New-York tribune., 1906-04-08
MAY ASK BOARD TO ACT.
FEW OPERATORS WILLING.
You'd Refer Dispute to Men W'hO
Arbitrated Last Strike.

The indications yesterday were that the
anthracite operators committee of seven. which
met yesterday TO consider the answer 10 the
arbitration proposal Of Mitchell is determined to
leave no loophole by which the operators can be
placed in a false position before the public The
committee met at 1870 p. m. in the office OF E B.
Thomas. president OF the Lehigh Valley Rail-
road, and the session lasted two hours An ad-
journment was taken until noon Tomorrow. an
hour and half before the joint conference OF
the operators and miners committees takes
place.
Besides the operators the superintendents OF
several collieries attended the meeting to give
information. ]. L. Cake. the representative OF
the independent operators on the committee
who attended meeting OF the independent
operators at Wilkes-Barre on Friday to take
action on MitcheIs proposition, reported their
action at the meeting OF the operators commit
tee yesterday. What that action was none Of
the operators would say after the meeting
Neither would they give any indication Of the
answer they would make to the miners corr
mittee.
1t was rumored downtown yesterday that some
OF the operators we're in favor OF referring the
dispute to the arbitration board appointed by
President Roosevelt after the strike oG 1902, the
President to be asked to hH the places OF such
Of the members as should be unwilling TO serve.
No one would either admit or deny that there
was anything i'll the report II was considered
almost certain. however. that the operators or
a majority OF them, were willing 20 arbitrate
the question whether or not any new fact has
been raised by the miners pointing to an ar
bitrable question not covered by the award OF
the anthracite strike commission.
A statement was issued on behalf OF the op-
orators committee of seven. in which il is
cO0tPDdpd hat fa7 -to
have been made Of the dangers attendant on
anthracite mining. Figures are given to show
that the accidents, fatal and otherwise. to an
thracite miners far below such accidents to
men employed on the railroads. The statement
then says:
1t has been pointed out that only about one
quarter of the railway employees are in any spe-
trainmen and AZ 15S switchmen. fagmen and
watchmen, and this class suffered nearly three
fourths Of the accidents with the death rate Of
6.3 1000 employees, or nearly twice the rate
for fatalities among the inside anthracite work
ers which was figured at 3S a 1000.
Mr. Mitchell saw few people at the Ashland
House yesterday. He was asked why he proposed
arbitration to the soft coal operators. when he
did not accept an arbitration proposition on be-
half OF the soft coal men.
Il have never said that I would not be willing
to submit the soft coal disputes to arbitration.
he said; but, as told Mr. Winder. who made
the proposition. the national executive board Of
the union must first consider It al. its meeting
on April II could not anticipate what action
/ will take then
When he was asked If he willing to have |
the question whether or not any new point |
not covered by the award Of the anthra- |
cite strike commission had been raised he 1
said his committee would be glad to discuss any 1
phase OF arbitration the operators were willing /
TO consider The only desire OF his committee /
was to prevent a long strike by reaching an
aTnicable settlement
c. J. Wittenherg. president OF the New River
CoIieries Company. which operates both IN West
virginia and the soft coal district of Clearheld.
Penn. said that the West Virginia soft coal
miners. though none OF them were union men.
were affected by the strike talk They were In
an unusual mood and not working half as hard
as they usually did
IN C1earneId. he said, the soft coal operators
cannot grant the demands without losing money
,tr,<a in the Clearheld district would affect
the shipping trade OF New York ana the eastern
o,tias as Clearheld is the soft coal market for
80. .+eor,sbfp companies whose vessels ply to
ond from, New York. In case Of an anthracite
..r,,e the Clearield people would be in better
poa,tion TO grant the demands
A bausf prevailed among the members of
,S,4bIrs committee last evening that two OF the
ortbractte operators committee were anxious
for a settlement before the small steam sizes
~ anthracite became 50 scarce that soft coal :
,,o,,Id and a permanent footing for steam pur-
,o.a. hera This belief, II was said, was based
~ information gained secretly by agents OF the
nine workers Since the last strike many large
,oncerns have had their steam plants equipped
with smoke consuming devices.