The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-23
MINERS CAST VOTE
 FOR ARBITRATION No Truth in Rumor of DiSSen- tions Among Operators  SETTLEMENT SEEMS NEAR Senator Pettus Spoken of as Fifth Man-Acceptable to AII--Rufus N.
 Rhodes Highly Commended
 for the Position.
SETTLEMENT SEEMS NEAR

The miners throughout the district voted yesterday on the proposition for arbitration which was agreed to at the Joint conference on Tuesday. While the result of the ballot will not be definitely known until the meeting this afternoon. reports say the miners are practically unanimous for arbitration.
 At the meeting which will be held at Fox's hall at o'clock this afternoon the result of the miners vote will be an- nounced The names of the four arbi- trators chosen by the operators and miners, two representing each party to the controversy will also be announced. It is hoped and expected that before night or certainly tomorrow, the fifth man will be chosen and the miners will have received word to commence work once more.
 Arbitration Helps Business. A prominent commission merchant of this city who does business among the merchants in the mining districts, said yesterday: Normally my collections are six or seven hundred dollars a day, but 1 for the last two weeks I have not aver aged more than one hundred dollars but today, before noon, I had collected be- tween sixteen and seventeen hundred dol- lars. This shows, in a small way. what a real strike would mean, and It further shows that the merchants, who deal directly with the miners, believe that Tuesdays action is decisive and that there will be no further trouble of a serious character"
 Rumored Desertions Untrue.
 A rumor gained currency yesterday to the effect that the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company and the Sloss- Sheffield Steel and Iron company, the two largest producers in the district. had with drawn from the Operators association, and a statement to that effect so far as the sloss- Sheffield company was concern ed was published in the evening papers.
 The statement was premature. Charles McCreary, vice-president of the Tennessee Coal Iron and Railroad com- pany. when questioned said: T am not authorized to speak for the Sloss-Sheffield company, but do know that the Tennes- see company has not withdrawn and has no intention of withdrawing from the l Operators association"
 Inquiry at the office of A. II. Carpen- ter, the secretary of the Operators asso- citation, elcited the fact that no notice of withdrawal of the Sloss-Sheffield company had been filed with the secretary.
 Misunderstanding Explained.
 Operators generally refused to talk on the subject, but 1t was learned from re- liable sources that a slight difference of l opinion arose on a personal matter during 1 the session of the operators meeting on Tuesday. The trouble all came about through the misunderstanding which, it 1 is said, has been satisfactorily explained and the incident Is practically closed.
 Should Be No Difficulties. A great many men prominent in the wage-scale situation were seen, and while there was some diversity of opinion 1t was the general opinion that matters were now in line for speedy settlement.
 Captain T. G. Bush of the Alabama Consolidated Coal and Iron company said: T don't see why anyone should begin to get blue at the prospect now. The pro- posed method of selecting arbitrators is the usual one Sometimes all the arbi- trators are chosen at once, but the usual method Is for each party to select its own representatives and these to select the odd man"
 William R. Fairley said: T don't see why there should be any trouble. p
 William II. Hassinger manager of the Republic Iron and Steel company. said: ''I fear that it may be difficult to fix upon the fifth man, but all that the operators ask for is fair-minded man. able to com prehend the e'.ostions which will come be- fore the commission"
 J. c. Maben, president of the Sloss- Sheffield Coal and Iron Company. said: 'I am afraid that the difficult part of the matter is yet to come and that is, the selection of the fifth man on the commission"
 Charles Mccrery vice president and general manager of the Tennessee Coal. Iron and Railroad Company. said:.t'II hope they will be able to agree on a good man soon"
 number of other operators and min CTS were seen who would not express any definite opinion concerning the chance of choosing the fifth arbitrator today.
 Senator Fettus Proposed. There was considerable talk last even- ing of Senator E. W. Pettus of Selma as the fifth member of the commission. Senator Pettus is one of the best known Alabamians, and his life in his native