Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-03-25

as it were, before adopting it, if it is
adopted, and before this adoption the
questions relating to the uniform day
wage scale and the shot firers must be
settled. This will, beyond doubt, re-
quire much time and furnish occasion
for much oratory before it is settled,
If it is settled at all, and no one can
say what the final decision of the
JOINT convention will be.
Night Watchmen Question.
The question of the night watchmen
scale was settled yesterday, the scale
committee agreeing, after spending
much time in an unsuccessful attempt
to make scale for this class of labor,
that the wages shall be settled locally
by the watchmen and operators affect
ed. The question of the wage to be
paid firemen was also settled upon,and
will be the same as heretofore except
that the minimum shall be 20 cents
per day of eight hours. 1t was also
agreed that inside bumpers shall be
paid the same as last year, with a min.
imum provided of 25 cents per hour.
First District Mine Run.
After the question of transferring
Putnam county had been taken up the
operators from the c. B. G. X. c. track
in Iowa wanted provision made for
test to decide the price for which they
can get mine run coal during the year,
the test to be made at Cincinnati, in
Appanoose county. and the price to be
based upon 50 cents for screened lump
COAL TO this the miners would not
agree, saying that they are not willing
to make any arrangements for mine
run price in the first district, or any
part of it, unless the whole district be
put upon an absolute mine run basis.
This is proposition to which the ope-
raLors will not agree, and the settle
ment of the matter is still in doubt.
The Iron Track Question.
Another knotty question was done
away with at the meeting at the scale
committee held last evening, when the
following agreement was made regard.
ing iron track and kindred subjects,
such as the Missouri bull-turn," or
wooden platform switch, which exists
in some mines in the southern field:
Iron track shall be furnished where
the miner cannot push his car out and
in all back entries. There shall be not
more than two roads from each cross
cut on the air courses. Miners shall
not be required to turn loaded cars on
wooden platforms without help. All
rooms in room and pillar work shall be
not less than forty feet wide for two
men. Where iron track becomes ne
cessary the operators shall be allowed
until August Is to furnish same. In
room and pillar work the miner shall
deliver his loaded car and receive his
empty one as heretofore
Other Matters.
At the new Phillips mine at Foster,
which is owned by the Phillips Fuel
Co. of Ottumwa, it was agreed that
the Mystic scale shall apply for mining
and the second sub-dstrict scale for
lday work
| An arbitration committee, President
| G. H. Morris of the operators, and Vice
President Edwin Perry of the miners.
decided the question relating to soft
and channel coal in the fourth district
settling the matter much on the same
plan as has been the custom during
the past year except that the miner re-
ceives a slight improvement in condi
tons.
1t was decided by the committee
that in sub-district No. 1 the company
shall load deficient coal when the op-
orators and the leaders cannot agree
On a price for the same the matter of
bump coaP' to remain as it was prior
to November 1, 1901.
The Engineers Scale.
| After much discussion the engin-
GERS scale for the state was settled
just as it was last year except that the
fourth class is done away with and the
tonnage to determine the classification
of the men shall be taken for Novem-
Der, 1901.
| General Resolutions.
The above matters almost do away
with the questions in the various sub
districts and the general resolutions
have been taken up for consideration.
Yesterday afternoon the following res
olutions were adopted by the scale
committee:
! Resolution 1,
| The above scale is based upon an
eight hour work day, and it is def
nitely understood and agreed than an
eight hour day means eight hours
work in the mine at the usual work
ing places, six days a week when re-
CURED by the operator, Sundays. and
legal holidays excepted and except
where by present local custom half
holiday is given on pay days, which
may be changed locally by mutual
agreement, for all classes of inside la
Dor. This shall be exclusive of the
time required in reaching such work
ing places in the morning and depart
ing from same at night.
Regarding drivers they shall take
their mules to and from the stables
and the time required in so doing
shall not include any part of the days
labor. Their work beginning at the
place at which they receive empty
cars, but in no case shall a drivers
time be locked while he is waiting for
| ears at the point named. Where it is
the practice to haul men in the TRIP
| the latter shall leave the bottom at
| such time as the company may deter
mine to be necessary for employees to
reach their working places in time to
begin work at the hour fixed.
Resolution e
That the eight hour work day shall
commence at Z a. m. from April to
October 1, and at at 8 a. M from DC,