Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-04-07

Conditions throughout the district
are much improved. The officials
OF the Pittsburg Coal company re-
ported today that seventy per cent
or their mines are now in opera
ton and that more than that pro-
portion of the miners are at work.
Orders are again beginning to
come in and the company claims
1t is doing as much business as it
can handle.
New York, April 5.-Before the
subcommittee representing the
anthracite mine wne and min
ers went into session today there
were no surface indications that
the meeting would bring about any
agreement that would send the
miners back to work. The repre-
sentatives Of the miners were re-
ported to have trimmed down
their original demand in the hope
that the operators may see their
way clear to conceding something
to the men. The miners would
( not say what their move would be
nor predict what outcome there
would be to the meeting.
The conference adjourned at
2:15 o'clock. 1t was understood
no agreement had been reached.
1t was announced that another
meeting will be held on Monday
next.
The anthracite miners have pro-
81 nnsna a rhifrofior of tho liffnr
ences between them aud tho oper-
ators by the present board of con-
Citation.
Mitchell gave out the above
statement and stated that as soon
as the miners made the PROPOSE
ton to arbitrates the operators
asked for an adjournment of to-
days conference. He said he be-
lieved the operators would answer
the propositionNat next Mondays
meeting.
Terre Haute, Ind, April 5.-Re-
ports from all the coal mining dis
tricts of Indiana show that TWEEN
ty-two operators have signed the
1903 SCALE, These produce five
per cent Of the tonnage of the
state.
Des Moines, April 5.-(special).-
Behind closed doors, closely guarded
The scale committee representing TIL
Iowa coal miners and operators. is tt
day discussing the conditions govern
Ing the coal industry in the state an
to bring about an agreemer
which will permit of the operation {
the coal mines during the coming tw
years. The situation is unchauge
since yesterday as far as the outloo
for a settlement is concerned, and tn
opinion of those who are close to th
facts is that an agreement will b
reached, though when it is hard t
say.
The Method OF Voting.
The new rules of order will max
easier the work of reaching an agre,
.ent. They are practically the sam
as heretofore. but are made NOR
clear than ever before. The majorit
each side shall govern that Who'll
side in the joint proceedings and eac
side shall vote as a unit according
The will of the majority. Heretofore
has been possible for any one mine
Or any one operator to prevent a
agreement in joint conference and i
Joint scale committee work, but TIL
will not be possible now. It will mea
more thrashing out of questions /
the separate sessions of miners an
operators; but unanimity in th
Joint meetings.
Scale Committee at Work.
This morning the joint conferenc
referred the entire matter of settl,
ment to the joint scale committe,
is now in executive session.
believed that with the majority ru
ing instead of the unit rule, whichshs
heretofore governed the d%eliberation
settlement will be effected.
John P. White, president of the mi
ers, made a motion that the 1903 sea.
form the basis of the agreement. Ho,
H. L. Waterman, president oil the O
orators, amended to make the presel
scale the basis and Commissioner. job
P. Reese substituted the motion tn;
it be left to the scale committee to d
eide. This was finally carried.
At the end of the morning confe
ence of the scale committee the mer
bers refused to give out anything e
cept to say that nothing had been a
complished. The morning was spel
in discussing the Situation, but no vo'
taken. Edwin Perry, secretary
the Miners, said an agreement or
disagreement would be reached toda
but this is not the general view.
Operators Fix on Policy.
The Iowa Coal Operators associ
tion, after an executive session lastir
from 8 a. m. to $3.50 p. m. yesterda
agreed upon a policy to be pu
sued in the conferences with the mi
ers to consider the scale for the e
suing two years.
At adjournment the operators sta
ed positively that while an agreemel
as to nolicY had been arrived at