Pittston Gazette

              I \ 1 PITTSTON, PA., SATl'KDAV, MAY 19(Xi. |f WEATHER OOVTwm* . Forecast UntilT"i Hislorl0Ul THE HOME TAPER %' Eastern .vunia. I'or tlio People of PiUston and Vicinity. Showers and colder tonight; Sunday fair colder. AMi THE HOME NEWS. 56TH YEAR. J WEEKLY EST. 1 IDAII.i¥ EST. BY 1 INTS A COPY. I :nth a month. f 8PACJUS A 0 GREEMEN N CERT TAC Air CEPTED ONDITIONS " 1 TERRIBLE WRECK. BAER INTERVIEWED; NO DISCRIMINATION FIGHT TO FINISH. Passenger Trains Collide on the Pennsy. Fact after fact comes in to make assurance doubly sure that all pM* Declaration of the Clearfield billty of a strike has passed. FresI- Operators. dent George F. Baer, head of the op- erators, said this afternoon thut there NINE PERSONS KILLED. would be no discrimination shown in WILL REOPEN MINES. the return of the miners. Mr. liaer Twenty-Seven Are Serious- was approached by a newspaperman Against Closed Shop and in Philadelphia, but refused to dis- ly Injureu. cuss the action of the miners' conven- the Checkoff. ACTION TAKEN TODAY BY THE CONVENTION. the present emergency, while the mine workers had failed to take advantage of the opportunity that had been presented to them to fortify themselves, when President Mitchell made his celebrated tour through the anthrucite region last year. tion as he had not at the time re- ceived official not leal inn of its action Altoona, Pa., May 6.—The most disastrous accident on the Pennsylvania Railroad slncc the wreck east of Harrlsburg nearly a year ago, occurred last night at 11 o'clock 011 the Petersburg branch, about 500 yards east of Clover Creek Junclori. The Chicago mail, eastbound, and Chicago and St. Louis express, westbound, two of the fastest trains on the systems going at full speed, met head-on. Seven cars were wrecked, and both engines badly damaged. Nine persons were killed and about twenty-seven Injured. The list of dead is as follows: Philadelphia, May 5.—Representatives of ten of the principal coal and coke companies in the Central Pennsylvania bituminous or Clearfield district, whose employes have uult work pending a settlement of tht? differences existing between them, met in the office of the Rrle & Western Coal Co. here and mapped out a plan of campaign against the claims of the midie workers.*. The coal operators were In session several hours and at the conclusion of the meeting the following statement was made: After Mr. Wilson had finished his speech, the whofe matter was referred to the scale committee for a recommendation, aqp from that moment tm it was clear to all who had been studying the situation, that the conservative element would prevail and that the recommendation to be made by the committee would be against a strike. The -committee was In session yesterday afternoon and last evening, and early this morning sufficient information leaked out of the committee to le&i to widespread rumors that the recommandatlon woul be against striking. For several hours previous to the opening of the convention this morning these rumors were afloat and the Scran ton papers printed them In special editions. How well founded these rumors were was proved when the convention adjourned, after having been in session one hour, and the announcement was made that It had been decided to work on a basis of tli* old agreement which has been in force during the past three years. j He said, however, that positively there would be no discrimination THE HANOVER GASES. Proposition Presented by Scale Commit- Tax Collector Hughes Escapes With Heavy Fine. tee was Unanimously Adopted. J. W. Wagner, postal clerk, on No, 18, Mo in; died en route lo hospital. "We Will light It out at whatever cost. There will be no settlement and we will not recede from our position. This Is final and Is the unanimous decision of the operators. Tlie School Directors and Auditors, J. W. Cox, postal clerk on No. IS, 18, Mifflin idled en route to hospital. Convicted of Conspiracy to De- ALL EMPLOYES ON SUSPENSION MUST BE GIVEN OLD POSITIONS While It Is true that the convention adopted the of the scale committee by u unanhnoua vote, it i» true also that the 1 recommendation was not wholly satisfactory. A large number of delegates; especially those representing foreign-speaking men, wore heard muttering their objections On the streets after the convention adjourned, and in the crowd that surrounded the bulletin board In front of the Gazette otllce were foreign miners who murmured against going back to work without securing an increase In wages. On the other hand, the English-speaking miners quite generally applaud the wisdom of the executive officers in agreeing on a recommendation, which, under all the circumstances. Is regarded as the best possible thing that could be done by the miners' organization. These conservative members