The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-03-31
.P|TTSBURG MINES
 WILL BE OPEN SOON
Many Will Go to Work Under
 the 1903 Scale
SOME TROUBLE IS FEARED
Violence May Result If the Pittsburg Coal Company Continues to op- crate Its Properties-Situa-
 ton In District Quieter.

Pittsburg. March sO.-General sentiment in the Pittsburg district of the bitumin ous coal fields tonight based upon the news of the action of the miners con vention at Indianapolis Is that while strike is now inevitable, that in western Pennsylvania at least 1t will be of short duration.
 Through the adoption of the resolution permitting miners to sign the 1903 wage scale wherever 1t is offered by the op- orators the way Is opened for the opera tion of the western Pennsylvania mines, 53 per cent of which are controlled by the Pittsburg Coal company. Dispatches tonight from various points announce the restoration of the 1903 scale and the ln- tention of striking miners to return to work Monday morning under the scale.
 Robbins Has Been Leader.
 F. L. Robbins, chairman of the execu- tive board of the Pittsburg Coal com pany, has been foremost among the op- orators in the movement to restore the 1908 scale, and it Is now practically as sured that this company will operate its mines, strike or no strike. It is, however, thought that thirty days suspension at least will be called in this district. This. 1t Is said will be done in order that the large stocks of coal that industrial plants and railroads have been accommodating in anticipation of general strike, may be reduced
 Some apprehension is felt here. how ever, over the possibility of trouble and perhaps violence in the event of the 5 Pittsburg company continuing to operate its properties. There would be employ ment for about 2O,OOo men and it was said that there was likelihood of men being sent from other fields where the strike was on, and where the advance had not been offered, as missionaries to induce men in the Pittsburg district to get out, and in such event violence would be the result
 May Hold Sunday Session.
 The convention of the miners of the local district which has been in session for three days awaiting the result of the Indianapolis convention and the confer ence adjourned again today pending the return of the leaders. The convention will go into session again tomorrow, and if HO lHSlIuCliOHS dit it1CiNtdt d SVSSiOi will be held Sunday as the scale expires tomorrow, and instructions must be given before Monday morning.
 The situation in other parts of the dis trict from reports received today, is quieter than it has been throughout the week. At Greensburg 5000 miners today voted to continue work regardless of the action of the Indianapolis convention. The two companies there will pay the ad- vance.
 Fear of General Strike Is Over.
 At Irwin. where the situation has had a threatening aspect the fear of gem eral strike Is over. The strike that start ed here three weeks ago has been but partially successful, and tonight the Westmoreland Coal company and the Pennsylvania Gas Coal company posted notices at the mines that the 1903 rate will be restored. Thls scale will prevail In other mines in the Irwin field.
 Among the operators in the Johnstown district, which includes Cambria county and the big Somerset field, 1t is believed there Is no danger of strike. At the Ber- wind White offices in Winder, it was an- nounced today that all difficulties had been adjusted The Berwind White peo- pie it was officially announced will be ainong the companies to grant the in crease This company is the largest in the district and their action will be fol- lowed by the smaller firms.
 
 Whereas, many individual operators have expressed their willingness and de- sire to grant the restoration of the above scale.
 Therefore, be 1t resolved, That this convention now assembled do authorize the national and district officials to make agreements with any and all parties engaged in the operation of coal mines the same to provide for the restoration of the scale paid in 1903 for mining day labor, and dead work for a period of two years, beginning April l. 1906, in the central competitive field and the equiva- lent of the above demands to be the basis in all other bltuminous districts and be it resolved further
 Resolved, That where such agreements are secured the miners and mine la borers shall abide thereby and work in accordance with the same"
 Delegate Mooney wanted to know if the officials could authorize a scale with out consulting the miners. MT. Perry re- piled that the intention of the resolution Is that all scales signed at any place where an agreement should be secured must be signed by the district officials or the national officials or both together q district official or any other official could make any scale with an operator except so far as has been provided for by the convention.
 It was explained that where the same company owned mines in two districts. the scale must be signed by the company at all of it's properties before the scale could be signed at any one. MT. Perry said the resolution was not intended to settle conditions. but scale. Vice Pres dent Lewis said:
 "In the restoration of the scale of 1903 will it provide that where companies have not recognized the union scale of on the check-off and the rights of the this resolution will carry in effect the same provisions that existed at the mines in 1903 at the present time?''
 Would Have to Pay Scale.
 Mir. Perry said any operator who signed would be compelled to pay the scale. It referred to union mines only and not to non-union mines. The resolution con formed to conditions as they had hereto fore existed
 In reply to question: MT. Mitchell said the Ryan resolution had never been for mally rescinded. but the report of the scale committee had virtually nullhed It.
 w. D. Ryan. author of the resolution, said he did not think it necessary to re- scind it formally. ''It has done its work S53565 45 locally but advanced Is 3d to price We have the best chance now that we ever had to right some wrongs exist