Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-09
Dolan Still Presides.
WILCOX TO MITCHELL.
Text of Formers Letter to the Latter
Made Public.

NI'W YORK. February 9.-President
David Wilcox of the Delaware and Hudson
company today made public the text of the
letter which he wrote to John Mitchell
president of the United Mine Workers of
America, concerning a confereHee between
the mine workers and the operators to dis
cuss the wage question.
Accompanying the letter Mr. Wilcox Is
sued formal statement in which he de-
ciared that erroneous statements regarding
the letter have been published. based upon
a misconception both of its character and
its contents.
The text OF the Wilcox letter which is
dated February 3, follows:
Further referring to your letter to my
self, dated December 20. 1909 which has
been heretofore acknowledged. / understand
that the 18th instant has been suggested as
the date for the conference proposed there
In. l accordingly write to say that this will
be agreeable to me. 1t seems appropriate
also TO call mention to the situation in thu
anthracite industry arising frorA- the fact
that practically all matters involved have
already been the subject of arbitration.
AT the termination of the strike of 1902
in the anthracite regions. by the submission
10 arbitration in which all parties joined,
IL was provided that ''all questions at issue
between the respective companies and their
own employees should be decided by the
anthracite strike commission. Accordingly,
you appeared before the commission in be
half of the employees and presented TO il all
such questions.
The commission found that the average
hours actually worked per day did not ex-
ceed six for the miners and eight for the
other employees and the present conditions
are substantially the same
In the case of the Delaware and Hudson
company during 1903 the average number
OF hours worked per day by the employps
other than the miners. was 7.2l6 hours, or
an average of about seven and one-ouarter
hours per day; the average number OF hours
worker per day by the miners was 6.856
hours. or an average Of slightly over six
and one-half hours per day.
ANY suggestions OF an eight-hour day for
the employees by the day does not there
fore. look To diminution OF actual hours of
labor. as they do not now average eight
hours per day. but merely to 81 change of
wages by increasing the rate per hour so
as TO advance the wages about 125 per cent
above the standard fixed by the strike COM
mission. This advance would amount an
proximately 10 cents per ton OF coal or
on the entire product about S4.S00.0Oo per
annum.
such an increase would tend TO advance
the price OF coal to consumers. 1t would
also naturally lead ultimately to the miners
working eight hours per day. instead of
much less than seven. at present so as
TO make uniform wor kday for all and
thus promote efficiency I'm production on
the other hand If the working hours of
the breakers were In fact actually reduced.
the effect would be TO diminish the earnings
of the miners. because the breakers could
not receive and handle as much coal as at
present"
.,rhe commission awarded an advance m
wages of 10 per cent for the miners and
IL 10 Ter cent for the other employees, ef-
feotive November l. 1902; this advance was
absolute and was based upon the tinding
OF $500 per ton OF the prepared sizes as
the minimum tidewater price prevailing.
In addition, the commission awarded That
the wages should still further advance
per cent with each rise of five cents In the
price of the prepared sizes of coal. The
minimum price of coal upon which the
wages are based is higher than that pre-
whiting before the award was made, and as
that price advances the wages Increase at
the rate fixed by the commission. The
schedule hereto attached shows that the
rates OF wages thus fixed by the commis-