The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-10
OPERATORS YIELD A LITTLE.
LIKELY TO MAKE A COUNTER
PROPOSITION TO MIfCHELL.

ASH u FO5tpOnemont Untu To-day OF the
Meeting to Discuss acknowledgements
nal Reason Was That They wanted
Nore Time tn Hear From independents.
The conference between the anthracite
operators and miners committees of seven
called for yesterday to consider Mitohell's
arbitration propositions was postponed
until to-day at the instance of the operators.
The members Of the miners committee
had gathered at the Ashland House ready
to go down when Mitchell heard from
Presidents Baer of the Jersey Central and
Thomas Of the Lehigh, who wanted the
conference postponed until 100 p. M. to-
day. Mitchell said that he was willing
and so notified his aides.
All Of the operators committee of seven;
with the exception Of j. l.. Cake, who rep
resents the independent operators and
who was attending their meeting at Wilkes
barre, were in town and had a meeting at
noon in the Jersey Central Building, l4e
Liberty street.
While no one would tell the result of the
meeting, there was a we'll grounded rumor
that the representatives of the Delaware,
Laokawanna and Western and the Lehigh
we're in favor OF arbitration. There was
another rumor hat the operators had
split on the subject. This was denied.
President Trtesdale of the Delaware,
Lackwanna and Western Railroad said:
my company, along with the others,
does not want a strike. We would like to
nave peace without sacrificing indie
pendenoe.'
The reasons given by the operators for
postponing the conference was that they
wanted to hear from more of the indie
pendents. Some of the independent opera.
tors want speedy action and a plan
Of arbitration slightly different from the
plan Mitchell proposes.
: 1t Is probable hat a counter proposition
will be made to-day by the operators in
reply to the arbitration proposition.
Whether or not this will be the proposal
to arbitrate the question, whether or not
there is any arbitrable point outside Of the
award of the Arbitration Strike Commits
sion or an entirely new proposition, could
not be learned.
A well known anthracite operator said:
sIf you guess that the anthracite opera
tors will make a counter proposition to the
miners you will guess right. If you guess
that the ope rators' proposition will be for
an agreement longer than the two years
agreement proposed by the miners you
will guess right"
A meeting Of the full operators com-
mittee Of seven will be held at 1 p. NJ. to-day
in the Jersey Central Building, half an hour
before the joint meeting with the miners.
Mitchell would say nothing yesterday as
to the coming conference with the oper-
ators. He had a talk over the long distance
telephone with the officers Of his organi-
zation in Pittsburg, after which he made
the following announcement:
Il nave been notified that the last Of the
Pittsburg operators has signed the agree
ment Of the union. This means that 10000
men, including those employed by the Rob-
bins interests will go to work under union
conditions. In this district, which is Dis
trict No. / OF Western Pennsylvania, from
5000, 900 to 40, OOO, 900 tons of soft coal are
mined per year"