Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-03-17
MADE A
LITTLE
PROGRESS
Miners and Operators Agree
on Some Points of Scale
for Year.
REACH STOPPING PLACE
Question of Day Wage Scale Dis
cussed at Length.
Question of Day Wage Scale Dis
cussed at Length.
AGREE ON EIGHT FOOTENTRYDRIVIEG
Also Fix Price in Twelve Foot Entries
Refer Question of "skip Entries"
to committee-Take Prices
for Machine Mining From Scale.

Des Moines, March 13.-(Special)-
progressed little farther yesterday,
toward a final settlement upon scale
for the coming year than they were at
the beginning of the day, they stopped
short when they came to the question
of the inside day wage scale, matter
which, together with the deficient work
question is expected to consume con-
siderable time this year before an
agreement is reached. With regard to
the day wage scale in the first dis
trict, which was under consideration
when the adjournment was taken last
evening, the miners take the stand that
they should be paid an advance Of
twenty-five per cent. or $3.50, instead
OF the price that has prevailed during
the past year, $2.42. The operators, on
the other hand, claim that the correct
raise would be 121a per cent, the same
as was received according to their
claims in northern Illinois. This spe-
cial wage affects track layers and pipe
men in the first sub-district, but upon
this settlement, in a way hinges all in
side day wage scale for the state.
miTit9 FFiCe Laid over.
When the scale committee met yes
terday afternoon, the mining price in
the first sub-district, which had already
occupied the attention of the joint
body, for two half days, without being
settled, was again taken up for discus
sion. 1t became evident at once, how
ever, that neither side was ready to
recede from its stand taken the day
before, and accordingly the miners
presented a proposition looking to the
tabling of this matter until today, and
making it a special order of business
for this morning. The operators at
first objected to this, but later they
caucuscd and as result agreed to the
proposition.
Entry Work.
The price for driving eight foot en-
tries in the first sub-district was then
taken up, it being the first item in the
scale following the mining price. Last
years price was S1.53 per yard, and the
miners asked for $1.75 this year, a
trifle over the increase of 1919 per cent
granted in the eastern states. The op-
orators offered SLIP, one-eighth of one
cent under the 1211s per cent raise, and
the miners accepted the proposition
without discussion.
Twelve foot entry driving was the
next item. Last years price for this
was $1.20, which the miners claimed
had been too low for several years.
They asked for price this year of
$1.50, saying this would equalize mat
ters However, the operators were
unwilling to give more than the stated
raise of 121s per cent, or $1.S5 per
yard, and their figures were finally
accepted.
In similar manner the former price
Of $1.15 for entries fourteen feet or
more in width was changed for the
coming year to $1.30, and room turn
ing, twelve to fourteen foot doorway,
was raised from $500 to 1925.
Double Shifting.
( Then the question of double shifting
on entry work was reached. The price
for several years for this has been
twenty-five cents per yard in excess of
the scale price, but the miners claimed
the same relative raise on this, or
twenty-eight cents. They maintain
that the trouble incident to the night
work justifies their stand and that they
are entitled to the same relative raise
on this item as on all others. The
claim of the operators, however, is
that this extra price is paid the miners
over and above the price paid for
yardage and for coal and that if the
raise were made on the double shift
ing wage the miner would receive a
double raise. The operators asked
that this price be left as before al
! twenty-five cents. Neither side could
be convinced that the other was right
In this matter, and the question was
finally passed until later time.
Subj Committee Work.
M At this point the scale committee
struck point where it was necessary
to refer two matters to sub-commit.
tee in order to bring about at settle.
ment and save time. These question:
concern what are known as Skip en-
tries" in long wall mines, on which
there is no agreed price, but for which
the miners want one established, and
the price for turning twenty-seven foot
rooms, which is alike not mentioned
in last years scale. The committee an.
pointed to confer upon this question
and report back to the sale committee
ID made I'D of the following. first dis.