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ANOTHER EFFORT TO ORGANIZE
THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN. 11
THE IRWIN BITUMINOUS FIELD.
Another determined effort will be made by the
United Mine Workers of the Pittsburgh district
to invade the Irwin coal field. The district executive
board is preparing for a meeting in Pittsburgh
at which John Mitchell, the national president,
and T. L. Lewis, the national vice-president,
are expected to be present. For some time the
district executive board has been preparing plans,
which, if carried out, will enable them to finally
gain an entrance into this section of Western
Pennsylvania coal fields. About two years ago
President Mitchell and Patrick Dolau, president
of the Fifth district, made an attempt to hold
several meetings at Greensburg and vicinity.
Despite the liberal advertising and other means
that had been taken to secure a good attendance
of miners the turnout was discouragingly small.
It has been tbe intention of the national executive
board since that time to get the union fully intrenched
in that section. Some of the miners
there have been approached by some of the Pittsburgh
district union organizers and many have
expressed themselves as willing to affiliate with
the union. This has encouraged the organizers
who have been at work for the past few months.
Their reports to the executive board have been of
so optimistic a nature that the national officers
have deemed the time opportune to make a move
to organize unions there. The recent settlement
on a satisfactory basis of the Altoona scale has
also encouraged the mine workers. There are
about 8,000 miners in the Irwin field, and it has
been the earnest wish of President Dolan to have
them all in line with the Fifth district organization.
The miners in the Irwin district have no scale
and work 10 hours a day, while their brethren in
the Pittsburgh district work eight hours a day
and get better wages. The Irwin mine drivers
are paid $2.35 for a 10-hour day, while the Pittsburgh
driver is paid $2.42 for an eight-hour day.
In the Irwin field the miner is paid 71 cents a ton
for a three-quarter-inch screen coal, while in the
Pittsburgh district 85 cents a ton is paid for an
inch and a quarter screen, which is equivalent to
80 cents a ton for three-quarter-inch coal.
A $25,000,000 Coal Company Charter.
A $25,000,000 charter was taken out at Charleston,
W. Va., on April 7. by Pennsylvania capitalists,
composing the Nicholas Coal Co., of Bluefield,
W. Va., operating coal mines in Raleigh, Mc­
Dowell and Wyoming counties in West Virginia.
The incorporators are Charles F. Kindred, Andrew
J. Reilley, James B. Anderson, Thomas Bruce and
Joseph F. Hickey, Jr., all of Philadelphia.
• LONG WALL BRUSHINGS.' •
As usual, the disaster in the Leiter colliery at
Ziegler, 111., brought forth a large amount of
newspaper exploitation of sensational theories.
The union miners of the district were first accused
of causing the explosion. Then a revulsion of
sentiment was caused by the assistance in rescue
work given by some of them. Nothing was proved
in either case. The man who would murder his
fellow because of a difference of opinion on unionism
would be the first to uncover his work and be
sure of the result.
—o—
It is suggested that Gov. Pennypacker "brattice
his entries" hereafter, when he attempts to invade
the mining industry. A little careful
thought would have obviated the necessity for
the hubbub created by the Pennsylvania coal tax
bill.
—o—
The Western Federation of Miners is the latest
organization to attack Samuel Gompers, of the
American Federation of Labor. When labor agitators
fall out, both workmen and employers are
likely to get their honest dues.
—o—
The men who in dull times cry out that prosperity
has gone forever, are not of the stamp of
those who negotiated the contract lietween the
Pittsburgh Coal Co. and the United States Steel
Corporation.
—o—
Col. King of Jones & Laughlins and President
Spencer of the Southern railway handed them out
straight from the shoulder on transportation
affairs at the recent Traffic Club meeting in Pittsburgh.
—o—
Apropos of the spring cartoon of the New Pittsburgh
Coal Co. in this issue, the Black Diamond
says, "Only 280 days until winter again. Cheer
up!"
—o—
A few more contracts like the new one of the
Pittsburgh Coal Co. with the steel corporation and
things will be looking up in earnest.
—o—
Wage scale stunts are off for the year and the
only thing to do is to corral a few orders like that
25-year one by Mr. F. 1,. Robbins.
—o—
Mr. Robbins seems to be quite as much at home
selling 200.000,000 tons of coal as in dictating a
wage scale.