The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-11
COAL OPERATORS MAKE REPLY
PRESIDENT MITCHELL RECEIVES
Mr. BAERS ANSWER.

TeNt Not 81, IN Out and Mitchell Refuses
TO Comment on U--NittebeiI Notines
Bituminous Men Thst 30. 900 Anthra.
cite Miners Are Sttii lnemploy I'd.
WrLKPs-BARRE. Pa Nov. 0-Presdent
Mitchell of the Mine Workers his evening
received from Commissioner Wright Of
the strike arbitration commission a copy
Of the answer to- his demands for the Mine
Workers, from President Baer Of the Phils
delphis and Reading Mr.. Mitchell would
not make II public, saying that ne under
stood It was 10 be given out at Washington.
When asked what he thought Of II he said:
j can make no comment upon IL.
The output of coal is now a little over
100000 tons day, because II is impossible
To get a. much work out of the men as
they did in the sane time and under the
same conditions before the strike They
have not overcome the Ave months idle
ness and their hands and their muscles are
soft. The mines are idle in sorne places.
but are rapidly being repaired The out
put Is increasing daily, however, and al.
though the operators believe there will BE-
a scarcity Of coal all winter. they think
that within six weeks or two months the
output will be a. the normal figure for
that time Of year
President Mitchell and Secretary Wilson
have decided to reduce the trike assese
rnent fund from 81 week o 80 cents q week
upon all wages earned after Nov. /. In
call which is being sent 10 all the soft
coal districts President Mitchell says:
During the cont inuhnce of the - rike
the coal companies deemed II better to
permit many OF the mines TO MI, or partly
Nil, with water rather than permit the
engineers. firemsn and pumpmen 70 remove
II on an eight hour workdav. The result
Is hat many II the minee are not ready for
operat ion and about ,oO0 men are ~ III idle
on that account. Several independent
coal operators have refused 10 accept the
terms Of settlement and are insisting that
their employees sign individual, iron-cad
agreements Accordingly, under advice
from the officers of the orga nizai ion. the
miners have refused 10 sign any agrs ement
until the commission has decided what
the form and terms of the agreement
shall be
There are about ~ 600 men still on strike
rat her than sign these agreements. THAI,
makes a total Of 30 0Co men still or 81 EN-
ploymsn' in the enthracite coal fields. II
for by the United Mine Workers OF
America
As soon a. the number Of idle men ha We
been red'irod TO that point where the organi-
cation can take care ~ them without
further assessment. YOU will he notified
and Il will then I've discont inlied which
We hope will be within two weeks
BALTIMORE, Nov. 10 Mayor Eugene +
Schmitz Of San Francisco. who was on a
visit 10 this city as the gIe-' Of Local No.
10, American Federation Of Musicians,
received hurry call to-day TO meet Presi-
dent Mitchell Of the United Mine Workers
Union az Wilkes Barre. Pa The Mayor
responded az once TO the call and left Baiti
more az noon.
1t il believed that Mr. Mitchell is de-
riro,is Of the advice and suggestion Of Mr.
Schmltz in regard to the present condi' IONS
IN the coal fields There we're various
entert ailments prepared for Mayor Schmit 2
tonight, but he declined them all. saying
that his call to Wilkes Barre was most
urgent He declined To discuss he natl
of the telegram Hing him TO Pennsylvania