The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-30
OPERATORS STATEMENT
VIGOROUS PROTEST AGAINST "SHOT-
FIRING BILL" IN LEGISLATURE.
Ii Is Pointed Out that Such n Law
Would Be Discrimination
Against Indiana.

Mr.. w. S. Boyle. representing the opera
tors, last night gave out the following
statement concerning the measure before
the Legislature known as the ''shot-firing
BILL:
I'm the early summer of 1897, and follow
Ing several years of Generalization, the
selling price of bituminous coal and the
wages paid for mining and for labor in and
about coal mines had sunk TO the lowest
level ever known in the history of the in
dustry. The situation became so acute that
il resulted in a general strike and a total
suspension of mining in the four States of
Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and the Pittsburg
district of Pennsylvania.
After q settlement of that strike had
been had and as result of il, representa-
tlyes or the operators and miners OF the
four States mentioned met in Columbus, o..
on Dec. q, 1897 for the purpose of ar
ranging conference or convention for
tablshing such an interstate agreement on
rates and prices for the mining of coal as
would establish settled market conditions
and If possible agree on some plan which
could be made continuous and avoid the
necessity of future strikes or suspensions.
Such convention was had in Chicago on
Jan. IL, 1898, at which scale of wages
was agreed upon to take effect on the first
of the following April and continue in
force for one year thereafter. Ii also pro-
held in January or February of each year
to agree upon wage scale for the year
beginning the first Of April next ensuing.
las basic principle of such scale 1T
was agreed by both parties that the cost
of mining should be uniform and equal
at the basing points in each of the four
states, and this principle has governed in
each and every scale that has been adopted
since that time, and has resulted in greater
peace and prosperity in the mining industry
of the four States mentioned than has been
enjoyed in any other period of time.
PURPOSE OF CONFERENCE.
ha for
and miners of the four States mentioned
are in convention together in Indianapolis
for the purpose of again agreeing upon a
UNIFORM and equal wage scale for the four
States mentioned, and yet we are informed
that the Legislature of Indiana purposes to
pass a law which will make it a criminal
offense for either the miners or operators
of the State of Indiana to observe the con-
tract obligations which they there enter
into. lie effect of this law will be to de-
stroy the uniformity in wages and cost of
mining agreed upon at the several con-
ferenceS and to place the operators of In
diana at a disadvantage with the operators
of the other three States by increasing
their labor cost over and above the labor
cost of the other three States. The law
alluded to is the so-called shooters bill,
by which the cost of shooting and the re-
sponsibility attached thereto is to be paid
standing that it is not so paid for nor the
responsibility of il assumed by the opera
tors of the other three States, and not
withstanding that the shooting of coal is a
necessary part or the mining of coal and
that the miner is paid for it in the wage
scale agreed upon In the interstate conven-
ton.
1.-The effect of such law would be to
increase the cost of mining in Indiana over
and above the cost in the other three
States, and thereby to depreciate the value
coal lands in Indiana and retard the devel
opment of the industry throughout the
whole State. 1t would have the still further
effect of injuring the manufacturing inter-
ests of the State.
1.-THE wages paid in the mining and pro-
ducing of coal constitute IS per cent. of
the cost of coal, and any increase in such
wages will necessarily increase the selling
price. which has to be paid by the con-
sumner.
1.-The gas belt of the State of Indiana is
about exhausted, and 1t will be impossible
| to retain those industries within the State
unless they can procure their fuel as cheap
| ly in Indiana as they can in other States.
CLAIM MADE FOR BILL.
1.-THE only claim that is made In favor Of
| the bill is that it will reduce the number
of accidents in mines that occur from the
shooting of coal 1t may not be generally
| known, but yet it is a fact that the liabil-
| ity to accident in the mining of coal is
less than that of house painting. carpentry.
| brick laying, sewer building, street clean
| ing and a number of other vocations al
most too numerous to mention.
''Out of total of 16S accidents occurring
| in the coal mines in the State of Indiana in
one year twenty-seven only occurred from
| shooting; nine of these occurred from dust
| explosions caused by shots; three of these
accidents were fatal; two of them were in
mines where shooters were employed by the
| miners The number of mines where shoot
| ers are employed compard with those where
4 they are not employed ten is to 100.
| Two accidents occurred by shots through
pillars; nine by delayed shots; four by
windy shots and three by premature blasts.
| The total number of fatal accidents was
| six.
| 1.-The operators of the State are prepared,
| whenever called upon, to submit documents
which will sustain each and every state
| ment herein made, and they cannot believe
| that after thorough understanding of the
| situation the Legislature of Indiana will
| seriously consider a law that will do SO
| much to cripple one of the greatest indus
| tries of the State
I'm conclusion the operators submit that
| If IL is the general desire that a shooters
| bill be passed that the miners should en-
/ ploy the shooters and assume the respon-
4 sibility arising from their employment as
| they collect from the operators in the uni
| form wage scale adopted In the interstate
| convention pay for this very work.
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