New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-01
ANT[-STRIKE MEN WIN.
COAL OPERATORS TO MEET
Robbins Carries Point at Stormy
Session-Prices to Go Up.
IBy Telegraph to The Trlb mel

by Telegraph to The Trib mel
Pittsburg. Feb. 2S-The bituminous coal situa-
tion in Pennsylvania. Ohio. Illinois and Indiana
is in sadly muddled condition tonight The
leading operators of these four states met here
to-day to look over the situation. and the result
was OF the warmest sessions ever held in
Pittsburg.
All of the operators from Ohio and Indiana
and half of those from Illinois. came with the
understanding that the United States Steel Cor
poration and the Gould interests trying 10
force them into settlement. and they came to
fight this movement. The fighting faction was
backed on It's arrival here by the independent
operators of the Pittsburg district. who decided
to stand out to the end. and these forces
bfned made formidable array
Opposed to them the Pittsburg Coal Com
pany, with its seventy thousand miners and its
large contracts to fill. A part of the Illinois
mine owners decided to go along with the Pitts
burg Coal Company in whatever it should decide
to do and the meeting not long in finding
out that the Pittsburg Coal Company in
favor OF granting an increase in wages TO the
miners. Nor was this all. 1t learned that
the Pittsburg company would grant an advance
to it's miners April l. matter what the
others should do. That this might force a rupt-
ure of the interstate agreement between the
operators. might even force each mine owner TO
struggle along for himself did not matter When
a small operator reminded him that he mot
the whole thing" Mr. Robbins replied testify
that he was at least the whole thing in this
district and would continue to be so.
This defiance on the part of the head of the
biggest coal operating combination in the world
caused much talk among the operators. who
said that Robbins had his mind made up that
there would not be any strike in the Pittsburg
district hat,,
to grant the advance TO seventy thousand
miners. Mr.. Robbins has under his control fully
twoscore idle mines, which can be thrown open
and made producers in two hours time. So, after
a vicious six hours session tn call was sent
out for general meeting at Indianapolis
March 49, After passing resolution that all
had been harmonious. and framing a telegram
to President Roosevelt reporting progress" the
meeting adjourned.
1t was reported here tonight that President
Roosevelt had requested John Mitchell and Mr.
Robbins to call on him within the next two
weeks but the report could not be confirmed.
All doubt that everything is over but fixing
the amount of the wages In the Pittsburg dis
trict was dispelled tonight when advance sheets
of THE Coal Trade Bulletin" the official organ
of the operators, appeared. 1t says, editorially:
There indications from several quarters
that the bituminous trade must stand an ad-
vance In wages to their mine workers. and when
this comes the wiseacres who have affected to
discount stubborn condition, which surely in
dicated a strike, will have TO pay an advance
for their requirements in coal, all the same at
least after April 1.
This official" announcement would seem to
indicate that there is to be not only an advance
to the miners. but rise in coal rates.
The statement issued by the Joint committee
says:
In issuing a request for a conference of the
coal operators of the four States Of Ohio, In
diana, Illinois and Western Pennsylvania at In
dianapois March 10 IL is positively stated by
all the operators Joining in this call that said
meeting has been called entirely in Difference to
the wishes OF the President of the United States,
and that no action has been taken or agreement
of any kind been made by any operator up to
this date regarding any possible settlement of
existing differences No settlement is possible
on any terms until after such meeting has been
held and the individual views of all of the
operators of the four States have been obtained.