Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-03-24
MINE OWNERS MEET TODAY AT
DEs MONIES TO NAME COM.
MlTTEE TO CONFER WITH COM
MITTEE OF MINERS
MINES EXPECTED TO
CLOSE DOWN APRILsl
OPERATORS WANT LOWER SCALE
AND CLAUSE ALLOWING SUITS
FOR UNAUTHORIZED STRIKES
PRESENT AGREEMENT ENDS

Des Moines, March 23.-(Special.)--
Fifty coal operators from all parts OF
the Iowa mining district are in session
at the Savery this afternoon to consid-
er a wage seals with the miners. The
miners open their state convention to-
morrow. Both sides name a conference
committee to meet soon. The indica.
tions are now that all the coal mines
in the state will close April l for d
month at least. The operators want IA
lower scale and also a clause in the
contract to allow them to sue the
union for damages for unauthorized
strikes.
Means Complete Shut Down.
The absence of a new agreement
between the Iowa miners and opera
tors means complete shutdown Of
the Iowa coal mines April 1. This
would mean the throwing out Of work
Of more than $4,000 miners and the
suspension Of work at the mines with
a supply of coal which will not laat
longer than thirty days.
Despite this fact, the large consum.
ers are not making any great effort to
lay in an extra amount Of coal The
general theorg seems to be that set
tlement will tbe reached soon after
itthS suspensies, of work. If not before,
and conditions are NOT considered to
be alarming.
Market Is Not Lively.
The Black Diamond, official organ
Of the coal industry, in speaking Of
| the conditions in the eastern states,
has the following:
| Regardless Of the fact that the mine
workers and operators have not yet
agreed upon a wage scale and condl-
tons for the opening of the mines
the coal market is no livelier than It
has been for the last two or three
weeks, and shows little Improvement
| over the time when conditions were
worst. Most of the big steam users
have contented themselves with lay
ing in such additional supplies al
would be called for by the maximum
contract requirements. A few have
been buying odd lots here and there,
but In the main they have not indulg-
ed In such buying as would remove
| the surplus and increase shipments
from the mines. The retail dealers
being completely stocked with coal
and having a very scant demand on
account of the warm weather, are not
| taking any kind Of domestic coal and
| are not thinking 1t necessary to In
crease stocks in anticipation Of conf
| ing shortage.
| There Is some reason for the COM
fort Of consumers as far as coal sup-
ply is concerned in the fact that only
four states are going to be tied up by
any labor uncertainty, the others con-
tinuing to produce coal and thus be-
Ing able to support any demand which
would not normally be supplied by the
| Idle mines in the four states.
AS to labor conditions, mine work
ers are showing conciliatory spirit.
They have abandoned this position
completely and are now willing to ne.
gotiate even by states or districts.
Where district negotiations are impos-
sible they are even willing to abide
by individual agreements. They even
go SO far as to make the statement
that providing any conferences are
pending on the first of April, when the
present contract expires, the mine
workers may be permitted to work un
der the old scale until there is some
definite issue from the pending con-
ference. The miners could not have
backed down much more completely
from the arbitrary stand taken origin
ally had they desired to do So 1t is
entirely depending now upon the OPP
orators whether the mines will be
closed after the first of April. In
view of the internal contentious be-
tween the mine operators, it seems
now entirely possible thct the sua-
pension of mines will be much shorter
than originally expected and it would
not be surprising il inside Of three
weeks, all labor troubles were patched
up and the mines were again operat-
ing on another years agreement.
MAN DRowNe I'M erpEEr M,ir,