct. Snow that
convention to consider the ten per
cent. is assured, attention is turned
to the question of what the compa-
MES mean by ten per cent. in the case
of the miner and his helper.
The miner works by contract and
pays the laborers out of his earn
ings. AS rule the miner cuts six
loads of coal for which he gets 5000.
Out of this he pays for powder, oil
and repair for tools and the wages Of
his helper. The laborer's pay is fixed
at so much per day, and in this region
1T averages about SITS. After paying
the laborer and the expense of pow
der, oil, ETC., the miner has about
$3.50 left for himself. Ten per cent.
advance gives the miner 63 cents ex-
ira per day. The laborer wants his
ten per cent, or IS cents, and as a
consequence the miner must be con-
tent with 45 cents, or seven per cent.
But in many instances a miner has
two laborers. This means that IS
cents must come out of his 63 cents,
and the miner finds himself enjoying
an advance of only five per cent.
Just how the operators want this
offer interpreted is not known here.
The local operators say that the men
who framed the offer either did not
have in mind the miner pays the la
bOrer. or else. having been in mind,
figured the lab0rer out of the con-
sideration altogether and left it for
the miner and lab0rer to settle be-
tween themselves what, if any, por-
tion of the ten per cent. the laborer
should receive. The laborers. it is
thought. will not be content with
anything less than a full ten per cent.
raise, and this, it is thought, is going
to cause a hitch when the convention
comes TO consider the question.
Shenandoah, Pa, Oct. S.-Gen. Co.
bin announced Sunday night that, if
the weather conditions are favorable
Monday, Battery C will break camp
and leave for home. The situation in
this district, the general says, is not
such as to require the presence of
the troops, and he intends to order
all the soldiers away as soon as pos
eible.
Edward J. Coyle, the second victim
of the riot of September q, who died
Friday, viii be buried Monday. All
the local unions, it is said, will attend
the funeral.
Organizer Harris said Sunday that
he will go to the Panther Creek val
ley Monday for the purpose of assist
ing in the organization of the mine
workers there.
Cornerstone Laying i'm Jerusalem.
Jerusalem, Oct. Sunday the
bishop of Jerusalem, in the name of
the pope and in the presence OF the
German consul and 500 German pill
grims, laid the cornerstone of the
church which is TO be erected on Mt.
Zion on the site Abdul anil pre-
scented to Emperor William on the
occasion of the latter's visit to the
Holy Land.
Lost Cable Recovered.
Washington, Oct. 6.-Gen. Greeley
has received a dispatch from Alaska
saying that the signal officers had
recovered and landed the cable which