The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-31
Local DsIegation's Mission to
 Wilmington Was Successful
REJOICING IN BIRMINGHAM
Arbitration Commission VIII Begin It's Sitting in This City on August 10. The Miners Will Be at
 Work Today.

United States Judge George Gray of Wilmington. Del, has agreed to act as the fifth member of the commission to arbitrate the differences between the United Mine Workers and the operators of the Birmingham district, and tue twelve or thirteen thousand miners who have been idle since July will return to work at once.
 The announcement of Judge Gray's de- cision in the matter reached Birmingham yesterday shortly before Ii o'clock and was quickly bulletined at the newspaper offices The news spread rapidly through the city and caused general rejoicing.
 The local delegation, consisting of Charles McCrery, vice president of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad com pany; R. H. Pearson. vice president of the Central Coal company; William lt Fairley Alabamas member of the na- tionaI board of United Mine Workers. and Edward Flynn. president of Ala bama District No 20 United Mine Work CTS, called on the distinguished jurist in Wilmington Wednesday, explained to him in detail the situation and urged him to accept the position of fifth arbi- trator to which he had been chosen. The 1 judge promised to give an answer the next day, and the Birmingham men then went to Atlantic City to await his an nouncement, .whieh was to be made to them by wire.
 The News Received.
 At Il o'clock The Age-Herald received the following dispatch:
 1 Atlantic City, N. J., July SO.-Age-Her- aid. Birmingham, Ala: Judge Gray. ac- cepts. CHARLES McCRERY.
 It had been agreed by the miners that if Judge Gray accepted they would go to digging coal promptly and would con tinue at work pending the sittings of the arbitration commission.
 secretary-Treasurer Cfemo of the Unit ed Mine Workers received this dispatch soon after Il o'clock:
 Atlantic City, N. J.. July so.-J L.. clemo, Rooms PA and 225 Chalifoux Building: Judge Gray accepts. Notify men to return to work at once.
 EDWARD FLYNN.
 Mir clemo lost no time in getting out his notices. He used the wires freely and by the afternoon he had heard from most of the large camps in the district. The miners expressed great pleasure at Judge Gray's acceptance and many of them will start to work this morning. But as the week is so nearly spent, there will hardly be a general resumption of operations before Monday.
 Eager for Work.
 The men are thoroughly tired of idle ness and will work with vim. The coal output will be larger in August, 1t is thought, than in any previous month of the year.
 1 MT. McCreary. MT Pearson, MT. Fair ley and MT. Flynn left Birmingham Mon day morning and were scheduled to reach Wilmington Tuesday. but a freight wreck In Virginia caused delay and they were practically a, day late in calling on Judge 1 Gray. It can be readily imagined that their minds were greatly relieved when l the judge notified them of his acceptance, for they had read in Mondays Age-Herald the substance of a telegram from Judge Gray in which he stated 1t would be out of his power to act as arbitrator This naturally threw somewhat of a damper on the delegation's mission but the party went ahead with hopes of inducing Judge I Gray to change his mind
 By the time the delegation reached Will mington Judge Gray had received tele- grams from Governor Jelks, Judge Thomas G. Jones, Congressman o. w. 1 Underwood and many other influential l persons urging his acceptance, and these messages undoubtedly had a good effect and made the mission of McCrery, Pear son, Fairley and Flynn all the more en- couraging.
 Points to Be Arbitrated.
 The principal points to be arbitrated re- late to the price for cutting coal, the eight-hour day and the semi-monthly pay day. The commission of arbitration will sit in Birmingham and will begin work August 10. The following compose the commission: Judge Gray, Charles Me Crery, R. H. Pearson, w. R. Fairley and T. L. Lewis. The last named is vice president of the United Mine Workers of America. MT. Flynn is Mr. Lewis l alternate and will act in the event that MT Lewis cannot come to Birmingham. Col. T. G. Bush of the Operators asso- ciation said last night that he thought the commission would be able to get