The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-21
REVOLUTION AT MINES
Operators Declare Miners Demands
Involve Great Increase.

New York, March 21.-The demands
of the anthracite mine workers for
readjustment Of wages and conditions
in the anthracite fields would, if grant
ed by the operators, mean a verltable
revolution in mining conditions, accord
ing to a statement issued by the opera
tors committee Of seven today. The
statement declares it to be a mistake
to assume that an eight-hour day and
a 10 per cent wage increase represents
the sum total of the demands Of the
miners.
"The new and uniform scale,'' says
the statement, "would place every man
on the same basis, increasing the wages
of some men as much as $50 per cent.
The average increase, under the uni
form scale, would be nearly 80 per cent
for outside men. The proposed sched-
ule would mean veritable revolution
in mining conditions.' =
What Miners Demand.
The statement says that the mineIs
146 separate and distinct classes 81
workmen about the mines. E.1.4s \ 1
f"For years. it continues, the OPP
orator and employee have recognized
the different value of labor in different
localities and even in different sections
of the same colliery. Yet now the
miners committee demands equal pay
for the engineer who runs a little ten
horsepower engine, and the man who
allows no more for the men working I'M
der difficulties and dangers than, fol-
the same class of workers at posts of
ease and SIMPLICITY
According to the statement, masons
in the MahanOy and Shamokin division
would have their wages increased Ill
per cent under the new rate proposed
by the miners committee. They now
received ia cents an hour and de-
manded 371a. Some screen tenders il
the Sioux mine, in the same division
who now receive 1875 cents an hour
would receive an increase Of III PEI
cent under the new rate. The wages OF
blacksmiths would be increased 81 pc
cent, bumpers would receive 70 per cen
increase and plate men would 90 within
! cent Of double the wages they nov
command.
Great Wage Increase.
The statement adds: "Other simila
demands hundreds of employees woul.
receive better than twice their presen
pay. They are watchmen whose wage
now range from 81 to 1872 cents al
hour, some of whom would have 14O pc,
cent added. There are screen and pick
er bosses and car oilers who would prof
SO per cent, trackmen who would d(
even per cent better than that Their
are leaders who would get within cen
Of 1920 and breaker oilers who woul,
receive $2.O4. and sweepers who woul,
have $1.79. for every dollar they earl
now in given number of hours.
"The sweeping demands of the min,
workers would double the wages O
many tinside' men. While the genera
average of increase for inside day labo
would approximate 22.S per cent ani
most of the men thus employed woul,
receive under the schedule at issue ad
vances oneffth to one-quarter in thei
pay, there would be great many mel
and boys working at the easier task
involving less responsibility and les
danger who would have their wage
doubled.
"There are seven pumpmen in tn
Hazleton No. mine Of the Lehigh di
vision in the Lehigh valley district tina
would profit 1877 per cent?