Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-04-01
PRESENT PRICES
Of FUEL ARE To
Be BOOSTED THE
OPERATORS SAY
Additional Pay Is Granted to
Approximately 100000
Workers; Burden Passed
On To the Consumer.
DlGGERS CLAIM HIKE
WHOLLY UNWARRANTED
Mine Owners, However,
Quote Figures to Justify
Action; Production Costs
Have Scared, Claim.

4
New York March 31.-Wage in
creases totalling approximately
$500, 100000 annually are granted
me mine workers in new agree
hent, which affects about 100000
loft coal diggers. The general
,Escale committee today ratified a
contract embodying the proposals
of the coal commission named by
President Wilson.
Despite contention of workers
y that increases should be borne by
the operators without additional
costs to the public. the mine own
ers tonight reiterated their an
nouncement that present coal
| prices will be boosted from SIS cents
to $3.50 per ton at the mines.
representatives of the miners
also produced statistics tonight to
show the increases were "unwar-
ranted." They declared that pres
| ent prices were mo reflection of
J what the miners received in in
creases" as the total increase to
the men since 1913 was but Al
cents per ton, while the increase
in the cost of coal averages from
Sill before the war to $2.70."
T. l.. Lewis. secretary of the New
River Coal Operators association
of West Virginia, declared today
that the operators were justified"
in increasing prices because OF the
increase in wages, cost of equip
ment and overhead expenditures.
"There is no possible chance of
production during the next year
coming anywhere near to meeting
the demand" Mr.. Lewis said.
The coal fields at the present
time are affected by this labor
shortage, he said, and it is grad
ualIy growing worse
Wage clauses in the new agree
ment effective tomorrow covering
the various districts of the central
competitive fields follow:
The pick mining rate in the thin
vein district of western Pennsyl-
vania shall be s1.11.64 per ton and
in the eastern Ohio, Hooking. Cam
bridge and amsterdam Bergholz
districts of Ohio the mining rate
shall be $1.11.64. and throughout
the balance of Ohio the pick min
ing rate shall be advanced "a cents
per ton upon the pick mining rate
in effect October 81. 1919; in the
hituminous district of Indiana
s1.0s per ton. and in the Danville
district of Illinois s1,0S per ton.
Machine mining in the thin vein
district of western Pennsylvania
"a cents per ton; in Ohio "a cents
per ton; in the bituminous district
of Indiana, chain machine mining
90 cents per ton and punching ma
chimes 9S cents per ton; in the Dan
vile district of Illinois 9S cents per
ton.
That all day labor and monthly
men (the advance to monthly men
to be based on an average of the
usual number of days he is re-
quired to work in a month"; ex-
cept trappers and other boys, be !
advanced 81 per day. Trappers |
and boys receiving less than mems |
wages to be advanced SO cents per |
day
Dead work. yardage and room |
turning is advanced 20 per cent on |
the prices being paid October 81, |
1919.
The agreement ends with a res
olution that IAN interstate joint
conference be held prior to April |
1, 1929; the time and place OF
holding such meeting is referred
TO a committee of two operators
and two miners from each state
herein represented together with
the international officers of the
United Mine Workers organiza-
ton
Although the mine workers Of
ficials failed to receive the prin-
cipal demand with which they en-
tered the conference here-the
raise in pay of the day men from
the 81 per day award by the COM
mission to s1.35-they expressed
general satisfaction tonight that
the agreement had been signed.
On the question of the wage in