The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-04-19
MINES LIKELY TO
OPEN AGAIN MAY |
SCALE or PRICES FOR WORK IN
IOWA is SETTLED.
CONCESSIONS ON BOTH SIDES
Joint Conference Is Now Ready For
Question of Resolutions Which
viii Be Taken up on
Monday.

Des Moines, April 14.-In SO far as
the question of prices for labor is
concerned, the scale to govern. the
mining Of coal in Iowa for the two
years dating from April /, 1906, was
completed yesterday. Only the for
mality of figuring out advances for the
second, third and fourth subdistricts
remains before the question of resolu-
tions is taken up. The figuring Of per
centages for the other districts will
be completed Monday and the ques-
ton of resolutions will be taken up
Tuesday morning. There is little rea-
son to doubt now but what a scale
will be signed Wednesday and that
all mines will resume May /.
There are but three contests yet to
be disposed of.
The first and principal one will be
an amendment to resolution 10, which
now provides a fine OF 20 cents q day
to be paid into the union to be taxed
to every miner participating in shut
down for local reasons. 1t will be
asked by the operators that this be
increased and diverted from the min
ers' to the operators organization, so
that operators may be Unidentified for
loss of business resulting from the
suspensions.
The second will be new resolu-
ton guaranteeing to the Iowa oper-
ators during the two years a proper
tionate advantage because of scale
that may be negotiated in the Illinois,
Missouri or Kansas fields at lesser
figure than 5.S4 per cent increase
over the 1904 scale.
The third will be new requirements
as to discipline of men while in the
mine.
Putnam Concession.
Yesterday morning the much dis
cussed mine run scale for Putnam
county was taken up and disposed OF.
The operators conceded the miners
| the advance from the compromise
price of SO cents per ton made after
the 1904 scale had been ratined, in
stead of from the figures appearing IN
that scale. The price for two years
will be 81 cents instead of S9A cents
per ton. -
In arriving at this agreement, how
ever, the miners accepted new pen
atty resolution to meet the contention
of the operators that miners when
working under a mine run instead OF
screened coal arrangement, load more
dirt and refuse. This resolution pro,
vides that for the first offense the
miner may be fined so cents, Tor the
the second offense 81, and for the
third offense within thirty days from
date of first offense, may be fined 81
and discharged, at the option of the
operator. The fines are to be paid to
the miners organization for the ben,
eft of the death benefit fund.
The question of the top wage then
came up. The minimum has been
$3.50 since 1903, no reduction having
been made in 1904, when the first BIZ
ennial scale was made. The miners as
compromise waived the claim to a
5.55 advance, and consented to a fat
advance of 10 cents per Gay, which
makes the minimum for the entire
state $3.50. Under their contention IL
would have been $1.9V1s.
Advance is Granted.
The disposal Of the top labor ques,
ton does away with the last price
contention as to other districts. THIS
advance ON top labor will apply to all
other districts, and an advance of 5.S4
will be granted to all inside laborers,
such as oilers, drivers, trappers, ETC.,
and on the prices for room turning
and entry work.
The price for mining in the Second
district, comprising marion, Monroe,
Wapello, Mahaska and adjoining fields,
will be 95 instead OF 95 cents ton.
In the Third district, comprising
Polk and Jasper counties, the price
will be s1.00 instead of 95 cents a
ton.
In the Fourth district, comprising
Boone and Webster counties, the price
will be $1.10 instead OF s1.05, with pro-
portionate advances in some OF the
mines in the Webster field, where a
differential has been in existence be-
cause of local conditions.
The concession as to penalties
made in the Putnam county field is
taken as an indication that the miners
viii laccede to the demands Of the OPP
orators for a resolution guaranteeing
them against shut downs and suspen-
sions.