Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-02-28
Say the Screen Change Makes
difference.
G. ". IRAER SAYS IOWA WOULD LOSK
Much Discussion Is Caused by the De-
mand, Which Touches a Matter Of
Vital Importance to Both Sides
Pass Screen Question.

Ills morning, IN InG JOINT cOnven-
ton of the scale committees of the
miners and operators, which has been
in session at the city hall since Tues
cay afternoon, it was found that no
agreement could be reached upon the
screen question, and that part of the
agreement was passed for the time
being so that the convention might
adopt the scale. A similar difficulty
was met when the matter of scale was
taken up in the first sub-district,
which includes the southern part of
Iowa and the northern part of Mis-
souri,. This section was also passed
after considerable discussion, and the
convention took up the scale in the
second district, of which Ottumwa and
the coal fields surrounding it are a
part.
Want Mine Run Scale.
John f. Ream, of the miners, stated
very emphatically at this mornings
meeting. that all the discussion about
the screens and the trouble caused by
the maintenance of double standard,
that is, system whereby the matter
of paying on screen basis or mine run
basis is optional with the operator,
could all be obviated by the adoption
of single standard scale, and that
the best scale to be paid upon would
be the mine run scale. for then the
/ operators could have their screens as
they like, for the coal would be paid
1 for before it went over the screen. He
4 held that this would be the just way
/ to pay the miner and the best way to
quiet the screen trouble, now and for
lever. This is the stand taken by all
the miners, but the operators fail to
lagree with them.
President Reese,of the miners, NOV
ed that the regular price for screened
/ lump coal be S. cents per ton in this
district. the same as last years scale.
H. L. Waterman, basing his action on
the arguments of the miners, that they
are entitled to eighteen cents more
per ton in the first district than the
second, and demanding ST. in the for
mer place, moved that the price be
lowered to 50 cents in the second dis
trict. This was not argued on, how
ever, and was lost. The question of
making the price SIS cents was then
unanimously carried.
The real discussion came when II
was moved by Mr.. Reese to make the
scale for mine run scale in this dis
trict IS cents per ton instead of Sc 2-2
cents, as the present scale reads
This was a sort of a bomb thrown into
the operators camp, as they had moi
expected SO much of raise to be ask
0If fnr oil I,N 5rn f1> - Il. L.
anticipated something in this particu
1 lar. Mr.. Reese gave as his reason fol
proposing such raise that the differ
ence made last year in the change in
screens was more than was anticipat
ed by the miners at that time He
said that the excuse given by the
scale committee at that time for not
getting better price on mine run was
that they could not calculate the dif
ference the scale matter would make
but added that he has since then made
. an investigation of the matter ane
finds that the average amount of loss
by screening is between 25 per cent
and 29 per cent in this district. Usins
that as basis upon which to figure
the price to be paid for mine run he
has arrived at the conclusion thai
mine run should be paid for in this
district at the rate of IS cents per ton
Says Iowa Would Lose.
G. W. Traer, of Chicago, presiden,
of the Whitebreast Fuel Co., of iii
nois, of which T. j. Phillips, of this
city, is general manager, was accord
ed the privileges of the floor and spoke
against the increase. The point of his
remarks was that the increased cost
cf production, to t,he operator, which
would be made by the increase in the
pay of the miner as proposed by the
miners representative would necessi
tate SO much raise in the price to the
consumer that the Iowa companies
, would be unable to compete with Hi
, nois and Missouri companies. He SAID
that the question carried with 1t the
matter of whether or not Iowa shall
give up her mine run coal trade, fo,
the operators could not sell the mine
run when they had to pay more thar
they are now paying for the produc
5 tion of it.
Miners Stand.
Y John +. Ream of Beacon. said thai