The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1906-04-06
COAL T|f-UP WILL
not Be COMPLETE
SITUATION is EXPECTED TO IN.
PROVE RAPIDLY WITH
IN EACH DAY.
ANTHRACITE MEN ALL OUT
LEADING BiTUMlNoUs coMPA.
MES SIGN ScALE-HARD
COAL MEN CONFER.

Although the greatest suspension
OF coal mining in the United States
Since the production of fuel attained
its present enormous total, occurred
Monday, the fear Of Il complete tie-up
OF the industry has passed and the
situation is expected to improve rap
idly with each day. Reports received
from the bituminous fields show that
many OF the leading coal companies
have signed the 1903 scale which
gives the men an advance of $50
cents over the wages they received
during the last TWO years. The num-
Der of miners who received the i'll
crease is estimated al nearly 100000.
Celebrate Eight-Hour Day.
AS thousands of soft coal workers
laid off to celebrate the in. 1gura,ion
of the eight-hour day. which is annu-
ally observed i'm the birunlnoua re-
gions, the number of men who are on
strike or have suspended work pend
ing negotiations will not be known
until this afternoon or possibly to-
morrow.
an almost complete suspension OF
mining in obedience TO the instruc-
lions issued by the Shamokin scale
committee. The representatives OF
the operators and miners will NEE, in
New York to-day for Il further dis
cussion of the differences existing be-
tween them.
No disorder of any consequence is,
reported from any section OF the am
thracte or bituminous fields.
Hard Coal Tied Up.
Philadelphia. April 4.-There was a
complete suspension Of mining opera
,ions in the anthracite region ycster-
day in accordance with the order Is
sued last week by President Mitchell
OF the mine workers and the scale
committee of that organization. with
the solitary exception of the Oxford
colliery, q small Independent opera
ton near Scranton which employs
about 500 hands with Il daily capacity
Of about 1900 tons. This mine was
kept in operation during the strike Of
1902. Every colliery was opened rs
usual and in readiness for the work
ers, but there was no response to the
blowing of the whistles other than
the appearance OF the engineers. fire
men. punpmen and others whose
presence at the mines is necessary to
prevent them from injury and who
were exempted in president Mitch
ellis order.
Good Feeling Prevails.
The best of feeling between opera,
tors and miners is reported from all
sections, and the hope that salts
factory agreement may he reached al
the conference in New York today is
expressed on both sides.
Significance is attached by the mili-
ers to the fact that there is no appar-
ent attempt on the part Of the opera
tors to import non-union labor. which
they regard as favorable sign.
The miners leaders are careful to
assert that no strike has been de-
clared, the suspension, they claim, be-
ing merely a business necessity as the
miners have no arrangement with the
operators until the scale is adjusted
by the committee.
Sign the 1908 Scale.
Pittsburg, April 4. = There will be
no strike of the bituminous miners in
the Pittsburg district. and. according
to Francis l.. Robbins, of the Pitts
burg Coal company, there will be
general resumption of work to-day fol
lowing the holiday celebration of the
eight-hour day. Mr. Robbins official
ly announced last night that he had
signed the scale of 1908, and eleven
other companies have signed. Those
companies represent 30.O00000 tons,
or over tlree-quarters Of the coal
mined in the Pitisburg district.
The mines of the independent Ope-
rators will be shut down to-day in the
Pittsburg district in conjunction with
those in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.
The independent operators met in
this city last night and adjourned af
ter passing a resolution to support the
forenamed states in refusing to sign