of the union do not regard today's action of the convention as in any degree affecting the stability of the 11 uflbn. but simply a deferring of the demand for better working conditions til111 a more pro- Tliis Morning's Session. The session of the convention opened this morning ataen o'clock, and, like all other sessions was commenced promptly on tjme. A large crowd of spectators lined tin- corridors of the court house, among "hem the couple of dozen newspapermen who have been attending the convention. The session w»s secret, however, the only Idea outsiders had of what was going on being merely what they could observe through the glass panels of the E, H. Schultss, postal clerk on No. 18, Washlngtonboro; died en route to hospital. fraud Were Knoll Directed in Pay a Fine of $50 und "We will insist upon an open shop and the abolition of the checkoff system. There can be 110 other course for us to follow, and It will be a finish tight." W. F. Jones, postal clerk, residence unknown, killed instantly. CnCler(;o Imprisonment for Three Months. F. M. Harder, brakeman on No. 18, Harrlsburg: killed Instantly. The celebrated Hanover township conspiracy cases came up in court again today for flnul disposition. II. H. Hughes, tax collector of Hanover township, was recently convicted in criminal court on the charge of collecting taxes from a large number of residents of Hanover who had not been assessed. The principal witnesses against the defendants were clerks and other representatives of certain coal companies doing business In Hanover township through vyhom the taxes were collected by Hughes. The tax collector secured from the coal companies lisls of men in their employ and then made" out tax bills against those who were not assessed, the money 011 the same being collected through the companies. It was a clear violation of law, and 26 different counts were contained in the indictment found by the grand Jury against the tax collector. When the case came to trial the prosecution made out a strong case, while that of the, defense was lamentablly weak, the defendant endeavoring to throw the blame on his son who had done -the clerical part of the illegal transaction. Hughes was to have been sentenced In criminal court last Saturday, but his son was lying dead at his home, and the court postponed the case until today, when Hughes was called for sentence. The sentence of the court was that Hughes should pay the costs of prosecution and pay a line of $100 in each of the 26 counts 011 which he had been convicted, the aggregate amount of his fine being $2,600. The operators are making preparations to operate their mines next week. CJeorge E. Scott, who was secretary of the meeting, and who is connected with the I'uritan Coal Co., declared that his company's mines, as well as others, would be opened upon the open shop basis and without the checkoff system, the two principal demands tha miners' union Is fighting for. The operators claim that last year under the checkoff system they collected from the men $51,078, which they turned over to the union for the payment of checkoff men on the tlppri'S-?' This money, they maintain, does not all go to the checkoff men, but much of It is retained for the purpose of lighting the companies in strike times. J. \V. Herr, baggagemaster on No, 21; died on way to hospital. Period of Time for New Agreement must be Mutually Agreed Upon Between Two Sides. Unknown woman, supposed to be Mrs. W. N. Trinkle, Duncannon; killed instantly. J. D. Conover, traveling salesman for Hunk Hunkin, Neil Hi Forbes, 147 Fifth avenue, New York City, killed instantly. SUSPENSION OF WORK CONTINUES UNTIL AGREEMENT IS MADE AND RATIFIED (litiuus 8eU,MOII Altoona, Pa.; May 5.—The Chicago mail train No. 21 and the Chicago and St. Louis express No. 18, on the Pennsylvania railroad, running at full speed, met head on near Springfleld Furnace, on the Pittsburg cutoff, 18 miles from this city at 11 o'clock last night. It was at first reported that three passengers had been killed and 27 injured, but later reports indicate that the casualties were underestimated. A few hours before 37 freight cars had been wrecked at I'nion Furnace on the middle division, 20 miles east of this city, and all trains were being run around the Altoona cutoff. The Chicago mall left tills city on time and went as far as Tyrone, when it was sent back to go over the cutoff. The Chicago and St. Kiouis express was sent west from Huntingdon, and the two trains met at Springfield Junction, where there is but one track. The cause of the disaster is said to have been a misunderstanding or orders by the operator at Springfield Junction. PhysU c'l.ns have been sent from Altoona. The railroad ofllclals at Huntingdon Convention Remains in Session Until Tuesday to Hear Report of the Operators' Reply