The Savannah morning news., 1902-06-11
HISTORY OF STRIKE
PRESIDENTS OF COAL ROADS GIVE
THEIR STORY.
THEY DECLINED CONFERENCE
MITCHELL WAS ANXIOUS FOR AR
BITRATION.

| lions Caused by UnMarranted De-
| mands of Mcn-The Position Taken
by the Coal Presidents and the
Offer Made by MIR. Mitchell Set
| Forth.
New York. June 10.-The presidents
of the coal roads Immediately affected
by the strike of the anthracite coal
miners made public to-day letters and
kilograms which have passed between
the operators and President Mitchell
and other representatives of the United
Mine Workers.
The first letter on the list is that of
President Baer of the Central Rail-
road of New Jersey, dated Philadel
phia, Feb. IS, 1902, and addressed, as
were all replies. the operators say, Ito
John Mitchell, president, and Others"
at Indianapolis. Mr. Baer says:
I'm the judgment of the companies
1 represent it is impracticable to form
g wage scale for the whole anthracite
region. The mining of anthracite coal
in entirely different from that of btu
minous coal.
This company does not favor the
plan of having it's relations with the
miners disturbed every year.
1--WE will always receive and consider
every application of the men in our
employ. We will endeavor to correct
| every abuse, to right every wrong, to
deal justly and fairly with them.
Your organizations have no power
to enforce their DEGREES and thereby
insure discipline, and we have no pow
er to maintain discipline except the
| power to discharge.
| "A careful analysis of the results of
last years operations shows that the
efficiency of our own mines has de-
creased 100000 tons because the con-
tract miners have worked only Az to
6 hours a day"
The letter concludes by declining to
join in any conference.
President Truesdale of the Lacka-
wanna, writing from New York, Feb.
Is, 1902, to the miners officials, de-
clines to enter the conference.
Unrest and Agitation.
President E. B. Thomas of the Erie
also declines a conference and has this
to say in his letter, dated New York,
Feb. 20, 1902:
so far. the apparent effect of your
during the last twenty years has a
| greater spirit of unrest and agitation
| prevailed among the anthracite miners
than has existed during the past year
The depreciation in the quantity of
work produced per man has amounted
TO about u per cent, and from April
to October / there have been no less
than 1O2 Interruptions of work oc-
| casioned by unwarranted demands and
agitation by members of your associa-
ton, resulting in a loss of over 900
| days work and over SOC, 900 tons of
production. Most of them were
brought about by unwarra nted causes 3"
The replies of T. o. Fowler of the
Ontario and Western, r. Olyphant of
the Delaware and Hudson and Fred
Walter of the Lehigh Valley are brief
They all decline a conference.
The operators follow these replies
with the notice posted in the collieries
March IA, 1902 continuing the wages
then in effect until April 1, 1908.
President MitcheII's Inquiry.
These kilograms follow:
March %. BOBBY direction Of
miners convention, l wire to ascertain
if your company will join other an
thacite coal companies in conference
with the committee representing coal
miners for purpose of discussing and
adjusting grievances which affect all
companies and all employees alike.
Please answer. John Mitchell
chairman"
Answer: March "a, f9O2-Always
willing to meet our employees to dis
cuss and adjust any grievances. 1
! had hoped that my letter clearly ex-
pressed our views.
George F. Baer."
Position of the Operators.
The history of the strike from the
| Shamokin convention to May s is then
outlined and the following are given
as propositions by Mr. Thomas I'M
derstood to be the basis of the first
conference of the coal presidents and
the mine workers and civic federation
officials.
First, the anthracite companies do
not undertake in the slightest manner
to discriminate against members of the
United Mine Workers of America, but
they do insist that members of that
organization shall not discriminate
against nor decline TO work with nom
members of such association.
Second. That there shall be no de-
| terioration in the quantity or quality
| of the work; and that there shall be
no effort to restrict the individual ex-
ertions of men, who work by the ton
or car, may for reasons satisfactory
! to themselves and their employers,
produce such a quantity of work as
! they may desire.
Third, by reason of the different
conditions, varying not only with the
/ districts. but with the mines them
! selves, thus rendering absolutely i'm
possible anything approaching uniform
conditions. each mine must arrange
! and individually or through it's COM
mittees with the superlntendents. any
| questions affecting wages or griev-
/ ances"
The first discussion. the adjournment
| for thirty days. and the two futile and
| final discussions between the union
| leaders and the operators represented
/ by Messrs. Thomas Truesdale and
Raer are mentioned
Mr.. MitcheIIs Offer.
Mr.. Mltchelps dispatch Of May 8 70
| the operators IL then given.
IL submits the following propositions.
First. inafmuch as the anthracite
| mine operators have proposed 10 con-
| finus the present wage scale for one
/ year, and inagmuch ae the anthracite
mine workers have un3pim 3usly re-
solved 70 sak that an increase Of 20
I per- cent should be paid on present
I prices ~ all men performing contract
w0rk, that eight hours should consu-