Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-03-29
TOday's Telegraphic News
The Miners and Operators.

The Miners and Operators.
indianapolis, Ind March 29.--The
United Mine Workers in session of its
own this morning took up the question
whether to accept the proposition of L.
L. Robbins to pay the 1903 scale ii
allowed to operate the Western Penn
sylyania mines Of the Pittsburg Coal
Co. Robbins is the only big operator
who has agreed to this advance. The
miners action is preliminary to the dec
laration of strike and will determine
whether the strike is to be confined to
Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois coal fields,
or include all the luminous fields Of
the country.
"The finish will come today" said J.
Fl. Winder, chairman of the operators,
this morning. This statement is to be
modified by the slight possibility in-
Dictated by the proposition of Q. G.
Hammond, an Illinois operator, that
commission be named by the miners TO
examine into the coal situation. Ham
mond and other speakers laid stress on
the fact that the miners should base
their demands for higher wages on the
allegation that the operators are making
big profits. The answer of President
Mitchell to Hammond, attacking the
railroads as owning the coal mines, is
not taken as a favorable omen that the
miners will seriously consider the Ham
mOnd proposition.
MitchelPs speech, which was the
feature of Yesterday afternoon session,
charged that many roads favor certain
coal shipping companies. The Winder
resolution, providing for the wage scale
10 effect two years ago, was voted down
by the Joint conference, which adjourn
ed three hours session yesterday alter
noon to meet again this afternoon and
receive the answer to the Robbins 5
proposition
The miners in their separate session
this morning endorsed the action OF the
Joint scale committee. The min ers adj
iOurned to meet the operators this after
noon. The question of what to Go with
the Robbins proposition was not touched
upon until after the motion to adjourn
was made, when delegate asked about
it,
"Your endorsement of the action OF
YOUR iOirt scale committee leaves that at
the committees discretion" said Nit
cAell in explanation. President Nit
chell announced that there would be
another meeting of the miners after the
Joint scale conference had finally adj
jonrned.
President Mitchell announced a meet
ing of anthracite delegates tonight to
discuss the anthracite scale and the reply
OF President Baer to the miners demands.
New York, March 29.-The price Of
anthracite coal TO the consumer in a
number of places in Greater New York,
especially in Brooklyn, has been in
creaJed from So 80 to 81 per ton. Dealers
boosted the price when they received an
intimation from the operators that it
would be best not to take contracts for
delivery OF coal after April at present
prices. Dealers construed this to mean
that the prospect of an agreement be-
tween miners and operators was dubious
and acted accordingly.
Altoona, Pa, March 80. 1.-The Penn
sylvania Railroad has begun to store coal
in anticipation of a coal strike. All
available cars are being loaded and run
on to sidngs where they are being held
for further orders. No coal is being held
for further orders. No coal is being I'M
loaded for storage purposes however.