to Committee. court room doors. President Mitchell presided unil. Immediately on the opening of th( The companies that participated In the conference represented, it Is said, invested capital of more than $100,- 000,000. They are: Pennsylvania Coal & Coke Co., Rochester & Pittsburg Coal & Iron Co., Morrisdale Coal Co.. Peale, Peacock & Kerr Coal Co., Sterling Coal Co., Heech Creek Coal & Coke Co., Irish Bros., Puritan Coal Co., Crescent Coal Co. and Erie & Western Coal Co.. convention proceeded to read tin report of the scale committee as drawn ujD yesterday afternoon and last  ell delivered a twenty minute address the attitude taken by the scale commlttec After reading the report, Mr. Mitch- There will be no strike In Hie anthracite region. This much Is certain It was a forceful address explaining from the action of the Ti i-Distrlct convention, at lhC lession In Scrtinton and rIvIiik the miners sound nitl forth Cm the court room bench, during the iiml was frequently Interrupted by applause. this morning, In accordance with the instructions of the convent ion counsel He strode back yesterd.iiy afternoon's pession, the fcjeiteraj scale committee, headed iDy President John Mitchell and the three district presidents, Messrs. Nichoils, IJettrey and Fahy, presented to the convention this morning, immediately course of the Mr. Mitchell, among other things, said: "I am In favor of raising the low paid men to the standard of the high paid men. During th years that I have been in the movement in tin learned to know much about conditions here. I want to iijsui' iuldrcas six or seven after It re-convened, a recommendation that the miners a gree to return to anthracite rejjion, I have TImD Illinois Compromise. work on a basis of the award made by tlie Anthracite Striki Dntmisslon you that I Chicago. May 5.—The compromise to which John Mitchell ailel the leading operators of Illinois have agreed informally is expected to be ratified at a joint conference of operators and miners' representatives here. Both sides regard it as a victory. of 1903, which nils been in force in the anthracite region during the past thj ee years, anil the recommendation was unanimously adopted by the am not nt all pleased with the wages or conditions, 1 believe they should "In considering the policy of the organization we must first consider its possibilities, if I was sure a strike would be successful, that you could be improved There are a few strings to the proposition, however, and these will have to be considered by the representatives of the operators and the miners before the matter is definitely determined. In the llrst place, the miners make as a condition, that the members of the mine workers who have been convention win, tlint you would stand* together, 1 would advise you to strike and stay away from the mines until we got better conditions. But from the infor- Regarded locally, the operators get the best of the bargain, as they rid themselves of the vexatious and costly burden of shot tiring conditions, or will when the necessary legislation can be secured. The cost of shot firing to them is estimated at 7 to 12 cents, the average being probably about 9 cents, whereas the new scale the operators will concede Increases their cost between 5 and 6 cents. mation 1 have received from all part people are not in shape for a Ft I'Ike. of the region I am fearful that our and Williamsburg have received a repert that both locomotives, the express and mail cars and passenger coaches arc completely demolished. The school directors and auditors of Hanover township who were also convicted at the recent session of criminal court of conspiring to defraud the township out of money by the payment of $200 each to the auditors for their services, when the law provided for $2 a day, were called for sentence tills morning. Each man was sentenced to pay a tine of $fD0 and the costs of prosecution, and to undergo imprisonment at separate and solitary confinement at labor in the L.usserne county prison for a period of three calendar months. on suspension since April 1st, either voluntarily or by reason of dismissal at the hands of the colliery officials, shall be reinstated in their old positions. us who are not in sympathy with a strike movement. We must retain what we have, rather than lose what we gained in the last two strikes. I know that there lire many among This condition, however, is not regarded as a serious bar to the settlement proposition now made by the miners. There was contained in the award •'In deciding this question, may 1 ask you to do it without passion or sentiment, but with the due regard to what is best now. Whatever your decision is, whether it be strike or whether it lie work. 1 ask you to stand One of the trains was running reversed with a cdfcch next to the