The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-06
The Former still Believed to Have
Their UItimatum I'm Reserve Ready
to Spring Auspiciously.
THE PENNSYLVANIA OPERATORS
T.. l. ROBBINS MOVES THAT THEIR
PROPOSITION BE ACCEPTED.
Conference Has Resolved Itself Into
Waiting Body-some Miners Talk
of Indefinite Fighting.


with joint scale committee meeting at the
English Hotel yesterday morning. public
conference I'm Tomlinson Hall later in the
morning. an executive meeting of the min
ers' delegates in Tomlinson Hall during
the afternoon. meeting of the scale COM
mittee of the miners in the afternoon a
caucus. meeting of the joint scale COM
mittee from 4:30 until $50 o'clock and a
meeting OF the Indiana operators and min
ers late last night failed TO arrive at any
agreement over the adoption Of new
scale OF wages.
Yesterday was a day of strenuous activ
ity for both sides TO the controversy. The
joint scale committee. when 1t met. de-
cided that little hope for an agreement
existed, because of instructions from
the convention of miners, and adj
Journed TO report to the conference which
was called shortly after in Tominson Hall.
At this conference the joint committee
reported that the miners had declined to
accept the offer of the operators for 10
cent increase per ton on screened coal and
scent increase per ton on run of mine
The conference threshed over the whole
proposition again and each side took its
original stand. The report of the SUBJ
committee to the conference follows:
1T was moved in the subcommittee ses-
sion by the miners that as basis for a
wage scale drivers and cagers be paid the
same rate as timber men and track lay
ers, viz. rs per day. This was lost, the
operators only voting in the negative.
1t was moved by the PENNSYLVANIA
operators that the scale for the past year
be continued with the same conditions ex-
cept as TO mining prices, the prices TO be
increased 10 cents a ton for one and one
quarter-incb screened coal, pick mining,
10 cd ha
same proportion. with the exception of
drivers; that the scale for drivers be on
the basis of s2.2s. making the price $3.50
day
This the miners wished to amend by
providing that the advance on machine
mined coal be the same number of cents
ton as on pick mined. and including
cagers with drivers. On the original mo-
ton. made by the Pennsylvania operators,
ators did not vote. All of the miners re-
1ected II. On the amendment Illinois again
DID not vote All Of the miners voted cage
and the operators no..
ROBBINS'S MOTION.
Shortly after the reading OF the report
F. L. Robbins. of Pennsylvania. offered
motion that the proposition advanced
by the Pennsylvania operators be accepted.
This motion was amended In a motion by
II. N Taylor, of Illinois. who asked that
the advance in the Danville district the
basing district in Illinois, be cents a ton
on mine-run coal, and that the differential
be 10 cents less than the hand rate on the
purch machine and 12la cents less on the
chain machine mined coal. Both the mo-
ton of Robbins and the amendment offered
were lost in the vote.
The proposition OF the Pennsylvania oper-
ators was explained as meaning that the
increase of 10 cents on screened coal is an
advance OF 1211 per cent. day from the
operators standpoint. and day laborers
would of a
day. and the advance to the drivers would
amount in money to A. cents day, or %
per cent
The miners demand Is based differeutIy
They demand an absolute run-of-mne basis
with the 1-cent differential between the two
classes of mined coal--pick and machine
The demand of I21a cents additional to the
ton OF mine-run coal makes advance of
20 per cent In wages, with 80 per cent.
demand for inside laborers. and a general
advance of like proportions TO the yard
men and other employees about the mines,
from the boys up 10 the superintendent
into waiting body. Facts and figures
have been exhausted. and nothing but ar
sument and tenacity will keep the two
parties together for an agreement II is
said that the operators with the first prop
ositfon had not exhausted their resources
failure to secure the adoption of this prop
os1tion by the miners. The next PROPOSE
ton, 1t IL expected, will be of somewhat
greater increase. but not what the miners
ultimatum of the operators, and IL will be
either case OF the miners accepting or
Ielusng, and thereby demonstrating con-
clusNtly tnat no agreement can be reached
AGREEMENT ANTICIPATED.
The consensus of opinion among the
miners. although none of them will be
quoted and all are exceedingly reticent in
conversation with newspaper reporters. is
that an agreement will be reached soon. II
is understood that in the executive session
of the miners held yesterday at the call OF
Presidens Mitchell the scale committee wa.
empowered to act according to its judg
ment. Heretofore IL has acted under ex
plicit instructions from the convention anc
has followed the policy of the fight il on
If IL takes all summer sentiment expressed
and applauded in the conventiol Witt
power TO act on its own Judgment an,
probably an inkling OF the inevitable tn
scale committee. il is believed. will hol,
out for the ultimatum OF the operators an,
Their haggle over IL until il can be accepte'
gracefully. With this concession the con
ference will be practically through wit
both SIDES claiming victory.
There is little doubt that the miners wi
agree TO the ultimate proposition. TIL
sentiment in favor. of 20 per cent. Increas
or strike Is only held by the most radica
or she miners, and is diminishing. Tn
belief that strike would be deplorable an
unwise was the sentiment OF the miner.
delegates last night and with this III
operators are content.
When the conference will end continue
10 De In doubt III the scale committe
reaches an agreement to-day-and IL prof
aoiy ~iil-the report will be made TO III
general conference which will be convene
as soon as practicable. III = Is too LAT
for day session the conference will h
called tomorrow and the report received
adopted and ratified and the scale of wage
for the year beginning April an assure
fact The miners continue To obst'natel
say they Will stay with the fight. aIthoue
their belief in this is doubtful. None Z
them will be quoted as saying SO and a
example OF their views is that OF WiIliaI
D. Ryan. OF the Illinois delegation. VIII
said last night:
THE Illinois men are ready to 20 HON
tomorrow. They ara also prepared
stay indefinitely our board bills will
paid when due. and we have return tran:
portation that can be extended as Ion
as is made necessary by the action of N
conference"