Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-02-16
Miners Present Demands
For a New Scale.
Ten Per Cent. Increase and
An Eight-Hour Day.
Operators Now Considering An.
swer--AgTeement Expected.

New York. Feb. 15.-The special scale
committee of the union anthracite mine
workers of Pennsylvania appeared be-
lore the presidents and other officials
| Oh the coal mining companies here to-
day anu stated i'll general terms the
| propositions 1t desired the operators to
| grant and then retired to formulate In
| detail the demands. Before the con-
| terence adjourned two subcommittee
| OF seven men each were appointed, one
| representing the miners and the other
| The operators, TO take up jointly the
| questions At issue and endeaVor to
reach an agreement. When these COM
mittees have completed their work
they will make a report to the confer
| ence.
| The utmost good feeling prevailed
during the meeting and there were
many signs that all matters at issue
may be settled without resort to a
strike. That the mine workers were not
completely prepared to go ahead with
| the negotiations came as q surprise to
| the operators. as they had been led to
| believe that the miners had perfected
their case. The operators were fully
prepared to proceed and some of them
We're disappointed that the representa-
| tiveS Of the men were not quite ready.
Immediately after the adjournment
the miners representatives returned
to their headquarters, where the sub
committee held preliminary meeting
to discuss plans After an hours con-
| ference it was announced that the sub
committee will begin the work of for
mulating the demands in detail tomor-
row morning. In the meantime the
| other members of the scale committee
will remain in New York for consulta-
| ton. 1t is not known when the min
ers subcommittee will be ready to
meet the subcommittee Of the opera
| tors as it expects to go into the min
| utest detail in presenting the miners
case. It is probable that they will not
be able 10 make n report before the
| early part of next week.
New York. Feb. 15-The conference
between the coal operators and the
Union Mine Workers of the hard coal
fields of Pennsylvania at which efforts
will be made to formulate an agree.
rnent between the employers and the
men to so into effect April /, when the
award 1T the anthracite commission
expires, will be held Thursday after
noon. All the coal companies VIII be
represented and the interests of the
employees will be looked after by the
special scale committee of So which is
made up Of the miners executive
boards OF the three mining districts.
Pres. Mitchell is chairman of this COM
mittee. Among those who will attend
are:
Pres. George B. Bacr Of the Phlladel-
phla d Reading Railroad Co.: w. II.
Truc5dale. president Of the Delaware,
Lackawanna IL Western; T. p. Fowler,
president Of the New York, Ontario &
Western: F. u. Underwood, president
of the Erie: L. b. Thomas, president
Of the Lehigh Valley; David Wilcox.
president of the Delaware & Hudson.
The independent operators will be
represented by Frank Pardee Of Hazel
ton. Pa. and j. l.. Cakes of Pittston,
Pa. ". l.. Council Of Scranton, Pa, an
Independent operator, who is president
OF the anthracite board of Cancellation,
will also be in attendance.
The Pennsylvania Railroad will not
be directly represented, it not having
been invited to the conference, but will
abide by any action taken by the pres
idents OF the other coal carrying rail-
roads.
In case a technical discussion shall
ensue after the miners have formally
made known their grievances the oper-
ators will call In officials of the vari-
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