The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1900-10-05
OPERATORS CONFER.
An Important Meeting at
Wilkesbarre.
SITUATION THOROUGHLY DISCUSSED.
Decision Reached TO Offer 10 PEI
Cent Advance and Reduction In
Price of POwder-UniOn Ignored.
What Mine workers Want.

WILKESBARRE Pa, Oct. 2.-The
coal operators of the Wyoming, Lacka,
wanna and Lehigh valley regions held
an important meeting in this city yes
terday afternoon and decided to offer the
miners an increase of 10 per cent in
wages and also to reduce the cost of pow
der to the miners from $2.75 to $1.5O pei
key. w. A. Lathrop, general superin-
tendent of the Lehigh Valley company,
presided.
The whole situation was thoroughly
discussed, nearly all those present taking
part. The powder question was the chief
subject of debate, and next came the rec
ognition of the union. So far as can be
learned none of the operators was in ia
vor of recognizing the union in any way.
The meeting lasted from 2 until p.
m Last evening w. A. Lathrop, the
chairman of the meeting, gave out the
following for the Lehigh Valley Coal
company:
''This company makes the following an
nouncement to its mine employees: 1t
will adjust its rates of wages so as to pay
to its mine employees on and after Oct.
/ a net increase of 10 per cent on the
wages heretofore received and will take
up with its mine employees any griey-
ances which they may have"
1t is understood in the foregoing that
powder will be sold to miners for S1.5O
per key and that the difference between
this rate and the old rate of $2.75 shall
be taken into account in figuring the net
advance of 10 per cent noted above for
this class of labor.
Similar notices to the above will be
posted by all the other companies repre-
scented at the meeting. The strikers say
that under no circumstances will they ac-
cept the offer. They claim it is not as
good an offer as the Reading company
made to its men.
The union is ignored and the net in
crease must come out of the price of
powder
E. NJ. Palmer, chairman of the press
committee at United Mine Workers
headquarters, said: "The men will not
return to work under such conditions. 1t
is not a fair offer"
The operators will make no further
move until they hear from the men.
At the United Mine Workers head
quarters this statement was given out:
What we want is:
"First-A better enforcement of exist
ing mine laws.
"Second.-To obtain that which is fully
our own e., the value of labor actltally
performed and hitherto taken from us.
"Third-To obtain the right to pur-
chase our implements of labor at fair
market value and escape from the com
pulsory rule which forces us to pay the
operators more than twice what the same
materials can be purchased for at retail
in the oDen market.
"Fourth.-To allow reimbursement of
the wage scale that will nearly conform
to the normal conditions of the anthracite
trade and establish as nearly as practical
BILE uniform price for each class Of work,
in and around the mines"
The strikers say until these concessions
are granted and the union recognized
they will not return to work.
Preparations are about completed for
the big demonstration to be held in this
city today. President Mitchell and other
leading officers of the United Mine Work
ers will be present After the parade a
big mass meeting will be held.