Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-03-31
AN ADVANCE IN many STATES.
Big Coal Strike Is Inevitable, But
The Situation Is Not Hopeless.

indianapolis. Ind, March 30.-Ameli-
Grafton of the threatened strike of
bituminous coal miners April / was
secured today by the United Mine
Workers Of America who, before ad-
journing without day., authorized ma
tiOnal and district officers to sign wage
agreements with any coal operator who
would agree to pay the scale of 1903
or its equivalent for q period of two
years. This is an increase of 5.55 per
cent i'm wages in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio
and Western Pennsylvania. and all
other districts except the southwest.
composed Of Missouri, Kansas. Texas.
Arkansas and the Indian Territory,
where an advance Of 3 cents II tom was
demanded as the 1903 scale in force N
that district.
As many operators have Signified q
Willingness to pay the advance. the
number of miners that intend to strike
ON April l, will he probably be ulti-
mately reduced by many thousands. 1t
is probable that most of the coal min
""s will close work on April /, although
IN" cessation of labor will be temporary
IN those districts where the increase
in wages can be obtained.
The convention declined an offer
made by the operators Of Indiana. ILL
nnis ana ohio to submit the wage diff
fcrrnceS to arbitration. Where a coal
operator owns mines i'm different dis
trictS. the scale must be signed for all
III" properties at the same time before
any of his mines will be allowed to
run.
The action of the convention prob
ably will bring out of the mines of the
country on April !, some 800 900 miners
from the anthracite and the bituminOuS
fields These will remain on strike. it
is said, until settlements have been
signed by districts or with individual
opt rators. The only miners, il is sad
that will go to work on Monday will be
$4,000 men in the new river, POcohOn-
tas. Fairmount and Central Fields of
West Virginia, where a truce has been
signed temporarily.
The joint state conventions of the
outlying districts which will be held
next week at Charleston, w. Va, Louis
vile. Ky, Des Moines, Ia, Saginaw.
Mich ana Clearfiell, in Central Penn
SylVania. We're empowered under the
action Of the convention today to sign
agreements with the operators of those
states ii they agree to pay the 1903
scale. Tho men will return to work as
soon as the scale is signed. If there is
disagreement in these states conVen-
lions, any of the miners can sign the
scale and resume work where individ-
ual operators pay the advanced scale.
1t is anticipated that the scale will
be signed in a few days by employers
Of $4,000 miners. The Pittsburg Coal
Company. and +. l.. Robbins of West
ern Pennsylvania, who also own mines
in Iowa. Illinois and West Virginia will.
il is understood will sign at once to-
gether with IL number of independent
operators. The miners expect to get
the advances in all the Indiana mines
south of the Baltimore < Ohio Railroad,
i'm number of central Indiana mines.
in one half of the Illinois mines and in
a large portion of the mines OF OHIO.
The duration of the strike in Michigan.
Kentucky. Central. Pennsylvania. Iowa
and West Virginia cannot be determin-