engine. Twenty-five passengers were In this coach and it is reported that all are either dead or wounded. The railroad officials say it will be Impossible to tell the exact extent of the accident at once, as several people are pinned under the wreckage, it is feared that the number of dead will exceed the first estimates, reaching possibly eight or ten. A special has been sent from here to bring in the dead and Injured. of the Strike Commission which the operators recently offered to renew for a period of three years and which the miners now desire to accept, a provision expressly declaring that there should be no discrimination against the members of the union who had been on strike, and It is quite likely that there will be radical opposition to tills condition on the part of the operators comprising the committee of seven which has the interests of the op- together, accepting without reservation the conclusion of the majority The report of (he scale committee, as presented to the convention us follows was Regarded broadly, however, the miners get the best of It because the signing of the scale in Illinois commits several companies with mines In Indana. In fact, the settlement of the strike In Illinois will foreshadow general resumption of mining under the new scale throughout the entire central competitive district, which Includes all of Ohio. For several months past we have been endeavoring to negotiate a erators in hand wage scale and an adjustment of conditions of employment with the representatives of the anthracite coal mining companies. During these nego- A more serious condition, it is believed, is that which provides that the new agreement, if accepted by both sides, shall continue for a period of time to be mutually agreed upon by the representatives of the contending sides. It is well known that the operators have been very insistent that any new agreement that may be entered into shall be for a period of at least three years, and they have absolutely refused to consider a proposition that an agreement shall be.entered into for a period of one year. On the other hand, President Mitchell and the other members of the general scale committee, during the recent negotiations in New York city, made it very clear that they were strongly in favor of an agreement for one "year only, and later, when the operators made objections to this, Mr. Mitchell and j.iis associates made a concession of another year, thus proposing that the new tlations we made a number of propositions, each of which materially modi- fied our original demands. We did this not because (ve were convinced AN ALL-NIGHT BATTLE that our original propositions were unfair or wrong, but purely for the pur- pose of iindlng a common ground upon which we could reach an agreement that would secure and maintain peace in the anthracite coal industry. We still believe that our original proposition was reasonable and fair, notwith- The disaster was indirectly duo to a freight wreck on the middle division at 8:24, when 27 loaded cars of an east bound freight train was wrecked at Union Furnace, about 20 miles east of here, blocking all tracks. The cause of the accident is attributed to a burst aiir hose. In order to avoid detention of trains, passenger traffic was sent over the Petersburg branch. The Pennsylvania Special the 18-hour tlyer, was the first train to pass around and made the trip in safety. No. 21, Chicago and St. Louis express, was tiie next train to be sent west bound over the branch. It collided with No. 18, Chicago mail, going in the opposite direction on a single track near Clover Creek Junction. Both locomotives were wrecked. Six cars of No. 18—five mail cars and a coach—were "caught in the smashup. The dead and injured were passengers of the coach. Fernwood Pump Shanty HARVEY'S LAKE. standing the modifications we have sitfee made In the Interest of peace; and Peppered by Bullets. now we are face to face with the alternative of continuing at work under our former conditions or declare a strike. In this crisis your committee A steamboat is now running between the Lehigh Valley station and the Rhoads landing and will meet all trains. That part of the State road around the lake, which has been laid for a distance of six miles, is in fine condition. About six miles of the road will be laid this summer. The Oneonta hotel will be reopened about May 15th and the electric light plant will also be placed in operation on that day. recommends the following policy First.