The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-08-25
1t Makes an Increase in
Their Wages.
ASEMI-M MONTHLY PAY DAY
Il Compromises The Eight Hour Day Question
and Forbids Boys Under Fourteen
Years of Age Working in
the Mines.
the Mines.
CIV the Associated Press.)

Birmingham, Ala, Aug. 22.-The court
of arbitration appointed to adjust matters
in controversy between coal operators and
miners in the Birmingham district made
its award through its chairman. Judge
Gray, of Delaware, at a late hour tonight
After reciting the claims made by the
miners and the operators, respectively, the
report, about / 400 words in length, makes
the following awards:
Minimum and maximum rate a sliding
scale: the rates per ton for mining coal
on the Pratt basis vary according to the
selling price of pig iron. 471a cents when
pig iron is selling at $S per ton to sly
cents when iron is selling at $115O per ton.
The same proportionate increase is to
be given on day wages for work in and
about the mines, but no increase is given
by this award for narrow work.
A semi-monthly payment of wages:
From and after October l the earnings
Of miners and wages of day men shall be
paid semi-monthly and such commissary
checks or credits as the operators may is
sue to their employees shall not be transfer
able but shall be redeemable in goods at
the respective commssaries upon which
they are drawn only when presented by
the employees to whom they have been IS
sued or by some members OF their families.
Rates for narrow work:
The total of the maximum price-on the
Pratt basis-to be paid for work in head
ings, exclusive of air courses, shall be
(S271) per yard in lieu of $2S4 per yard
ti1o foF in
courses to remain on the present basis
On the subject of the differential be-
tween machine and pick mining, the board
makes no conclusion, as insufficient data
have been presented on which TO form an
intelligent award. The board suggests
that a committee from both sides be ap-
pointed to make experiments and fix a
differential.
The award on this subject provides for
a system of fines to be imposed for alb
sence from work, except for sickness or
after notifying and obtaining consent CT
the mine foreman. An alteration of filming
is suspension from work for a fixed num-
Der of days.
Men who do not work twenty days IN
any one month when the mine is in opera
ton twenty days or more shall be fined
one dollar or suspended the first six days
in the following month, or be assigned to
another working place. The fines I'M
posed shall be collected through the com
pany's officers and be paid to the secre-
tary treasurer of District 20 (Alabama) of
the United Mine Workers of America Oh
or before the tenth day of each month
1t shall be optional with the operator
to impose fines or suspend mine workers,
or assign new places, in cases provided
for above.
Differentual between Pratt and other
mines:
The differential in the rate for mining
coal at the Jefferson mine and the KIM
berly mine OF the Central Coal Company
shall be reduced two and half cents per
ton on the yardage at the above mines
to remain as at present.
Employment of boys under IA years of
age:
A submission having been made by rep
resentatives of both sides to this contro-
versy of the question OF the age at which
boys may be employed. 1T is hereby award
ed that on and after September LIST, 1903,
no boys under the age of IA years shall
be employed or permitted in the mines by
any of the mine operators who are part
les to this arbitration.
When differentials for thin coal are paid
they shall not apply to yard prices.