The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-11-24
INDEPENDENTS MAY NOT
AGREE TO ARBITRATION
Small Coal Companies Not Bound to Accept the
Decision of the Strike Commission.
Committee of Mine Owners Appointed Confer With the Big
Railroad Presidents

CCRANTON. Pa. Nov. 23.-The posi-
ton to be taken by the independ-
ent coal operators with regard to
the tentative agreement between the
large coal companies and the mine
workers to settle their differences out
side the anthracite coal strike commits
sion, but with the cOnciliatory assist
ance of the arbitrators, has not yet
been definitely decided upon. The in
dependents held a meeting last night,
at which were present the representa-
tives of about twenty-six companies.
and a committee of nine was appointed
to go to New York on Tuesday for
the purpose Of meeting the presidents
of the coal carrying railroads and
learn from them what the independent
companies are to expect providing they
agree to go along and adjust the la
boz dispute without arbitration. This
decision was not reached until the in
dependent operators attorney, Ira II.
Burns of Scranton, had made a report
of the conference he attended, at which
were present all the attorneys for
the large companies and the miners
and the "conciliator,' or subcommittee,
what the large companies intend to do
the independents will make no positive
stand beyond that which they took in
the hearing before the commission on
Saturday. That was to the effect that
they object TO the commission APPROX
ing any agreement in which the indie
pendent operators are not included.
Mine Owners Committee.
The committee of the independents
is composed of the following mine own
ers: w. w. Watson of the Hoosiac
Mountain Coal company and the
Mount Jessup Coal company of Scran-
ton; +. 3. Sturgis. Pine Hill Coal COM
pany of the Schuylkill region; ]. L.
Crawford. Peoples Coal company,
Scranton; H c. Reynolds, Wyoming
Coal & Iron company, Scranton: w. l.
Council. Green Ridge Coal company
Scranton. and Enterprise Coal compa-
ny: DR.. j. N. Rice, Riverside Coal com
pany, Scranton; J. L. Cake, Clear
Spring Coal company and Raub Coal
company, PittstOn; Joseph j. Jermyn
of Jermyn & Co., Scranton, and c. d.
Simpson. West End Coal company.
Scranton.
Mr.. Connen. who is the recorder
(mayor) of Scranton, is chairman of the
committee. Mr.. Simpson is associat ted
IN business with l.. II. Watkins. one Of
the strike commissioners, although Mr.
Watkins is not connected with the West
End Coal company or any other an
thracite coal concern.
the independent operators will take
a firm stand for some recognition in
the matter of a settlement with the
| miners. 1t is authoritatively stated
p~they viii not assume the attitude of
belligerents when the committee meets
the coal operators, nor viii they ap-
pear as suppicants. The Independents
feel that IL an increase in wages is
agreed upon they will want some con-
cesslon from the coal carrying rail-
roads in order to compensate them for
granting an increase to the miners.
One-third Off.
The Independent companies. it is IN
derstOod. do not sell their product di-
rectly TO the consumer. They turn it
over to the coal carrying railroads. who
give the independent concerns eener-
ally speaking. 90 cents on every dol
lar, retaining 80 cents for hauling and
selling the coal. The independents sa
that If wages are increased, the large
companies have il within their power
to increase the price OF coal to the
consumer or maintain the present high
price at the mines, which was fixed
by some companies after the strike in
order to compensate them for the dam
age entailed during the suspension. The
independents say they must take what
the companies give them-65 cents on
the dollar-but viii make an effort
TO have il increased TO 20 or 10 cents
on the dollar
The independents say thew can COM
plicate matters if they cared to. hui
feel IL would not be fair to the pub
lie or themselves to do so. While il
has not been officially stated it is un.
derstood that whatever agreement is