The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-01
OPERATORS AND MINERS
OPENING OF THE JOINT SCALE CON-
FERENCE AT COLUMBUS.
Committees Appointed and Adjourn
mcrt Taken TIL To-Day-A Pro-
Ionged Contest Probable.

COLUMBUS, o., Jan. s1-The joint con-
ference of the operators of Ohio, Indiana,
Illinois and western Pennsylvania, called
TO fix the price of mining for the scale year
beginning April /. 1901. convened here this
afternoon. The first session was brief, the
conference adjourning until tomorrow
morning Immediately after the committees
on credentials. rules and permanent organi-
cation had been appointed. The real work
of the conference will begin tomorrow with
the appointment of the scale committee, to
which the demands OF the miners. formu-
lated at the indianapolis convention, will be
submitted. The permanent chairman OF the
conference will be Walter Mullen of Ohio,
president Of the Massillon operators's as
ISOLATION. The secretary will be w. B.
Wilson, secretary-treasurer of the United
Mine Workers, and assistant secretary c..
L. Scroggs. of the Illinois coal commission.
The operators and miners Of Iowa and
Michigan will not be admitted to the Joint
conference. That was settled tonight by
the committee on credentials after pro-
tracted discussion. The committee being
unable to agree. the question was referred
to the chairman and secretary OF the COM
Michigan should be barred. At to-day s
session of the convention the following
committees were appointed:
Credentials-Ohio: Operators, ]. S. Nor
ton, j. NJ. Drake; miners, G.. w. Savage,
E. Graham. Pennsylvania: Operators, f.
L. Robbins, W. d. Rodgers miners, VIII
/ liams Dodds, T. a. Furniss. Indiana: OPP
miners miners J. H. Kennedy H. wright ' Illinois:
1 ntIaeasorwS ". 3 3. Ryan. f C. Perry "sA'
Rules and Order OF Business-Ohio: OPP
orators, III. L. Chapman, 7. Johnson; min
ers, w. III. Haskins, M. CULVER. Pennsyl-
vania. Operators, G. L. Sclenberg, o. A.
Blackburn; miners. NJ Corrigan, f. Charl-
ton. Indiana: Operators, r. s. Tenant.
Cantwell Illinois: Operators. T. E. Brent,
c E. Hull; miners, w. L. Morris, j. Stan
ley.
No one will venture prediction tonight
as to whether an agreement will be reached
by the joint conference. The miners are
guarding their position with extraordinary
secresy, and the operators are doing like
wise. 1t is known, however. that they are
very wide apart, and some OF the operators
personally express their doubts as TO the
outcome. The only point upon which there
is absolute unanimity of sentiment among
the operators Is that no advance IN the
price will be conceded. The miners must
rely, therefore. upon securing concessions
in other directions, and, while none of them
will say positively that this is their plan,
some very broad fntimatfonS to this enect
have been thrown out by the less secretive
delegates. Just what the concessions
which they expect to secure are cannot be
ascertained. 1t Is apparent, however, that
the miners will make a vigorous effort to
secure the adoption both of the run-of-
mine basis and a uniform differential be-
tween pick and machine mining. The lat
ter promises to be the subject of the most
controversy, inasmuch as the varying con-
ditions in the competitive district will rem
der 1t difficult for the operators to agree
upon the matter. Illinois has a differential
of cents. The operators of that State
want this increased TO II or IA cents, but
the Illinois miners are against them. Ohio,
on the other hand. has a differential of
about u cents, and the operators of that
State are opposed to any change The
Ohio miners are, however, insisting that
the differential must be reduced The diff
ficulty of reaching a compromise which
will be necessary to secure a uniform diff
ferential Is apparent. t
The members of the United Mine Work
crs' convention arrived over the Pennsyl-
vania line g. few minutes before 2 o'clock
this afternoon. accompanied by their Off
GERS. They. reached the city on two sec
tons, and the run was made between In
dianapolis and Columbus in unusually
quick time. The officers will make head
quarters at the Grand Southern Hotel.