New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-22
CALL INCREASE UNFAIR.
NINE OWNERS' ARGUMENT.
Issue Statement Sho7ciRg Uniform
Scale WouId Work Injustice.

The anthracite operators. in a statement
issued yesterday. give figures to show that the
demands Of the miners are not summed up by
the eight hour workday ana 10 per cent in
crease fin wages The statement says that
the demand for "a uniform wage scale for 146
separate and distinct classes Of mine workmen
means an average increase Of nearly 80 per cent
for outside men, and in some cases an increase
Of as much as $50 per cent The proposed sched-
uIe if adopted. # says. would work revolution
in mining.
Coming Just after the letter Of George I. Baer,
chairman Of the anthracite operators committee
of seven. in reply TO the letter OF President
Mitchell Of the United Mine Workers, asking for
another conference. the statement IS generally
looked on as supporting the operators decision
10 grant none Of the demands. 1t is evidently
intended 10 show why they should not be
granted The statement says that the schedule
demanded by the miners would mean equal pay
for the man who ran little 10-horsepower en-
CINE and the man IN charge OF Corliss. The
figures 10 show what the increase would mean
ere taken from the records Of the Lehigh Valley
Coal Company as a type Of conditions generally
existing. Under the miners plan it says, the re-
Enumeration Of some Of the youngest boys would
be doubled. The children working as slate pick
ers would receive nearly as much as some Of the
men. Some Of the children are receiving SO
cents an hour and the new rate would increase
this III per cent Nfasons in the Nahanoy dis
tric- would get an increase Of lis per cent. The
statement continues:
some screen tenders in the Sioux mine. same
divisions. would receive practically twice
much now. Certain breaker engineers i'm the
NahanOy and ShamOkn divisions now receive
129 cents an hour. Their work is easy. 1t is
without danger IT does not require more than
ordinary ability. Yet il is proposed 10 more
than double their salaries. adding IL per cent
and making total Of PSI cents an hour.
Blacksmiths would have increases up to 81
per cent. bumpers up 10 -, while platemen
would gel within cent OF double presen, pay.
Many other instances are given showing the
sweeping increases that the proposed scale would
cause. Seven pumpmen in the Hazelton No. l
mine ~ the Lehigh Division in the Lehigh Valley
District would get an increase Of 167 per cent
under the new plan The statement goes on:
one Of the easiest tasks IN a mine is tending
door" opening and closing the doors as the cars
approach and pass Young boys usually do this
work and naturally the wages are not high. In
the mines mentioned the door boys get from IS
cents an hour 10 12-9 cents Yet the miners now
demand that 15.G cents an hour shall be paid all
boys alike This would mean doubling the door
teller pay OF those now securing the lower rate
Inside uasOus in the HazletOu No. l mine get
-f. and II cents an hour. The new demand IS
"-fz cents for all. just twice what the low rate
-aen now receive.
oIeu and boys I'm many other branches. it says.
would fare equally well.
Several wholesale and retail coal merchants
and brokers in this city said yesterday that the
belief that there would be an anthracite strike
IS Increasing. This was the opinion Of Heilner
& son. coal brokers No. ] Broadway a repre-
sentative Of the firm said:
Ths belief that there viii be a strike caused
The demand for small steam sizes Of anthracite
thar has resulted in the supply being practically
exhausted as far as the companies are con-
cerIed The individual operators are charging
10 70 Is cents ton more than the circular prices
CT tho operators now.
he said that in case Of a strike every one would
be better prepared for it than in 1902 The re-
serve Of anthracite, he said would last five or
s'- months under normal conditions, but IL a
strike came and people became panic stricken il
might be bought up in two months by the con-
gur-er-