Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-10-16
READY ITO ARBITRA7E
The Latest Development In the A.
thracite Coal Miners Strike.
EFFORTS TO RESUME YESTERDAY.


welt on the strike-Operstors Agree
to . Commission.
| New York, Oct. 14.-No settlement
OF the strike In the anthracite coal
regions has been reached and, &C.
cording to the statements Of three
leading operators, no reasonable
basis has yet been suggested to them.
Any proposition embracing a ten per
cent. increase will be ignored. Yes
terday was another busy day for the
operators. Before noon all Of them
except President Baer were in con-
ference at the office Of the Erie road.
Their talk lasted over an hour, but
no statement was made for publica-
ton.
Following this conference Chair
man Thomas, of the Erie road, and
President Truesdale, of the Lacka-
wanna, were closeted with J. P. Nor
gan at the latter's Office. Mr.. Nor
gan would not talk about the situa-
ton, nor would he say anything re-
garding Secretary Roots visit to him
last Saturday.
Rumors that the strike was ended
were heard in financial circles and
in the closing hour the stock mar
ket rallied very generally from its
early depression. These rumors
were circulated for the most part
by brokerage houses with western
connections. The conservative ele-
ment paid little heed, and denials
Of settlement were authorized by
representatives Of the Lackawanna
and the Ontario & Western roads.
Operators Agree to Commission.
Washington, Oct. 14.-Mr. ]. P.
| Morgan and Robert s. Bacon, one Of
his partners, arrived here over the
B. & O. railroad last night about ten
| o'clock and were driven to the
Arlington hotel. It was reported
that Mr.. George F. Baer, president Of
the Reading railroad, also was here,
but he could not be found. Shortly
after going to his room Mr.. Morgan
came downstairs and left the hotel
for the temporary white house, where
he was at once shown upstairs and
into the room where the president
was and conference on the strike
situation began. Secretary Root
joined the party in conference at the
white house.
Secretary Cortelyou says: The oper-
ators have agreed to the appoint
ment Of q commission to be appointed
by the president Of the United States
to whom shall be referred all ques-
tions at issue between the companies
and their own employees, whether
they belong to a union or not, and
the decision OF the commission shall
be accepted by the operators. The
operators also make part of their
proposition that the miners shall re-
turn to work as soon as the commits
sion is constituted and cease all in
reference with non-union men. The
commission Is to name date when
its findings shall be effective and
to govern conditions of employment
between the companies and their own
employees for at least three years.
The statement was read to the
president as an act of courtesy before
given TO the press.
Efforts Made to Resume Yesterday.
Wilkesbarre, Pa, Oct. 14.-What
was looked upon as an important
day in the matter of resumption Of
work in the coal mines passed with
out any serious trouble yesterday
and each side to the controversy
is claiming victory. Reports re-
ceived here from coal companies all
over the region are to the effect
that at least IL collieries and four
washeries started operations yes
terday. President Mitchell, in talk
with the correspondents, asserted
that reports received by him from
hia lieutenants in the field showed
that fewer men were at work yester-
day than last week. It is quite EVIL
dent that extra efforts were made
on both sides to gain an advantage.
The soldiers of the Third brigade
were sent into the outlying mining
towns in this region long before
starting up time to patrol the roads
leading to the collieries. In some
places the soldiers were scattered
in twos and threes along streets
and on street corners, but they were
not compelled to rescue anyone from
strikers. The company superintend-
ents are authority for the state
ment that for the past two days the
mine workers have been making
house-to-house canvasses all over the
entire territory, holding the men in
line, and that II 1t were not for this
method Of keeping the men from
work there would have been a large
increase in the number Of employees
at work.