The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-14
COAL OPERATORSW
MINERS MUST ACCEPT OR REFUSE
THEIR LAST PROPOSAL.
su,cne,l Doesn't Consider Answer at Thurs
DAVIS Conf erence Fnal-Hc Goes HACK
20 Soft Coal Region TO-day-Situation
There Waits on the Decision Here.

~ saven took no steps Yesterday 10 frame
, formal answer to the latest proposition
- the mine workers, but it was learned
,Lot il will he an absolute refusal to change
their last proposition.
Tho independent operators will be con-
.rlted in framing the reply, but on one
thing all arc agreed-thA operators IN their
las, ~proposition have given their last word
DC 10 what they are prepared to do. 1t Is
~, m the miners to accept or reject this
,roposition. The operators will wait until
tIitchelI chooses to break off all negotia-
tons,
If was said on behalf of the operators
Yesterday that the independent operators
did not authorize giving ont for puplca-
ION their protest against having anything
N do with the union and the
organization. 1t was made public, 1t was
stated, nv the express authorization OF
the men Tho signed 1t.
Mitchell said yesterday that he will leave
this city for indianapolis to-day to attend
the meeting of the executive committee
n the United Mine Workers which begins
on Tuesday. He would not discuss the
,rosnects OF a strike, but seemed to gather
some hope from the coming formal reply OF
inc OPERATORS W llt luHN DiOBNtANNDA
miners.
The little reply we received ] did not
consider final" he said. 1T was given
On the spur of the moment and was not the
result of elaboration. We expect, however,
that the formal answer will give us more
details"
F.. b. Sturges, president OF the Clarence
Coal Mining Company of Scranton, one OF
the independent operators who signed
the protest against the union, called at
the Ashland House yesterday and had a
conference with Mitchell. Mr.. Sturges
would not say what the conference was
about, but said he believed there would be
n strike. One of the national officers OF
the union said;
The miners did everything to avert a
strike. ! am afraid hat the miners COM
mittee even went too far and made too
many compromise offers. | do not believe
the rank and file will be pleased at delaying
matters 50 long. Tn committee has been
putting matters of because It believed hat
by doing so it was best serving the interests
Of the United Mine Workers Of America.
If a strike takes place it will be the fault of
the operators"
John Fahy, one of the district presidents,
and some of the officers who were with
Mitchell left the city for Shamokin yester-
day afternoon. They will be at the con-
vention OF the operators in Indiana polls
next week.
Considerable interest is being manifested
In the coming convention Of the mine work
ers on Tuesday next, when the arbitration
offer Of John II. Winder, president OF the
Soft Coal Operators Association of Ohio.
Indiana and Illinois, will come up for con-
sideration. The anthracite operators be-
lieve that Mitchell will try to play the soft
coal interests against the hard coal inter-
erts. II he was sure that there would be
an anthra cite strike, which he evidently
Goes not want to believe, it is understood
he will make more stringent demands on
the soft coal men, with a good chance of
winning.
The price OF soft coal advanced a little
Yesterday and is now $3.50 a ton, a dollara
ton more than the normal price. The soft
coal men, however, are still waiting to see
whether the anthracite miners will strike
or not, A representative of the Fairmont
Coal Company said:
Every one is holding of to see II there
will be an anthracite strike. The soft coal
operations are AZ sea dt pitSellt' III uh-
thiaci.e strike. of course, would increase
the demand for soft coal"
The retail coal dealers said that more
anthracite is being released by the COM
anios, hut rot enough. A member of the
Retail Coal Dealers Association said that
the Price of the small steam sizes was in
crcasing, Pea coal advanced from 81 to
&35 a ton. lie added:
IF the operators do not give us more of
tho domestic sizes, domestic coal will go up
in price, too. ! should not be surprised
to -cc the price Of domestic coal go up very
room unlcss We can get more OF 1t from the
o. crators.'
1t was said Yesterday that the 5000 900
tons Of domestic coal which is held in re-
sarve hv the operators does not consist al
together of domestic coal, but includes
steam sizes as well.
SCRANTON, Pa, April i3.-District Presi-
dent Nichols and Secretary Dempsey came
in from New York this afternoon and re-
opened the headquarters in Scranton, which
have been practically closed for weeks.
Nichols would not even say there was hope
for a Peaceful solution of the difficulty.
The first duty of Mr.. Nichols will be to
Quiet the criticism Of miners who are in
,censed because the convention has been
put of for another week, during which
time they must remain idle. Already many
OF the workers feel pinched, having missed
one pay,
The Delaware. Lackawanna and Western
has men at work in the Bellevue, Cayuga,
Brlsbin, Diamond, Storrs. Hampton and
Truesdale collieries, and the washeries are
running almost to capacity. Nearly 5000
tons OF coal was produced yesterday, indie
Pendent Of the washeries. The Penn Coal
Company, at Carbonate, is operating It's
breaker every other day. The Erie COM
fany is operating the Barnum at Pittston
and No, 5 at Dunmore.
An operator said this afternoon that in
MS opinion a strike is inevitable. He said.
In view Of the position the miners nave
taken in refusing to arbitrate the ques-
ton OF wages, | can see no other end but a
strike. 1t will de a fight to the finish. 1t
Will have to come some time, and the sooner
u Is over the better. Mitchell has stated
time and again that he will continue to ask
lor an increase and threaten to keep it up
mere must he a limit somewhere. That il
what the operators are Directing to. They
want the thing settled for onca and ali