To End Coal Strike

Pittsburg, July 27.- The long lookecl for conference of the Pittsburg coal operators at which the joint arbitration commission fully expects to adopt a plan which will settle the big miners' gtrike, was called for 11 o'clock Tuesday morning in the court house, but owing to the slowness of the operators to gather, it was almost noon before it was called to order. It is the largest meeting of the kind ever held in this district. The convention being an open one, miners, officials and many interested citizens are on hand as spectators. The operators present represented praetically the entire district. 11 True Uniformity ' Plan. As yet the "true uniformity" plan, which is being urged by the arbitration commission, is the only one presented for action by the conference. While the operators generally are apathetic and have little faith in the successful consumation of the commission's wish, they are ready and anxious to discuss and adopt some plan of arbitration ■which will bring about peace and put the miners to work. True uniformity calis for cash payments for every 2,000 pounds of coal mined every two weeks, abolishment of company stores and a uniform screen. The differential between the thick and thin vein coal and b'etween Ohio and Pennsylvania coal may also come up for consideration. Will Fight the Cut. The operators in the thin vein coal say the 14 cents difference in favor of thick coal is too much, and some go as far as to say it should be cut onehalf. This cut, if attempted, will be fought by the thick vein operators and may be the first rock on which the conference will split, as all the other points mentioned have been granted as proper in former conferences and conventions. There are 106 railroad mines in the Pittsburg district and these are operated by eighty-nine flrms. Thirteen of these are said to mine and control almost 90 per cent. of the coal mined in the district. The ambition of the arbitrators and W. F. De Armitt, the father of the uniformity agreement, is to have 95 per cent. of the eighty-nine operators agree to adopt a system or Standard of doing business. Meeting Called to Order. W. F. Murray called the meeting to order at 11:20 a. m. by nominating Alex Dempster for chairman. Colonel W. P. Rend named George W. Schleudberg, but he declined and Mr. Dempster was chosen to preside. General John Little was chosen vice president. He made a Short address, saying the board was here as citizens and had no personal interest in the coal business. They hope by conciliation and medlation to bring about a settlement between the contending factions. State lines had nothing to do . with the question. They had the power to settle the controversy. As Pittsburg went so would go the other States. After electing Marshal H. Reno secretary of the meeting a commlttee was appointed to take up the proposed uniformity agreement, revise it to suit the changed condition since its first formulation and report to the conference later.