The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-08
WAGE SCALE ADOPTED.
Concluded FROM FIRST PAGE)

CONCLUDED FROM rlRSI fAOE..l
pay to 221a per cent. 1t means that the
80 cents the ton at the least possible
calculation, and that the contracts made
by mine owners for the coming year Will
be based at a figure at least % cents more
to the ton than those when the coal condi-
ton was normal and prices not inflated by
a stringency in the supply.
much to the public. The consumers OF coal
will pay the increase, as the operators say
they will have to assess the add1t1onal cost
of mining to the sale price and, of course,
charge a little in addition to receive normal
interest their investments. To the man.
ufacturers this will mean much, and also
crease granted Each large consumer of
coal may safely figure on an increase in
cost of fuel that will do much to lessen
the profit on his manufactured product.
WHERE 1T is FELT.
This condition will apply to the country
generally. The coal of the United States is
mined in about twenty of them but is con-
sumed by the entirety. The wage increase
will be felt in the States of the central
competitive field and by other coal mining
States. as the bases Of scale adopted by
the conference in its concluding session
yesterday. is taken as a basis for the estab-
lishment of new scales in the other coal
fields, which meet in individual conferences.
In round numbers the added cost of produc-
ton of coal in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and
the Pennsylvania soft coal fields Will be
about S19OO0.000. Considering the tonnage
of coal mined in other States and basing
il on a rather less amount than actually
mined last year, the other fields will bring
the figures up to something more than $oe,-
100000 increase in cost Of production of coal
in the United States.
This cost of production will be charged
the consumer at somewhat greater lump
sum and ii is safe to say that the scale
adopted yesterday by the conference will
cost the coal consumers of the United
States at least S55, 900, 600 additional from the
year beginning April l, 1903, and ending
March 81 1904, to say nothing of establish
ing a precedent of wages for succeeding
years that TO violate would provoke strikes
and labor struggles of such intensity and
force as to practically paralyze the indus
trial conditions of the country.
The adoption of the scale was not with
out struggle. For many days the miners
delegates and operators haggled over ad-
vances and techncalities of the mining in
dustry and finally were only brought to-
gether by the concessions of the operators.
The struggle has not ended yet as the
spective fields and confer with the miners
organization there on local conditions.
Local conditions which are adjusted each
year provide for the settlement of questions
between employers and employees over
labor.
OPERATORS EXPLANATION
An operator explained it last night by
furnishing an example. He said: eff
roof in a coal room caves in or falls and
blockades the progress Of work it must be
cleared away at the expense of the oper-
ator. He must employ laborers TO clear ii
away, as the miners, according to their
union agreements, work at nothing but
mining. If timbers give way and tenn
porary structural work is destroyed we
must needs employ none but union timber
men, and the miners will stand aloof while
repairs are being made, and We stand the
loss of their idleness."
That the conference is over is a relief to
many people. The hotels have been crowd
ed. Tomlinson Hall janitors have had
complaint of their work to make for three
weeks and the miners and operators are
thoroughly tired out They exhausted facts
and figures in arguments of force and dur
alton and finally exhausted themselves by
their efforts. No more pleasant feeling
than ordinarily existing between the two
parties has been established, and each side
stands where il did formerly-in a position
to enter a struggle If it could only dare to
do so.
Many of the operators left for their homes
yesterday and last night. Many remained
in Indianapolis over night and will leave
to-day. The Hotel English, the headquar-
tiers of the delegation, and the Columbia
Club with the Denison House, the favorite
places frequented by the operators, are
gradually becoming more deserted looking
as each train leaves the city. .