coal trade bulletin - Clpdigital.org

ANTHRACITE CONCILIATION BOARD ACTS
ON THE BUTTON QUESTION AND VOTE
AGAINST SUCH STRIKES IS UNANIMOUS.
The Anthracite Conciliation Board met in Wilkes-Barre,
Pa., Nov. 15, and took up disputes that
were before it.
The principal grievance before the board was
that of G. B. Markle of Hazleton against certain
employes. The disturbance arose at the Highland
No. 5 colliery of the Markle company. It
appears that on a "button day" three or four miners
were forbidden by union officers to enter the
mines without the emblem of the union. The
Markle Co. claimed the men were in the wrong
and the question was brought before the Conciliation
Board. The following resolution was adopted
by the board by an unanimous vote after the
Markle Co. had given damaging testimony:
Whereas, the testimony' shows that continued
strikes have occurred in violation of the award
of the Anthracite Coal Strike Commission and the
agreements subsequent hereto, and
Whereas, new trouble has been caused by highhanded
and arbitrary action on the part of certain
committeemen in the forcible collection of union
dues in violation of any rights given by the award
or any subsequent agreement, and
Whereas, this action has caused serious loss to
G. B. Markle Co. and loss of discipline in the
operation of its mines;
Therefore, be it resolved, that such company be
directed to take such steps as are necessary to
enforce proper discipline by the discharge from
its service of the parties guilty of causing this
trouble in open violation of the agreement to
which they have subscribed, and
Be it further resolved, that Hugh Gallagher, Patrick
Sweeney and Michael Laputka be directed
to appear before this board at the next meeting
to be held Nov. 17, 1913, to explain their alleged
action in violation of the agreement and the instructions
given to them at the meeting held Sept.
17, 1913.
NAMES OF MINE COMMISSIONERS.
Governor John K. Tener of Pennsylvania has
named three members of the mining commission
that will co-operate with the U. S. Bureau of Mines
in establishing a mining experiment station in
Pennsylvania.
The men named are Mr, Walter R. Calverly,
Windber, Pa.,; Dean W. R. Crane, of the School
of Mines, Pennsylvania State College, State College,
Pa., and Chief of the Department of Mines
James E. Roderick, Harrisburg, Pa.
THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN. 27
GOVERNOR HATFIELD WOULD
CLASSIFY MINES OF STATE.
With a view to having stricter supervision of
mines in West Virginia, Governor H. D. Hatfield
is advising with Earl A. Henry, chief of the state
department of mines, in establishing a system of
classification of the mines into three divisions—
non-hazardous, hazardous and extra-hazardous.
The governor's plan is to have inspections of the
extra-hazardous mines often. When the classification
has been established a movement will be
made to have this system used as a basis of liability
to be charged under the workmen's compensation
law, the rates to be fixed in proportion to
the hazard. Coal mine operators who exercise
every precaution to protect their employes will
not be required to pay as great a liability rate as
those who are not awake to the responsibilities the
governor thinks they owe their workmen. Under
the present flat rate no inducement is offered for
the minimizing of accidents.
OPERATORS WANT OLD CHESAPEAKE AND
OHIO CAR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM RE­
STORED.
Following a conference between representatives
of the Kanawha and New River coal operators and
President George W. Stevens of the Chesapeake &
Ohio railroad, held at White Sulphur Springs, M.
T. Davis, John Laing and G. H. Caperton, a committee
of the operators, left for New York Nov.
18 to appear before the board if directors of the
railroad to urge immediate action in the improvement
of the car facilities.
The coal operators requested the restoration of
the car distribution system in vogue earlier in
the year, and President Stevens promised relief,
but the operators decided to take the matter before
the board of directors with a view of having the
system restored immediately and other improvements
in the service made.
News dispatches say a 25-foot seam of coal was
discovered at the Locust Spring mine of the Philadelphia
& Reading Coal & Iron Co. at Locust Gap,
Pa., and that output of colliery would be greatly
increased. A seven-foot seam was reported near
Taylorville, near Mt. Carmel, and reports said a
breaker would be built to supply farmers in that
vicinity.
Indictments against six Baldwin-Felts detectives
charging the murder of Pietro Bonelli at the "First
Battle of Mucklow," on Paint creek in June, 1912,
were dismissed in the circuit court of Green Brier
county, W. Va., Nov. 19, nobody appearing to prosecute
them.