Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1906-04-05

since In6 production Oh IuSl aIIdlQeu
its enormous total, occurred Monday,
fear of complete tie-up in the indus
try has passed and the situation is
expected to improve rapidly with each
day Reports received last night from
the bituminous fields show that many
leading coal companies have signed
the 1903 scale, which gives the men
an advance of 5,55 per cent. over the
wages they received during the last
two years. The number of miners
who received the increase is est
mated at nearly 100000.
In the anthracite regions there was
almost a total suspension in mining
Representative of the operators and
the miners will meet in New York to-
day for the discussion of the differ
ences.
No disorder of any consequence is
reported from any section of the coal
fields.
Both Sides Are Hopeful.
New York, April 1.-The eve of
the second meeting of the committee
representing the anthracite mine
workers and their employers finds the
situation, so far as the hard coal fields
are concerned, unchanged from that
disclosed in communications passed
between the contending forces AMI
which has been made public. Neither
miner nor operator last night would
venture a prediction as TO the out
come, as neither party is aware what
teh next move of the other will be.
Both sides are hopeful, however, and
there is a feeling that some way out
of the present difficulty will be found.
President Mitchell arrived here last
night accompanied by other repre-.
sentatives of the miners. None of the
leaders would be quoted as to the
situation as shown by the first days
suspension, but they all admitted
privately that utmost harmony pre-,
walls in the region, and that rumors
that thousands of men would not obey
the suspension order have proved
Sroundless. They report that the only
colliery working full handed is the
Peoples Coal company's oxford plant,
in the northern field, which is run al
most exclusively by nonunion men.
The charter of the local union at this
colliery was annulled some time ago.
The washeres in operation yesterday
employed, the leaders say only
small number of men, and they are
not we'll organized
Today's meeting between the sub
committee OF the miners and operat
ors is expected to be of short duration.
1t is believed that nothing will be
definitely agreed upon. The operat.
ors will probably renew the counter
proposition made to the miners early
in March that is. the continuation
for three years of the award OF the
anthracite strike commission. The
employers, however, do not expect the
miners representatives to accept the
proposition, or consider 1t at the pres.
ent time, but rather expect the union
leaders to renew their original de
mands. If this program is followed
out an adjournment will probably be
taken for "a or as hours
Complete Suspension,
Philadelphia, Pa. April 4.-There
was complete suspension of mining
operations in the anthracite region
with the solitary exception of the OK
ford colliery, independent, near Scran.
ton, which employs about 500 hands
Every colliery was opened as usual,
but the only ones who went to work
were engineers, firemen, pumpmen
and others whose presence at the
mines is necessary to preserve them
from injury.
Significance Is attached by the
miners to the fact that there is no
apparent attempt on the part of the
operators to import nonunion labor,
which they regard as a favorable
sign. The miners leaders are care
full 70 assert that no strike has been
declared, the suspension being mere
ly business necessity as the miners
have no arrangement with the opera
tors until the scale is adjusted by
the committee. The miners officials
last night estimated the number OF
mine workers who obeyed the order
to suspend operations as 143, 900.
No Strike in Pittsburg District.
Pittsburg, Pa, April 4.-Tuere will
be no strike of bituminous miners in
the Pittsburg district, and according
to Francis L. Robbins of the Pitts
burg Coal company. there will be a
general resumption of work today
following holiday celebration OF
the eight hour day Robbins officially
announced last night that he had
signed the scale OF 1903, and named
several other companies who did like
wise. These companies represent
100000 tons or over three quarters
of the coal mined in the Pittsburg
district.
The mines of the independent oper.