New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-24
COAL PRICES GO HIGHER.
OPERATORS MEET FOR "CONFAB' AND
SAY STRIKE WILL END. SOME TINE.

SAY STRIKE WILL END. SOME TIME
Anthracite coal can be had at prices
ranging from 81 30 to $2D ton. Dealers get
any price they ask and are guided in their de
mands by policy. Some favored customers OBJ
tain coal at Sc a ton others are glad pay
whatever may be demanded. In the poorer dis
tricts it is being doled out by the basketful at
one cent pound. $50 ton. Egg, chestnut
and stove are the sizes in which there is the
greatest scarcity.
Local dealers say that no hard coal OF do
nestle sizes has been received in NewYork for
many weeks, and that what little is mined is
bought up at The mines before shipment. 1t
would be almost impossible to get two tons of
anthracite from any single dealer 1t is as
serted everywhere that the prices will continue
TO rise until the strike is ended.
The Importation of Welsh coal does not affect
the price. Last week cargo of 1000 tons from
Swansea arrived. and $1,000 tons more are ex-
pected within a short time. This coal has al
ready been bought up and in no way relieves
the present stringenCy.
MEETING OF COAL PRESIDENTS
The usual weekly meeting of the coal presi-
dents as directors of the Temple Iron Company
was held yesterday at the Reading offices No.
l43 Liberty-st There were present when the
meeting began, at / O'Clock, President Baer Of
the Reading President Truesdale OF the Lacka-
wanna President Fowler of the NeWYork
Ontario and Western. President ELEPHANT of the
Delaware and Hudson President Walters Of
the I,ehigh Valley. f. B. Thomas. chairman of
the board Of directors Of the Erie; john Markle,
of G. r. Marlde & Co, and Alfred Stearns. of
Cox Bros & Co Mr.. Markle and Mr.. Stearns
are independent operators
In the morning Mr.. Markle went 10 J. P.
Morgans office. and had long conference with
Mr. Morgan He refused TO tell the nature of
the talk At the office Of President Baer later
4 4ha TZI,
Mitchell that no licensed miners had returned
to work in the mines since the strike began last
May.
THAT is absolutely false" Mr. Markle said
There are several hundred certified miners at
work to-day cutting coal
Commenting on the statement recently made
by Mitchell tha5--he had always discountenanced
violence Mr.. Markle said: ASK Mr. Mitchell if
he has issued a peremptory order to each local
of the United Mine Workers not to do any Illegal
act? The point is this: If Mr.. Mitchell says he
has issued such orders he confesses that he
cannot control the miners, for they have re-
| sorted to violence; if he says he has not issued
such orders. he is in position to maintain
that he is opposed to violence"
JOHN MARKLE ANSWERS MITCHELL.
Mr. Marke's attention was called to the state
ment made by Mitchell that he had not called
the engineers. firemen and pumpmen with
the purpose of letting the mines flood and the
mining property go TO ruin.
Mr.. Mitchell did call the steam men ont >,
| said Mr. Markle. In 1891. however. when there
md
| they went out strike for an eight hOur dav
Mitchell. in order II break up the frenan's
organization and force the men into the limited
! Mine Workers. sent men to take the nIaces of
| the strikers He excused this action by saving
| that the property must not be injured or the
mines flooded But this time with the steam
men in the mine workers union, Mitchell or
| dered them out, and certainly sent no men to
take their places"
After the main meeting President Raer and
three others, including Presidents Fowler and
Truesdale, went into a small office across the
hall from the main offices, closed the transome
and locked the doors and remained closeted to1
gether for over half hour
Merely a talk. informal talk" said Mr.
Baer when asked what occurred at this after
meeting.
Just confab that was ALL" explained Presi-
dent Fowler.
Regarding the situation in the anthracite
fields President Baer said that every dav
showed larger proportion of striking miners
returning to work When asked how much
longer he thought the strike would last he said
| I am not a prophet The strike will end That
is the one thing we may all be certain of But
VIII not attempt to say when II will end"
President Oiyphant said that nothing had &C
CURED at the meeting except that there had
been a general discussion of the coal strike
situation. No new steps We're taken he said
Regarding the effect of the calling out of ad-
/ ditional troops, I think ii will result in more
! men going back TO work, because of the sddi-
tional security against violence afforded them