The Indianapolis journal., 1904-03-05
COAL PRICES FIRMER
THROUGHOUT THE WEST.

CHICAGO March 4-The Black Diamond. re-
viewing the Western coal trade. tomorrow will
say:
Complexities in connection with the wage
the strong probability of strike in at least
part of the States represented in the interstate
conference, if not in all of them, have had a
ihrnnpb ,ba Nesi The mi5die of the week when
the situation regarded the gravest from
the standpoint of future peace IN the labor
tions on spos coal and determined to await de-
velopments before deciding on their future pol
icy This naturally had strong sG infqenee on
gained p cents a ton. while in others there was
a gain of 10 and 10 cents
sr-ed that strllas Will be declared in the Penn
sylyana and Ohio fields. The future of Illinois
and Indiana is not so certain. In some quarters
IL is felt that the interstate movement may be
agreement being reached at Indianapolis, will
negotiate with the miners organization direct
far there has been no outward indication that
such a policy would pe pursued, but the under
among indivduai ope.a ators in the two States
mentioned there is sentiment which would
support any such movement.
I'm event of a general suspension which would
involve the four states in the interstate agree
ment Il is probable over 20O0 600 miners would
cease in nearly every unbonzed bituminous field
in the country. The opeGators or central Penn
sylvania the Kanawha district of West Nir-
ginia. Michigan, part Of Kentucky. Iowa., Ne
braska. Kansas. Missouri and Arkansas all
the interstate agreement as a baslng rate in
reaching agreements in I'll cir localities. In
of a suspension IL is bel teved improbable that
the States mentioned would care TO sign local
agreements unless reduction was granted In
event that they did they might find themselves
handicapped because of the higher rate they
were paying for mining than the states where
the disagreement occurred, especially II the lat
ter finally out and were accorded lower
rate by the United Mine Workers organization.
The situation from the standpoint of relation
to labor is the gravest since 1897. Advices
ceived from Indianapolis late in the week
far from assuring and opel ators everywhere who
had attended the convention expressed the opin-
ion that neither side could retreat from the po-
sttion which il had taken. Notwithstanding this
sentiment there is always the possibility at the
Izsst moment before disruption occurs that
brtration may BE- resorted TO final for
the trouble. Under the surface there were ind-
cations the middle OF the week that this might
be used to preserve the peace. but no advances
of a definite nature to that end had been made
by ei ther side at that time.
"In the Western anthracite trade the market
continues steady and unchanged Dock stocks in
Chicago Milwaukee and at the head of the
lakes ar well reduced and the prediction made
in this olumn time since that very little
hard coal wouk be carried into the
year will be verified unless March proves to be
an unusually mild month. Two OF the large
dock companies in Chicago have cleaned up
their tonnag and dependent upon rail ship
ments to su 7ply their trade. Other companies
have reduced their surplus tonnage immensely
and there is 10 shipping company that looks
upon the future with any degree of discourage
ment."