New-York tribune., 1906-02-28
NO SOFT COAL STRIKE.
STEEL TRUSTS DEMAND.
Goulds and Corey Force Operators
to Appease Miners.
fBy Telegraph to The Tribune.


Pittsburg. Feb. 27.-The United States steer
Corporation and the Gould interests have taken
a hand In the threatened strike In the bitufnl-
nous fields and under threats of annullns I'M
mense contracts now held by the Pittsours Coa
Company and other interests forced the pitufnl-
nous operators from the offensive to the de-
fensive tonight. In Pittsburg this afternoon
preparations for the strike were called on ana
the announcement made that there will be no
strike.
In addition to this. the information has leaked
out from an official source that the bituminous
miners will receive an advance and good one
If they hold out for 1915 per cent they will get
it. for il has been so ordered by Wall Street
The United States steel Corporation viii not
stand a strike. We have % year contract FOR
coal with you, and il must be taken care or
We are booked up solid for year ahead ana
the money have lost must be got back give
the miners an advance; keep them in GOOD
humor for the year Do this or we VIII sec
that they get the wages and we get the coal.
was the thunderboIt hurled at President f1oo-
bins OF the Pittshurg Coal Company ny FresI-
dent Corey of the Steel Corporation in the Of
fees of the Steel Trust, Whlther HopoihS was
called few days ago.
Tbesa we're orders from the throne, as the
contract which the Pittsburg Coal Company has
with the Steel Corporation is one of the largest
in existence and calls for a minimum or oVp'oVo
tons of coal yearly The tone of Mr.. corey "ds
such as TO warrant the belief that no strike ex-
cuses would be accepted. and that il the Pitts
burg Coal Company would hold the contract the
mines must be kept running.
To-day President Robbins. on his return 10
Pittsburg, called by long distance telephone
Chairman Winder of the Ohio operators Chair
man Coulson of the Indiana operators and
tI,a
told them what President Corey had said. It
appears that they, too. had been informed by
the Goulds and other big interests that there
must be no strike and so it was decided to meet
In Pittsburg Tomorrow to talk things over
While the general impression is that the reason
for calling this meeting was the request or Pres
ident Roosevelt the fact is that before MI ROD
bins got his letter from the President he had re-
ceived his orders from Corey.
Wha. will the miners accept now? Is the ques-
tion uppermost in the minds of the operators
Not to grant the miners one cent advance nut
to stand for a strike and sell the coal now IN
stock at an advance in price was the plan OF the
bituminous operators. However. II appears
that they not able to show the Unlted
States Steel Corporation that there was enough
coal now in stock to hold the country for some
months OF strike. and so the strike deal is dead
There has been much talk about a return to
the old rate a 555 per cent advance over pres
ent "a tes hut It is no longer secret that the
miners need not accept this II they do not wish
to. The object OF the meeting here to-morro"
will be TO discuss the scale of wages TO be or
fered to the leaders. 1t is nos unlikely that a
long contract at a rate lower than the l21a per
cent advance will be offered the men.
The bituminous operators have hopes that all
will be well. With the stiff advance which the
bituminous operators are now forced TO grant. 1t
Is thought that President Mitchell will take a
chance on similar advance among the hard
coal mines, and hold out for a large advance.
which mag result in shutting down the anthra-
cite m2es. This would help the bituminous
coal market greatly.
The meeting of the operators tomorrow prom
ises to be a stormy The turbulence is ex-
pected 10 arise over the attitude OF some of the
independent operators in the Pittsburg district
who are opposed TO any concessions whatever.
Ir case the Independents find that they are
strong enough to stand alone in the matter they
may decline TO enter any such settlement and
the battle will be between the miners. the Pitts
burg Coal Company and the Independents.