—That we agree to work on the basis of the award of the Anthra- Parties in Ambush Kept tip a Fus- ngreeinent should continue for two years, rhis, however, the operators re- cite Coal Strike Commission for such a period of timt may be agreed illade of Shots—Colliery Guards jected more pointedly than the previous time offer, on account of the fact that it would bring the agitation for a new agreement, at the expiration of the proposed two year term, during the campaign for the nomination and election of a president. The objection was made that a purely industrial question should not be Injected into a political campaign, which would upon mutually between the representatives of the u. ..o coal mining companies and our scale committee; provided that ull men who suspended work on April 1st or since that time, or who have been dismissed because they stated that they would refuse to work if a strike were declared, are reinstated In their former positions and working places. anthracite Considerably Annoyed—Shots Kt turned from Inside the Stockade An all-night battle on a small scale was fought last night at the Fernwood colliery, of the Erie Company, jriear the Boston settlement. As far as undoubtedly happen in the event of the strike agitation and the politiea campaign coining at the same time. However, the disagreement over time period for the proposed new agreement is not regarded Insurmountable, notwithstanding the fact, which is pointed out by „ people, that the mine workers, having given in on so many points of their original demands, may be more Insistent that their desires, '• Second.—That the scale committee proceed at once to meet the repre- sentatives of tile coal companies, with a view- to securing agreement DENTIST. fash Store Block. 5 N. Main St. as entirely upon this basis, could be learned no one was killed or injured, although a couple of hundred shots were exchanged. The shooting opened about ten o'clock las.t night and was quite continuous for about an hour. There was then a cessation of hostilities until about two o'clock this morning, when a volley of shots rang out from the mountainside. The guards inside the stockade, returned the fire and it is estimated that four or five hundred shots were exchanged. No one within the stockade was injured, and it is not known whether or not any of the attacking party were hit. This morning, the buildings at the colliery showed plainly win re they had been made a target, and -tome of the rifle balls punctured the boards. The shooting was distinctly heard in Yatesville and Hrowntown, and gave rise to rumors that several people had been shot. Dr. K. S. Hrenton, some Third.—That the convention remain in session until Tuesday icaie committee shall report to the convention at that time. and In regard to the Fourth.—That the suspension of work shall continue until an agreement has been made and Its terms approved by the convention. Novelty stoves and ranges. Ash time limit of the ne wagreement, shall be given serious consideration by the operators. The scale committee's -report was afterward translated and read to the convention in the Italian, Polish and Lithuanian languages. While 110 debate was had on the report, there were a number of questions asked concerning some of its features, and these were fully explained by Mitchell The vote to accept the scale committee's report was unanimous and was accorded a hearty aye. The convention immediately- adjourned No. 21 was sent out of Altoona reverse—that is, the coach was run next to the locomotive. This was done in order to avoid long detention that would have been occasioned by Although the convention unanimously adopted the report of the scale committee, the matter of a new agreement has not yet been definitely determined. The convention is to remain in session until Tuesday next. In the meantime, the scale committee is under Instructions to communicate with the operators committee, and. if possible, arrange for a meeting of the two shifting the train. The train was sent east as far as Elizabeth furnace, on the main line, when the locomotive was shifted and the trip over the cutoff started. The accident seems to have resulted from a misunderstanding or orders on the part of the train crew of the Chicago and St. Louis The of- committees, In joint session, for the purpose of considering the conditions proposed by the miners. A message has already been sent to President Baer asking for such a meeting, and It is hoped that it can be held In New York on Monday next, in order that a report as to the feelings of the operators In the matter, can be made to the convention on Tuesday. information is rather meagre as to the details by means of which the action of the convention for the acceptance of the old agreement was brought about. Yesterday afternoon's session of the convention was secret, as also was the session this morning, when the report of the scale committee was presented and accepted. Delegates were reluctant to talk to the newspaper reporters concerning the proceedings of the contention at these secret sessions, but enough was learned in a roundabout way to