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48 THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN.
KETUCKY SCALE RENEWED.
After ten days' consideration the representatives
of the Western Kentucky Coal Operators' Association
and delegates of District No. 23, United Mine
Workers of America, on March 25 adopted with
slight changes the agreement and scale of wages
of last year. The details of the agreement follow:
As 78"i cents is the price in the contract for
mining screened coal, the mine-run price where
the coal is unscreened is flxed at 48 8-10 cents per
ton. The price of yardage in entries is fixed at
$1.19 :1 4 per yard, but when tne entry exceeds ten
feet and is not more than twelve feet, the price is
fixed at 89V4 cents per yard. The price of turning
rooms is fixed at $3.57 per room.
Chain machine runners and helpers shall be
paid at the rate of $4.46'{j per twenty-seven cuts,
$2.36% to the runner and $2.10 to the helper, when
they work by the day. The runner shall receive
26 6-10 cents per hour and the helper 26% cents
per hour when they work by the hour.
Punch machine runners shall receive 29 6-10
cents per hour, and the helper shall receive 22 4-10
cents per hour, when they work by the hour, 11V4
cents per ton of screen coal to the cutter, 6% cents
per ton of screen coal to helper, or 1 19-100 cents
per square foot to the cutter, and 71-100 cents to
the helper.
The following scale of wages shall be paid for
inside work:
Per day.
Tracklayers $2.10
Tracklayers' helpers 1.91
iappers 65
Bottom cagers 1.91
Drivers gathering with one mule 1.91
Drivers gathering with two mules 2.08
Drivers with more than two mules on entries, 2.08
Riders 1.91
Water haulers 1.91
Timbermen 1.91
Pipemen 2.02
All other inside day labor 1.91
The minimum outside scale of wages for work
about the mine shall be 1.52
TO STOP PETTY STRIKES.
The Indiana bituminous operators' association
adopted a resolution at their conventhion at Terre
Haute, on March 15, which is virtually an ultimatum
to the miners against petty strikes. The
resolution in effect is that in the event of a violation
of contract which results in a shutdown,
the check-off system, whereby the operators check
off clues of miners for the union, will be suspended
until such violation or shotdown is abandoned.
In the event that the shutdown is not
terminated within the month, the check-off system
throughout the state will be suspended. The resolution
was sent to district eleven, United Mine
Workers of America, in annual convention at
Terre Haute, with the notice that the check-off
system in Sullivan county had already been suspended.
The reply in substance is that the agreement
entered into a year ago holds another year;
that the mine workers propose to carry out their
part and that any violation not ratified must come
from the operators.
ATTORNEY WALES REFUSES TO
COMPLY WITH COURT ORDERS.
An appeal from the order of Justice Lyon compelling
Attorney A. D. Wales to file a bill of particulars
in his action against John Mitchell for
$200,000 for settling the anthracite coal strike.
was argued before the appellate division of the
supreme court at Binghamton, N. Y., on March 24.
Certain portions of the order were complied with
by Mr. Wales, but he was unwilling to unfold his
plan for settling the strike, for which settlement
he claims $200,000 is due him. From this part of
the order he has appealed.
THE BUTLER-MERCER CONFERENCE.
The scale conference between the operators and
miners of the Butler-Mercer field of the Pittsburgh
district convened at Greenville, Pa., on March 21.
Conflicting propositions were presented, the miners
asking 83 cents a ton for 114-inch coal and
the operators offering 68 cents. The coal tax bill
upset the regular proceedings of the conference
which was adjourned until March 30 when it was
reconvened. The proposition of the miners is
the present base rate but the details of their scale
provide for some changes which, they contend,
are necessary to equalize the differential between
pick and machine mining. There are about 35
operations in the district with a total of 40 mines.
The mine workers number 2,500 men.
Mine Superintendent's Home Burned.
Serious trouble occurred at Holden, in Logan
county, W. Va., as the result of the strike of the
300 miners at 'the United States Coal & Oil Co.'s
works. On March 22, 100 non-union men arrived
in Holden to go to work. The strikers were
demonstrative throughout that night and soon
after midnight the home of Superintendent F. P.
Morrel, just completed, but not occupied was discovered
in flames. The structure, which cost
$30,000 and which was located on a mountain
The mine workers number 2,500 men. No agreement
was reached on March 30 and the conference
was again adjourned until April 4. Meanwhile
meetings to discuss the situation will be held by
both sides.