The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-03-19
COAL SITUATION
 SOFT. AND HARD ABOUT THE SAME

New York, March 19-That a further conference between the an- thracite coal operators and the scale committee of the anthracite district will follow the conference between the bituminous operators and miners which begins in East Cleveland, to- morrow, was considered almost cer- tain, today. And with the belief came another, that there would be no strike in the hard coal fields. Although on the surface the union and mine owners are seemingly as far apart as the poles, there have been conferences that have not become public which indicated that both sides are ready to conciliate.
 Persons close to the trade believed, today, that, before the present agree ment expires, a new one will be reach ed or the old one extended for short time to permit further negotiations. If the operators are willing to grant a 10 per cent increase in wages it was believed today that when the settle ment is finally made it will be on that basis.
 Under the sliding scale. the price of coal at tide water should begin to go down on the first of next month. It probably will not do so, however, and the present figures will remain in force until the danger of strike has pass ed. That the dealers are unwilling to forecast the outcome was shown when Borough President McAneny prepared to open bids for B, ,462, 32O pounds of coal for the public build ings in Manhattan, for delivery dur ing the next three months. Not a single one of the big dealers in the city submitted a bid and the city will have to take it's chances with other consumers buying in the open market for while
 Wholesale dealers everywhere in the United States deny they have taken advantage of the situation to advance prices. Where there has been an in crease, they charge, it was due to the retailers who have put the price up to hold as much of reserve supply as possible. But if the bituminous miners and operators fail to reach an {; agreement at their conference, which begins tomorrow, it may seriously complicate the entire situation. Cleveland. March 19-Thirty-twc representative operators of the soft coal mines in Ohio, Pennsylvania, ln- diana and Illinois will meet in exc cutive session, late today, to frame their reply to the demands from the miners. These are to be formally present at 9:3O a. n., tomorrow, wheI | the bituminous coal conference open. | here. It is said the opera tors reply
 
 1 to the demand of the miners for any | increase in wages and will, in fact | be either plea to allow the present | scale to stand or to cut it. Meanwhile. the belief that there will be at least a "suspension'' o1 l 30 days at the mines grows hourly 1 The Standard Oil Company and the subsidiaries of the steel trust have l'stored immense quantities of soft coal.
 The price of all grades is rising al the rate of 25 cents day and spring l discounts, except those give min iron l clad contracts, have been abandoned In the conference, Wednesday. G. l men will participate. Half of these | will represent the operators and hal | the miners. President John w. White of the United Mine Workers will pre- side. White has already called s | meeting of the policy committee ot the union to be held in this city March 25. It is to consider what course shall be taken in course the operators make any overtures to tht l miners.