Twice-a-week plain dealer., 1906-04-06
Conference ENDS
WITHOUT result
HARD COAL OPERATORS AND
MINERS REPRESENTATIVES
UNABLE TO AGREE.
WILL HOLD ANOTHER
MEETING THURSDAY
Extent of Strike in the Bituminous
Fields-Over Half of Production
Shut off-Conficting Statements
from Pittsburg.

NeW 1OTh, april fine conference
of coal operators and miners repre-
senting the anthracite field began here
at noon Tuesday. The meeting was
held in the Jersey Central building.
The conference adjourned at 2:45 p.
m., to meet again at one p. IN. Thurs
day.
The following official statement was
given out by the representative of the
operators with the concurrence, it was
said, of the miners: The conference
began at noon, with President Thomas,
of the Lehigh Valley road, in the chair.
Mr. Mitchell made a long speech, de-
failing why in his judgment the orig
inal demands of the miners ought to
be granted. He was followed by Mr..
Nichols, also of the miners union,
who supported Mr.. Mitchells argu-
ments. There were other speeches by
the representatives of the miners. In
fact it was said that that side did
nearly all of the talking"
So far as could be learned there was
no disposition on either side to recede
from it's original position or accept
any modification of the original de-
mands. 1t was said to be on motion of
Mr.. Mitchell that the conference ad-
journed until Thursday.
Continuing, the operators statement
said: "Mr. Mitchell's attitude in
dicated that the counter proposition
made by the operators for a renewal of
the present working agreement, draft
ed by the anthracite strike commits
sion, was not acceptable to the min
ers. The entire situation remains the
same as before the meeting. The sus-
pension of work in the anthracite
mines will continue, pending the ne
gotiations."
Extent of Bituminous Strike.
Indianapolis, <Ind., April 4.-The
great coal strike began in earnest
Tuesday, with the backbone of the
operators resistance apparently dam
aged in the bituminous fields. F. L.
Robbins and some Independent oper-
ators in the western Pennsylvania dis
trict have signed the 1903 scale con-
tracts presented by the miners. They
tons normal production of the western
Pennsylvania district, and OF the ILL.,
100000 normal production of the CEN
trail competitive field, composed of
western Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana
and Illinois. Mr.. Robbins has also
signed contracts to operate his Ohio
and Illinois mines. A number of small
independent operators in Ohio, some in
Indiana and larger number in Illi-
nois, have signed contracts. Compared
with the output Of the resisting oper.
ators in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, the
independents that have signed in those
states represent only small produc-
ton, but with the output Of the Iowa
operators and Of those of western
Kentucky, the nonunion production OF
the Iowa and West Virginia, besides
the Robbins mines. the Indications are
that from 40 to As per cent. Of the nor.
NAL production in the great centrally
located territory will be in operation
by the latter part of the week.
Western Operators Holding Out.
Up to this time there is no large
break In the ranks of the resisting In.
diana, Ohio and Illinois operators
The unions friendly instead of hostile
attitude to the nonunion operators and
miners is calculated by the miners
officials to assure them that the West
s Virginia and nonunion fields in Penn
sylvania will be kept in operation
Most OF the nonunioA operators have
posted the advance in wages, and this
news has been hailed with as much de.
light by the uniopists as the reports
Of union operators signing, Officials
OF the mine workers base their calcu.
iations on this large production and
estimate that other operators will be
forced into signing to protect their
markets. The Indiana operators will
meet at Terre Haute Thursday and the
Illinois operators will meet this week.
The central Pennsylvania district joint
conference opened Tuesday at Clear
field.
Indiana operators employing 1000 of
the $4,000 miners have signed the scale.
These mines are scattered over the
state. Four signed Monday night at
washington and six at Terre Haute
Wellington O'Connor president of the
Indiana miners, went to Evansville
Tuesday to sign the operators of the
southern part Of the state. He expects
all operators in that field to sign al
once except two. Two of the seven
coal mines at Evansville and one large
mine at Newburgh were in full opera.
ton Tuesday, the scale having been
signed. Where the miners are not al
work there is no disorder.
"A special dispatch to national min
ers' headquarters from Wheeling Tues.
day says:
"Indications point to nearly all the
operators of the eastern Ohio and Wes'
Virginia Panhandle district signing
the scale within the week"
Half Of Miners Idle.
Pittsburg, Pa, April 4.-Statements
as to the number of miners at worE
in the Pittsburg district Tuesday were
conflicting. Officials of the Pittsbure
Coal company announced that all theil
mines were in operation, but With re-
duced forces. They claim that between
$4,000 and $4,000 out Of the $4,000 men
employed by them are at work, while
b~--