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THE MINERS INTERNATIONAL BOARD STILL
HEARING PITTSBURGH DISTRICT CASE.
No decision has been reached in the hearing of
the Pittsburgh district miners' controversy, which
has been in progress before the International Executive
Board of the IT. M. W. of A., sitting in
Pittsburgh, since August 24. The Board is in
session when this issue of THE COAL TRADE BULLE­
TIN goes to press although indications point to an
adjournment Deing reached before the week end.
Both Robert R. Gibbons and Francis Feehan. who
head the opposing factions, have presented their
cases in writing, scores of witnesses being called
to substantiate the claims contained therein.
It is intimated that a decision will not be ren­
dered immediately on adjournment but that the
question will be held under advisement until the
International Executive Board returns to Indianapolis.
The opinion is prevalent that a special
election should ue called and the miners of the
district given the opportunity of choosing the men
whom they desire to fill their administrative
offices.
ILLINOIS TROUBLES TO BE
ADJUSTED BY ARBITRATORS.
At the last meeting of the joint executive board
of the Illinois Coal Operators' Association and the
United Mine Workers of Illinois the troubles in
Saline county were heard and as a result of the
discussion were referred to an arbitration board
to be disposed of.
Following is the arbitration agreement entered
into by the joint executive board providing for the
settlement of the dispute between the miners and
the operators of Saline county:
All mines to resume work immediately under
the same conditions prevailing before the present
trouble.
It is hereby agreed to refer the division of the
machine mining rate in Saline county to an arbi­
tration board composed of two representatives of
the miners, two of the operators, and John Williams
of Streator, 111.; the hearing to take place
as soon as it can be arranged, at which time all
parties interested in the matter shall be heard;
a stenographer to be employed to take down the
evidence presented.
Tt is also agreed that the dispute regarding the
driving of wide entries double shift without com­
pensation shall be adjusted during this investiga­
tion.
These two disputes are all that will be con­
sidered in this investigation, and all other causes
of complaint to be adjusted in accordance with
the state agreement.
Decision of the Arbitration Board shall be in
effect at the beginning of the pay-day period
THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN. 23
nearest the date of decision rendered, not later,
however, than September 1, 1911.
W. R. Russell and William Johnson were se­
lected on the part of the operators, and Grace Lawrence
and Paul Smith on the part of the miners;
John U. Williams of Streator being the arbitrator.
SYNDICATE MAY SELL COAL LANDS.
A press dispatch from Fairmont, W. Va., says:
"The Little Kanawha Syndicate Co., whicli is
building the new extensions of the Buckhannon
& Northern railroad from Rivesville. near here, to
Martin, Pa., will in all probability dispose of its
vast holdings of coal lands in West Virginia after
the extension is finished and put in operation. The
syndicate is controlled by Ihe Baltimore & Ohio.
the Pennsylvania and the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie
Railroad Cos., the latter a subsidiary of the New
York Central.
"The company owns 60,000 acres of valuable coal
property which has never been developed, owing to
the lack of railroad facilities in that part of the
state. The Buckhannon & Northern will tap the
center of the property, and it is believed will bring
about an early development of this immense field."
PENNSYLVANIA'S NEW BRANCH
TO TAP RICH COAL FIELD.
The Pennsylvania railroad is planning to build
a new road between Lore City and Fairview, Ohio,
making a new short line between Cincinnati and
Pittsburgh and opening up several new Ohio coal
fields. Lore City is on the Baltimore & Ohio,
and Fairview on the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton,
near Washington C. H., giving the Pennsyl­
vania a connection over the Cincinnati & Muskingum
Valley into Cincinnati.
From Cincinnati the coal will be distributed to
various points in the West. It is estimated that
the coal traffic from the Ohio mines will aggregate
1,000,000 tons per year. This road will cut down
the mileage between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, and
it is expected that eventually some of the passenger
trains from Pittsburgh will be run over it, re­
ducing time to and from the Smoky City.
Surveying crews are now in the field and have
the route nearly mapped out. Active work of
preliminary grading will be started in the near
future, and will be continued as long as the
weather permits. In the spring it will be rushed
to completion, and it is expected by tlie fall of
1912 to have trains running over the line.
The Northern Pacific has recently been using
smokeless coal in its switch engines at Minneapo­
lis, as a result of the activities of the local smoke
inspector.