New-York tribune., 1912-03-12
TO REPLY TO MINERS
Anthracite Operators Committee
Prepares Refusal TO Demands.
WILL CONFER TOMORROW
Differences in Bituminous Indus
try May Be Settled Because OF
England's Need of Soft Coal.

Several hours were spent by the commit
tee Of ten OF the anthracite operators ap-
pointed several days ago 10 prepare a reply
in writing to the demands OF the mine
workers. at meeting beginning at
o'clock yesterday afternoon at No. l43 LIB
erty street This reply will be submitted
by this committee TO the representatives OF
the mine workers tomorrow at a Joint
conference in the rooms of the Trunk Line
Association. The draft OF the reply was
practically completed yesterday.
The operators committee consists Of F.
r. Thomas, president OF the Lehigh Val
ley Railroad: J. l.. Cake: W. H. Truesdale
president Of the Delaware. Lackawanna &
Western Railroad: l. F. Loree. president
Of the Delaware & Hudson Company;
Morris Williams. president OF the susque-
hanna Coal Company: Percy c. Madeira,
Joseph Dickson. Alvan Markle. F. d. I'm
derwood. president of the Erie Railroad
and George +. Baer. president OF the Phlla-
delphia & Reading Railroad. A sub-com-
mittee of the operators committee OF ten
will meet to-day to complete the draft of
the reply and the committee will hold a
meeting tomorrow morning TO prepare for
the conference in the afternoon with the
representatives Of the mineworkers.
w. n. Truesdale said after the meeting
Yesterday that the detailed reply would
give the reasons of the operators In the
case Of each demand for refusing IT, He
would not say whether the reply was so
worded as TO give the opportunity TO the
mineworkers TO submit new proposition
which would pave the way to negotiations
for averting a strike, nor would he make
any predictions as 10 whether there would
be a strike.
II was said yesterday by dealers that all
the shipping ports were loading up with
anthracite. which people were eagerly buy
ing 10 hold for as high prices as they
could get in view OF d possible strike. A
representative OF a large firm OF coal deal
ers said:
Coal brokers are getting all the coal
they can and selling It at spot prices The
highest bidder gets It. The conditions are
abnormal The companies are shipping
the coal literally 10 tide water. but there
is such a demand for IT that II changes
hands at once. The demand for boats has
increased the rate Of freight by water
The freight for coal from Fall River. which
has been as low as 40 cents a ton. is now as
high as 81 O., In some cases. The harbor
freights have also risen from Is and %
cents a ton to o. so and 35 cents a ton"
The Consolidated Gas Company and the
New York Edison Company II was said.
have a six-months' supply OF coal. and the
former has made contract for itself and
its subsidiaries for the coming year at
prices a little higher than 1t paid last year.
Both the companies burn more sofe coal
than hard coal. but their contracts are for
anthracite and bituminous coal
The conferences between the committees
OF the bituminous coal operators and the
miners on the demands OF tho latter will
begin on March 20 Ii was learned that
large number OF ships were being chartered
In England TO come TO American ports for
soft coal, which the consignees were willing
10 pay high prices for The bituminous coal
operators are watching the English strike
with interest and It was learned that loco
motive plants and steel plants in England
which compete with America were running
on part time or were temporarily closed on
account OF the strike Of the English miners.
For these and other reasons the operators
may make more concessions to the miners
than they would otherwise grant In order
10 keep them working while they can get
unusually high prices from English firms
for coal