Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-03-17
FIX OUTSIDE DAY SCALE.
Miners and Operators Agree on Point
for First Sub-District.


Miners and Operators Agree on Point
for First Sub-District.
Des Moines, March 14.-(SpeciaD-
After settling upon the outside day
wage scale in the first sub-district, the
joint scale committee yesterday after
noon spent an hour or more in haggling
over the price to be understanding
in the southern part of the district, and
finally adjourned without reaching a
settlement. The miners ask that the
price shall be one per cent of the gross
earnings during the coming year, as
throughout the last. while the operators
claim that it should be one-eighth per
cent, in accordance with the increase
THAT has been given the miners, which
amounts practically to 1872 per cent.
The smithing Question.
In order to understand this matter it is
necessary to know the plan followed with
| regard to smithing at the coal mines. The
blacksmiths are hired and paid by the OPP
! orators and they keep the miners tools
| sharpened In addition to doing whatever
other labor there is for them about the
MINES The operators pay them stated
wage and they do not belong to the min
ers' union nor come under its jurisdiction.
ers paid for the sharpening of their tools
one per cent of their gross earnings and
this amount was withheld from their earn
/ ings each pay day, the operator thus re-
imbnrsing himself in whole or part us the
case may be. for the salary paid his
| blacksmiths.
| When this question came up yesterday
the operators asked that the one per cent
be changed to one and onc-eighth per cent,
saying that in all probability they would
be compelled to pay the bncksmiths at
the mines an increase of 1919 per cent,
or one-eighth, in line with the increases
allowed the other classes of labor. To this
the miners, however, refused to agree.
saying that when they give one per cent
of their increased earnings increased by
reason of their raise this year, they will
be paying more than they have been dur
ing the past year. and if they were to pay
| rs per cent for the blacksmthing they
would pay the smiths increase twice. Dur
ing the argument over this matter yester-
day afternoon the adjournment for the
day was taken.
Machine Prices.
The inside day wage scale has been pass
ed until n thorough Interpretation of the
Illinois scale is received from the Illinois
operators association. Yesterday after
noon the scale for machine mining was
taken up and 7. Z. Lee, of the operators,
field, instead of the price for the past year
of so cents per ton for machine loading.
The miners demanded IS cents, and this
disagreement brought out an argument
which embraced all Of the various ques-
toEs regarding the differential which does
and should exist between machine mining
and pick mining. Neither side could be
convinced nor argued into acceding to the
other sides wishes, and the question was
finally referred to a subcommittee of min.
ers and operators which will meet Monday
in this city. The same disposition was
made of the question of the price for this
class of work in the Centerville field for
which the operators offered 1852 cents per
ton, the miners standing out for % cents.
The past years price has been A cents
per ton.
Top Labor scale.
1t required but little time to agree upon
the scale for top labor in the first sub-dis-
trict the fiat increase Of ~ 1-3 per cent
being offered by the operators, and after
less than the usual amount of arguing. ac-
copied by the miners. The greatest fight
was made on the scale for box car men,
those men who distribute the coal in box
cars as it comes down from the chutes
Last year the price for box car men and
top men was SLIGO per day. The operators
offered S1.S0, an increase of 12h per cent,
but the miners insisted that because the
than ordinary top labor, this class of labor
should be paid So They finally came down
to S1.9O and then to 81 So, but the operat-
ors stood firm on their first offer and 1t
was finally accepted the clause being in
serted the same as in last years scale which
provides that "in no case shall n reduction
from present prices be made" The reason
for this, 1t is stated, Is that at some mines
men cannot be hired for even $3.50 to do
this work and during the past year the
operators there have been paying more
than that amount for this class of labor
The price per day for outside drivers and
mine Transfers, which was 81 60 last year,
was fixed at $3.50 for the coming year
The question arose here as to what the
real definition of mine Transfers is and
1t was agreed that the term should apply
to all teamsters driving company teams
and doing work about the mines, such as
hauling supplies, etc.
The daily wage for sinkers, men employ
ed i'll sinking new shafts, WAS fixed at So 20
per day, 121a per cent over last years price
of $40 per day.
Then the matter of smithing came up
and the committee adjourned for the day
without settlement of this question.
One Item Settled.
One item of the inside day wage scale
was settled yesterday without discussion,
This Is that providing for the remuneration
of oilers and trappers. Boys are employed
at this work as n rule and the daily wage.
during the past year has been 81. Yester
day the stated increase was offered and
accepted and the price fixed for the com.
ing year at $1,13.
w. II. POWELL.