The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-21
Individual Operators Meet the
 United Mine Workers VERY FRIENDLY DISCUSSION
Miners Scale Calls for Last Year's Price for Cutting Coal, 47.5o Mini mum and 57.5o MaxImum-Two
 Years Contract Proposed.

AOis
 A demand is made for the eight hour law.
 The report of the committee was read in open session of the miners convention yesterday afternoon. when several of the operators were present by special invita- ton from the miners committee. It had not been expected that the report of the scale committee would be made pulp lie at this session, but the failure of the operators to meet with the miners at the morning session and the declaration of the operators at the afternoon session that they were acting as individuals rather than an association, together with the statement that they desired copiss of the report of the scale committee re- suited in the publication of this report
 When the report had been read the o1- orators naturally desired time to consid- CT it. and for this purpose the miners convention adjourned until Il o'clock Thursday morning The operators will not act upon the report as an association, but each corporation or individual 1t was announced would act independently in case 1t was impossible for them to act m conference.
 The general sentiment of the convention yesterday seemed conservative, and the miners manifested delight that a num- Der of the most prominent operators were present at the afternoon session when 1t had been previously announced that the operators would not attend.
 Principal Speakers.
 Col T. G. Bush and Fred M. Jackson were the principal speakers for the oper- ators. both making 1t clear that there was no longer working association or the operators, and that the miners would have to negotiate with individuals. rather than an association.
 Assurances were given that the opera tors were equally anxious with the miners for equitable adjustment of the question, desiring no delay if possible to prevent it.
 MT. Fairley, speaking for the miners, seemed to meet this suggestion in the same fair spirit and the convention ad- iourned until Thursday in very good humor.
 The report of the scale committee, which was read at the afternoon session, was as follows:
 The Proposed Scale.
 Birmingham, Ala, June 15, 1904. To the Officers and Members of the Sew
 enth Annun, Con cntion of District 20,
 U. M. W. of A.
 We your committee on scale, beg leave to make the. following report for your consideration:
 That the present contract to remain in force until June 30, 1906, with the old scale of prices, rules and regulations now in force, with the following changes:
 Section of the present contract to re- main the same.
 Section to be stricken out.
 4. Section to remain the same with the following additions. Motormen, s210; motor spra ggers, $2O0; all hoisting engi- neers. $221; electrical engineers, 2.2S; washer engineers, $200; washer engineers tlpers. $..S7Hs; boiler water tenders, Sl60; boiler maker helpers, $1.60; machnist he,Iers, s1.54; top cagers. $1.70; bottom cagers, $l.S0; boiler clearens s1.60. All men working around the washer, not mentioned in the scale to be paid not less than s117 per day All men working on rock shall not receive less than miners on company work. All other common day labor for ins de work mot mentioned on the scale to be paid not less than s1.54. All ether common day labor for outside work not mentioned on the scale, to be paid not less than SLY. The above to be paid at the minimum.
 5. Section to remain the same with the following additions: If sand rock has to be taken that the company will pay the heading men the rate per day of miners ca company work for taking said sand rock.
 j. Section to remain the same
 !. Section to be stricken out and the following inserted The differental be- tween Pratts and Kimberly shall be 12 1-2c per ton. in lieu of 10c.
 S. Section 8 to be stricken out.
 g. Section to remain the same.
 10 Eection 10 to be stricken out.
 IL Section Ii to remain the same.
 P. Section 12 to be stricken out.
 E That eight (S) hours shall constitute a days work.
 Ii. That the yardage prices of all p,ites on the sliding scale shall go up and down with the scale.
 -a That we recommend that the pres ant ct kage system throughout the dis t;ict be referred to the various locals, and when ny gievance exists the same to te taken up by the district officers for rcvIsi ion and readjustment.
 16 That all coal shall be weighed throughout District 20.
 Respectfully submitted. T. H. Tinney, chairman; C. H. Lonnegan, secretary; l.. B. Evans, assistant secretary; s. M. Thompson, w D. Gates, Andrew Reid, James Savage, W. C. Russell, R. l.. Col son, W. A. Davis, J. l.. Manson. Sam Hartley. w. M Nelson. J. F. Bynum, Tom CIancey. Walter Jones, Wes Allen, John Coins. Frank Scruggs. Dan Wilson. George Smitherman, P. R. Murray, James Mink, J. w. Lacy, R. P. Chandler
 The scale for digging coal as reported by the committee is shown to be the same as is now in effect Both Mir. Jackson and Colonel Bush declined to commit themselves to the report. asserting that there are some provisions to which they cannot agree. but at the same time ex- pressing a desire for a fair, peaceable and harmonious settlement.
 The Morning Session.
 The convention was called to order yesterday morning at 11:40 o'clock by President Flynn. He announced that when the convention adjourned on Saturda yrhe understanding was that a collection was to be taken up when the body reconvened for the relief of the families of the members of the Western Federation of Miners in Colorado. Dele gates Kirkpatrick. Pow. Coker and Sors- by were appointed to take up the col lection They secured sa5.1 and 1t was