Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-04-03
Few Miners Return Even
Where Scale is
Signed.
HOPEFUL AT new YORK
Estimated Production Will be
40 Per Cent of Normal
i'm a Week.

indianapolis. April g. The great
coal strike began in earnest today
with the backbone of the operators re-
sistance apparently damaged in the
bituminous fields. F. l.. Robbins and
some of the independent operators OF
the western Pennsylvania district nave
signed the 1903 scale contracts pre-
sented by the miners. Robbins also
signed contracts TO operate his Ohio
and Illinois mines.
Small Operators Sign.
A number of small Independent op-
orators in Ohio, Indiana and a larger
number in Illinois have signed con-
tracts Compared with the output OF
the resisting operators in Ohio, lndl-
ana and Illinois, the independents that
have signed in those states represent
only a small production, but with the
output of the Iowa operators and those
of western Kentucky and the nonunion
production of Iowa and West Virginia,
besides the Robbins mines, indications
are from 40 to 40 per cent of the nor
NAL production in the great centrally
by the latter part of the week.
No Large Break In Ranks.
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 West Vir-
ginia and nonunion friends in Pennsyl-
yania will be-kept in operation. Most
of the nonunion operators have posted
the advance in wages.
Illinois Operators Firm.
Chicago, April 3.-Nearly three hun
dred operators of Illinois were repre-
sented at the meeting of their organ
ization here today The meeting was
called for the purpose of considering
the strike situation. Without eXcep-
ton it was decided to stand firm in re-
isisting the demands of the miners.
The Chicago & Carbondale company OF
De Soto, ILL.,, who signed the scale de-
manded by the miners, was expelled
from membership. Reports were re-
ceiyed from various sources telling of
mines not controlled by members of
the operators association which had
refused to sign the scale.
Says 30 Have signed.
Springfield, H.. April 3.-State Pres
ident Perry of the United Mine Work
ers stated this afternoon so far Sc
operators in Illinois had signed the
agreement to pay the scale of 1908.
Optimistic at New York.
New York, April 3.-Although moth
ing has occurred to change the situa-
ton there was general expectation
today the conference between the sub
committees of the anthracite operators
and miners, which will be held late to-
day. will bear fruit. There was a
strong optimistic feeling among the
representatives of the miners that
something will happen greatly to re-
lieve the situation.
Mitchell Says There IL No Change.
President Mitchell during the fore
noon said there was no change in the
situation so far as the miners are con
cerned. The men still stand firm for
what they have asked, and he felt con-
fident the operators would not continue
10 maintain the attitude they have as
sSumed up TO the present time.
Hour of Meeting Postponed.
1t was the original intention to hold
the conference of operators and min
ers in the forenoon, but by agreement
the meeting was delayed until after
noon in order to give the operators an
opportunity to confer with one an.
other.
Opened at Noon.
The conference between the anthra
cite operators and miners committees
began at noon. Newspaper men were
excluded. A statement was promised
at the close of the meeting.
The coal conference adjourned at
2:45 to meet again Thursday after
noon.
No Sign of Break.
According to the official statement
given out by the operators, Mitchell
and other representatives of the min
ers occupied most of the time of the
conference with speeches detailing
why in their judgment the original de-
mands of the miners ought to be
granted. As far as could be learned
there is no disposition on either side