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26 THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN.
SCALE INTERPRETATIONS IN
THE PITTSBURGH DISTRICT.
Conferences in which representatives of the
miners' organization and of the Pittsburgh Coal,
Monongahela River Consolidated Coal & Coke, Carnegie
Coal, Fayette Coal and Mifflin Coal Cos. took
part, were held in Pittsburgh on February 15. 16.
17 and 18, to consider conflicting interpretations
of portions of the district scale referring to dead
work. The necessity for the meetings was due
largely to the difference of opinion among mine
foremen regarding payment for the removal of
slate, various rulings being in effect at different
mines. A uniform agreement to pay the miner
for the removal of all slate over twelve inches in
thickness was made and has been accepted hy
operators in the district. A number of other
interpretations on matters of minor importance
were also agreed upon.
The scale conference in the Mercer-Butler field
has been postponed until March 21. No radical
changes will be asked by either the miners or the
operators but an equalization of the machine differential
will be the principal subject for consideration.
Individual concessions, the necessity for
which are recognized, will be made. There are
also several matters of minor importance to be
regulated but no difficulty in reaching an understanding
is expected.
LAKE COAL RATES RE-AFFIRMED.
The heads of the freight traffic departments of
all the railroads which have a part in the lake
coal trade from Western Pennsylvania and Ohio
held their meeting on February 21 to fix the coal
rates to the lakes, and the result of the conference
was the reaffirming of last year's rates in
spite of the protests of the coal shippers from the
Pittsburgh district. The new year begins April 1.
The old rate is 83 cents a ton from Eastern Ohio,
including the Hocking valley, to the boats. It is
on account of the difference in the place of delivery
that the Pittsburgh shippers claim discrimination.
For 83 cents Pittsburgh coal is delivered
only to the docks, while for 85 cents the
railroads bear the expense of loading Ohio coal
on the lake vessels. The loss to Pittsburgh shippers
is apparent, in that it costs them 8 or 9 cents
a ton to load the coal from docks to vessels and
they are thus paying 91 or 92 cents per ton while
their Ohio competitors are paying only 83 cents for
delivery from the coal fields to the lake vessels.
The rate from the Fairmont district of West Virginia
to the lake is fixed at 91 "i cents. The rate
from Pittsburgh to Chicago is $1.90.
A storage boat of the Jutte Coal Co. at Pittsburgh,
was burned on February 16. Loss, $3,000.
MINING BILLS INTROBUCED IN
THE PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATURE.
In accordance with the recommendation of Gov.
Pennypacker in his last annual message recommending
that a small tax be placed upon every
ton of coal mined in Pennsylvania, Representative
W. J. Thomas of Lackawanna has introduced a
bill which places a tax of 5 cents on every ton of
anthracite and 2 cents on every ton of bituminous
coal mined in Pennsylvania. Provision is made
for reports to the auditor general, levying of the
taxes and for the distribution of the funds thus
collected. Two-fifths of this revenue is to go
toward the support of the public schools, twofifths
for the construction and maintenance of
public roads and one-fifth is to be placed to the
credit of a miners' relief association, an organization
to be created by a companion bill presented
by Mr. Thomas. This hill provides for the appointment
by the governor of five persons, one of
whom snail be a practical anthracite miner and
another to be a bituminous miner, actually engaged
in that occupation, who shall constitute a
miners' relief association. They shall he paid $500
a year each, excepting the secretary, who shall
receive $1,000 a year. They are to keep a record
of accidents and, in co-operation with employers,
shall help to ameliorate the condition of sick and
disabled miners, and shall have custody of all
funds appropriated for such purposes. It is asserted
that the tax proposed in the first bill would
raise over $4,000,000 of revenue.
Two bills have been reported favorably from the
committee on labor and industry of the lower
house, one prohibiting the employment of any
person in or about the anthracite coal mines for
more than eight hours a day and another prohibiting
the employment of children under 16 years of
age in or about an anthracite coal mine.
Three bills relating to bituminous coal mining
have heen introduced. One of these measures,
presented by S. J. Smith, of Indiana would require
every man going into the soft coal mines
to pass an examination by a board composed of
miners and to receive a state certificate before
digging coal.
The examining board is to consist of five in
each inspection district. The hoard is authorized
to put a series of questions to applicants for work
under the ground. If the questions are answered
correctly in English the applicant will be entitled
to a certificate showing that he has qualified to be
admitted to underground workings. The board
shall meet at least once a month, giving notice of
the place of meeting and time, and shall be empowered
to charge 50 cents for each certificate
issued.
The act will not affect those who are already
employed in the mines," as their term of service