The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-02
Rot Miner Appeared for Work
in That Region.
STRIKE is EXPECTED.
Mules Are Taken Out at a Num-
Der Of Points.
Gany Foreigners Preparing to
Return to Europe.


fields state that the order of the miners
scale committee directing that mining
be suspended until an agreement could
be reached with the operators is being
obeyed almost to the man. In all three
districts preparations were made by the
operators for a resumption Of work this
morning. Whistles were blown at the
sgular hour and everything was in
readiness for the men to go to work
but there was no response by the min
eTs and the day tooxona a holiday aspect.
Tiremen. engineers and pumpmen who
are not afected by the suspension order
reported as usual, but it was apparent
that the scores OF empty coal cars which
rad been hurried tothe colHeries yester-
day would not be needed unless an
agreement WAS reached between Presi-
dent Mitchell and the coal presidents
IL thei- conference to be held in New
Yofs tomorrow
That a great many miners believe
S that a strike is imminent and that there
yvin be a bitter struggle between the
-uQrxrnen and their employers was evf-
Cenced by the departure yesterday and
TO-DAY of scores Of miners from the
s huyllzil region A majority Of these
men are foreigners who viii go to their
ortcome Of the pending strike.
the LackaWanna district there Is
e ling among the more conservative
primers that an agreement will be reach
~ et the New York conference and
others are less hopeful and are pre-
pared for a long siege.
The only oollieTy in the Luzone. Wyo.,s
strict which attempted to work today
as fer as has been reported was the
II1zleton shaft of the Lehigh Valley
company. Coal which had been loosen
ed last week was run through the break
for about an hour, after which the men
withdrew from the shaft and returned
to their homes
At many Of the collieries in this dis
triet the mules were taken from the
mines. thus indicating that no effort
would Immediately be made to resume
mining.
Quiet prevails throughout the three
districts and as long as the men re-
main away from the mines no disorder
is anticipated.
All Out IN Southwest.
Kansas City. No, April 2-There
was a complete shutdown today in the
bituminous coal fields included in the
Southwestern Miners association in
Missouri, Kansas, western Arkansas and
the territories. A few mines operated
by nonuniOn men resumed as usual.
no scenes of disorder were reported,
the men generally remaining quietly at
Ghelr homes.
Early Agreement Looked For.
TT Smith, Ark. April 2.-Five thou
sand miners in this state and 5000 IN
the territory are now idle, according to
a statement made today by Secretary
Brakney, Of the Southwestern Miners
association None Of the men with the
exc 0tion Of the engineers, frelnen and
pumpt.s S went to work today. In the
various camps Of this district the min
ers today celebrated the eight hour day.
1t was predicted today that nm agree
n1ent would shortly be reached by indi-
vidual companies Several operators
were in TT. Smith today to confer With
the mining officials with reference 10
signing the 1903 scale with the three
cent fat advance provided for in the
Perry resolution. which also permits
any company to sign that scale and re
su-ne work IL it will sign for all It's
mines without reference to location in
the district.
Many VIII Sign Agreement.
Pittsburg Pa, April To-day being
the anniversary OF the granting of the
eight hour work day, almost every
mine in the Pittsburg district was
closed. Tomorrow, however, it Is ex-
pected that the miners employed by the
Pittsburg Coal company and by several
ether local operators viii return TO
work and that all the mines in district
No. viii be running before the close
Many of the operators who have
agreed to the advance Of wages Of 5-55
per cent wanted the miners to resume
work imme ediately.
Francis L. Robbins, representing the
Pittsburg Coal company, and the scale
committee Of the United Mine Workers
appointed by the district convention
last Saturday will meet today for the
purpose of signing the agreement for
two years and the factionaI fight which
has been in pros. 1ss in the miners or
ganization Tor some time may cause
trouble. Patrick Dolan questions the
validity of such an agreement, as he
stil claims to be the president but the
opposition said ne had been deposed-
# may be that Mr.. Robbins as
u. ter Of precauuon, Will sign two
agreements. 1t is regarded as highly
Erobable that the Independents viii
grant the concession at the meeting to
be held by them tomorrow night
While somo of them are IN favor Of
holding out against the increase or the
granting Of any concessions whatever,
many of the more conservative say
they are willing to make the same con-
cessicns that the Pittsburg Coal com
pany has. The conservative element Is
said to be il the majority and viii, It
is expected. be able to induce the 9TH
ers to Join with them in agreeing to the
settlement on the 1908 scale.
Pending a settlement the independ-
ent mines have shut down.
The miners scale OF wage Of 1903 was
signed this afternoon by the Pittsburs
Coal company odicisls The agreement
goes into effect Al once and affects IS
COO men in this district.
Perry Makes a Statement.
Springfield, H.. April 2.-This being
8 holiday among United Mine Workers
Of America because of the annual cele-
bration Of the establishment Of the
efeht hour day no coal mines are being
president H. c. Perry. OF the United