Indicate that one of the strongest factors in bringing about the referral of the whole question to the scale committee for a recommendation and the adoption by a unanimous vote of the committee's recommendation was a speech which flciuls proceeded to Hotel Schadt, where duplicate copies or the report were typewrlttfb and afterward handed out to the members of the press. The delegates quickly dispersed, and, within a half hour, there was no Indication that a convention of such momentous importance had just closed. Ah noted in the scale committee's report, the convention will reconvene on Tuesday, to hear the report of the proposed conference with the oporators. President Mitchell immediately sent a message to President Baer Informing hlm of the acllon of the convention, and requesting a conference. A reply was expected this afternoon, and the conference will likely lake express, The Information received by the officials of the Pennsylvania railroad here indicates that there were between 20 and 25 passengers in the SPL Bar For V We have Just received a lot t of Hue oxfords in all sizeR, style Q and weights, in patent, colt and X, tine dongolay leathers, heav 0 and light soles. ThiR particular n Oxford was mado to sell at $2 \ per pair. As a spring bargain v we offer them while the lot A lasts, at only  The proposition of the operators, a portion of which the mine workers lave shown a disposition to accept, was that of March 9th. as follows: "That the awards made !Dy the Anthracite Coal Strike Commission and the principles upon which they were established by the Commission, and the methods established for carrying out their findings and awards shall be continued for and during a further term of three years from the llrst day of April, ia06." place on Monday Information received at Superintendent Preston's office was to the effect that a number of passengers were fastened under the twisted Iron and broken timbers of the wrecked cars, and whether they are dead or alive will not be known until the debris has been cleared from the track. coach. SPECIAL NOTICES. HERB YOU ARE FOR SATURDAY. Do your fresh meat buying at this was made at yesterday afternoon's session by the national secretary-treasurer of the United Mine Workers, W. 13. Wilson, of Indianapolis, Next to President Mitchell, Mr. Wilson probably stands highest in the esteem of the members of the union, and what he has to say to them makes a, strong impression on their minds. Besides, he is a splendid public speaker, and has the happy faculty of putting his Ideas Into words and phrases that count jvlth a public assemblage. No detailed report of Mr. Wilson's speech yesterday afternoon was obtainable, but it was learned that Mr. Wilson, in presenting to the delegates the financial condition of the union", did not mince words In Informing them that the union was not In financial condition to carry out an extended contest with the operators at the present time. He tuld them pretty plainly, that if they had been one-half as wise as the operators, in making preparations for a contest, they would not now bo compelled to face a crisis without (he necessary money to carry on a strike. In other words, he said that the operators had prepare.d themselves to meet market if you want the very best to be hatl The reply of Mr. Mitchell, to the operators' previous proposition, was partly as follows, under date of March 1st: "We favor a reconstruction of the Board of Conciliation because of the delays that have occurred during the past three years, In the adjustment of grievances. Indeed, there are some cases which have been in the hands of the Board for two years without a final decision having been rendered, and In very few cases have final decisions been reached in less than ■ three months' time." Beef, Physicians from Altoona, Huntingdon and Williamsburg were sent to the scene to render aid to the Injured, who will be brought to the Altoona hospital. Pork Mutton, $1.50 Per Pair Lamb Veal Strike or no Strike, Chickens BOSTON SMI sum, T9 N. Maia St. If there is any hitch In further proceedings between the operators and miners at this new conference, It will doubtless be concerning the term of years on which the conciliation board agreement shall be made. The scale committee's report, as adopted this morning, -specifies a continuance of the conciliation board "for a term of years to beD mutually agreed upon. In other words, the miners' olllclals do not favor a three year term. but spade your garden. Go to O. Savinlo's, 127 S. Main street, buy your Ponderosa tomato plants, the best of all. l)on't miss the house number. 4-3 Also a complete line of specialties, fresh vegetables, &c We give Red Star Stamps. HALLOCK'S MEAT MARKET, Over two million persons are employed In grape culture In France. 40 South Main Street.