Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-02-28

TIE 81. lIOOi0 SlOhE.
MINERS WANT
AN INCREASE.
Continued from Page ~
willing to lose the work and let their
brothers in other states have it rather
than mine the coal at the price pro-
posed by the operators, and further
stated that he thought if the commit
tee adopted such a scale it would be
repudiated by the miners as whole.
despite their loyalty to their organfza-
ton. This, as the operators say, is
Question of vital Importance to them,
and the miners hold that the matter
of an increase, which according to
their figures they deserve, is of equally
vital Importance to them. This was
still being discussed when the con-
vention adjourned at noon to meet
again at 2 o'clock p. m.
The matter Of screens was before
the convention at the time of adjourn
ing yesterday afternoons session The
miners hold that they should have
screens of proper pitch to carry the
coal over the screens, and this is con-
CURED in by the operators. This
morning the matter was nearly settled
and a measure was adopted providing
for screens of suitable size and pitch,
but the two sides divided on the mat
ter of changing the screens already in
use l.. r. Rosebrook, of Oskaloosa,
wanted provision that screens now
in use need not be changed, but 1t de-
veloped that this was what the min
ers did not want, and they voted this
| down. After considerable discussion
on the matter it was decided to drop
this question for the present and go
to something more easily settled.
Tells What Is Wanted.
Mr. Reese was asked by Mr.. Water
man to state what the miners want in
a brief outline, and the following was,
in effect, Mr.. Reese's answer:
| In the first district the miners
want uniformity, that is, a universal
system of paying. They also want all
operators to pay alike for brushing
and other dead work about the mine.
They want the day wage scale raised
| to uniformity, and want 5 cents more
l
southern or first district has not re-
ceived it's proportionate advance.
In the second district the miners
want s or cents more per ton for
mine run coal. They also want a pro-
vision that shooting shall occur but
once day They want a scale for IL
foot entries, and in mines where the
coal is all or practically deficient they
want general scale.
In the third the same provision as
| to brushing and other dead work and
as to shooting once a day are wanted,
and in the fourth district they desire
| about the same.
The miners also wish to have re-
/ duction in the price of powder, and
claim that the operators are making
too much profit off of this commodity.
Southern Field Scale.
In regard to the raise of cents per
ton in the price of lump coal in the
first district, as requested by the min
ers, a great deal of discussion was oc-
casioned. The operators claim that
they have to compete with the mines
in the Missouri field and cannot do so
if they pay more than 95 cents, the
/ present scale The miners claim that
they are entitled to raise because or
their relative low price as compared
with the other districts of the state.
This, as mentioned above, was passed
temporarily, as no agreement could be
reached.
! The afternoon session of the Joint
scale committee meeting of the min
ers and operators began about $3.50
I o'clock. G. w. Traer, of the White.
breast company, stated that the per
cent of lump after screening at the
Lucas mine owned by this company
is 70 per cent, and using this as q bias,
is for figuring the price to be put ON
mine run coal with the price for lump
at IS cents, would make the mine run
price 59h cents.
The speeches made by Mr.. Traer
and by the miners this afternoon
point toward mutual understanding
soon to be gained, but it seems to be
the general sense of the members Of
the committee that this matter be set
tied locally on the basis of the per-
centage of lump coal at each mine.
Mr.. Reese, however, said in his
lspeech that the miners consider their
. demand just, under double standard
system, and that they believe the OPP
orators should accede to it.
Hosting Engineers.
After the morning session of the
committee the operators were address
ed by MIR. Taylor, of the national as
ISOLATION of hosting engineers, who
asked that the operators entertain a
scale to be introduced by him in case
, the joint committee does not make
one.
. No action was taken on this matter
today either by the miners or operat-
ors. The engineers scale was includ,
! ed in the miners proposition, which
was refused by the operators at the
first meeting Of the joint committee.
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