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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (March 12, 1906)
fhmitttf jj (tepittm M VOL. XLVL-yQ. 14,121. PORTL-LNX), OREGON, MONDAY, MARCH 12, 1906. PRICE FIVE CENTS. ft NOHOPEFQ MEN F E Flames Rage in Under ground Galleries. DEATH LIST IS PLACED AT 1100 Brave Fellow Brings Up Four teen Bodies, Then Perishes. CORPSES BURNED TO CRISP QJroops Surround Mouths of llic Pits to Keep Buck Frantic Relations or Those Who Have Lost Their Lives. BODinS RECOVERED SLOWLY. TJie recover?' of bodies Is proceeding W' slowly. Only GO were brought up yesterday, but last evening rescuers reported that a hundred more had been Aa attempt is being made to reach the miners entombed in No. Z by way or pit No. J, but then Is faint hope ef success in this direction. The mining company Ik arranging to take a census of the surroundins: min ing tillages. In order to ascertain who if mlsrtng from them, as several com munities have been almost denuded of able-bodied men. The funerals win be Cin Tuesday morning, when services will be hfld In all the village churches in the vicinity of the mines. t - PARIS. March 11. The worst fears as io the enormity of the mine disaster In Tr Courriercs district of the Pas de Ca la Is. Saturday morning have been realized Tho death list numbers 1100 and the whole of the region stands appalled at the ter i1We tragedy, which lias broucht-sorrow to 6000 fathers, mothers, wives and chil dren. The last Krcat mine disaster in France ooanrrcd in 1SS5. when 2P3 persons were kMod and SO injured, but that and all others .sink into insignificance before Courriercs. Tho vast mortuary camn is under mill lary guard, 400 soldiers having arrived there to assist in holding In check the wvMui ox uiBiranca mourners. For a time hope had been held out to the peo ple that tappings on pipes by the impris oned men had been heard, but craduaiiv tlrts hope vanished and tho people de manded admission to see tho bodies, and von threatened to break their through the cordon of troops, who hnd the greatest difficulty in keeping the orowds from the pit. Rescuer Perishes In Mine. Oae man named Sylvester succeeded in rwtorlng the mine, but he never re turned. It is believed he groped about aamao until he was overcome by the sos and perished. It is reported that a rescue party numbering 40 has been cut off by the caving in of one of the gal leries. Minister of Public "Works Gauthfer Minister of the Interior Dubief and the focrotary of President Fallieres remain on the ground, endeavoring to comfort the distressed families of the miners. President Fallieres has given 52000 to aid in relief measures. The Ministrv will aAA a further Hum to this, and the Chamber or Deputies will be asked to vote $100,000 for tho purpose of alleviating distress. Ministers Gauthicr and Dubief have re ceived complete details of the catastrophe from M. LavaureE, tho director of the mine. List or Men Underground. "Of 1S00 miners who were down in the pits when the explosion occurred." he caid, "673 were working in pit No. 4, 4$2 wero in pit No. 3, J571 in pit No. 2 and J he remainder in pit No. 1. Those rescued wore taken out as follows: From pit No. 4, 190; from pit No. 3. 15 escaped through pit No. 11; 450 came up from pit No. 2 and 74 from pit No. 1. A number of these were Injured and some of them have died since. At the present moment over 1P00 men remain Impris oned." v Another director declared that the Im prisoned men numbered 1100. Minister Dubief Inquired: "Have you still any hope?" To this the director replied: "No, I believo all of them are dead." This was whispered into the car of the Minister in order that his words might not be overheard by the palefaced min ers who stood around the mine building waiting for an official view on the state of afTalrs. Graphic Tale of Survivor. Then the Ministers lietened to a graphic description of the scene in the mine by Leon Cerf, one of the men rescued and who still is suffering from, tho terrible effects .of his experience. "I was working with a gang when tho explosion occurred." said Cerf. "The foreman immediately shouted for us to follow him, and. dashing Into a recess in tho gallery, we were followed by a blast of poisonous gases which rushed by, however, without affecting us. Wo remained there for eight hours, when, feeling that suffocation was gradually coming upon us, wo attempted to escape. "We crawled in single file toward the shaft, but several ef the men dropped dead en the way, including ay sea and the foreman. I carried my nephew or My back fer 46 aiautse and succeeded ia HENCH MN saving him. It took us four hours to reach the shaft." Remains Arc Burned to Crisp. For the time being the mine building has boon traneformcd Into a mortuary chamber, and all about in it lie the car bonlzed and almost unrecognizable bodies of miners which -were taken there as they were brought up from the mine. Stricken relatives arrive at the mine building from time to time, searching for missing mem bers of their families, and Indescribable scenes of grief occurred as women recog-. nlzed loved ones. Heartrending scenes, too, are witnessed about the mouth of pit No. 4, where, in the presence of Minister Dubief and Gau- thier the bands of rescuers arc continually descending and returning with bodies. The women with children in their arms attempt to break through the cordon of troops which forms a lane through which the body-bearers proceed to the mortuary chamber. Sometimes the burden consists of a mere heap of burned flesh and in nearly every case the body I terribly lacerated. Only one-half of the bodies recovered have been identified. Death of Heroic Lifcsavcr. Despite the dunger incurred the volun tecrs, who include a number of those who were successful in escaping at the time of the explosion, do not hesitate to descend the shaft. Some of thrm have bef n down more than a dozen times. One of thorn, after having brought up 14 bodies, was suffocated on his 13;n at tempt, and it Is feared that other fatali ties among the volunteers will follow as the air in the mine is still Impregnated with noxious gases. A number of the men ensacod in res cue work have already been brought to the surface unconscious, and as they wore driven to their homes In closed car riages the women followed and broke the windows Several miners have come up from No 11. which is connected with nit No. 3 They effected their escape by means of a ladder, and as they came from the mouth of the pit they appeared to be bordering on madness. All of them were more or less Injured. When asked about their comrades, one of them said: "It is horrible. All cf them are dead." A young mlm-r who escaped from ilt No. 4. where about 500 men remain, said: J was working about ZD feet from the shaft. Suddenly I felt a puff of hot gas and started toward the shaft. I was half suffocated and was unable to advance further because of the fumes. Flnallv. however, I succeeded in reachincr the cage ana came up In It, "After the blast I neither heard nor saw more of my comrades and I believe that all in that gallery in whioli I was woraing are dead." Another miner said: "It is Indeserih able. Everything was demolished or has fallen In. I saw bodies lying In jJles. My son is bolow." One rescuer has asserted that he heard voices in the mine and others found two horses still living. Tills gives rise to hope that some of the men are tili liv ing. Fierce Flames Follow Explosion. Replying to an inquiry as. to whether hope remained for the finding of more men alive in the mine, an encineer who had been down the shnft said: "It is scarcely possible. The star of the galleries Is such that clearing them will be a difficult task, while the flames were so fierce that many of the victims must have been reduced to ashes." It is thought hardly possible that manv bodies will be recovered tomorrow on ac count of the difficulty of reaching tho bottom of the pits, the runners on which the cages descend being broken or benu The engineers are endcavorinc to dp- vise means for locating the dancerous zones in the mine and aeatlng the gal leries. The shaft of pit No. 3 is com pletely blocked and the authorities: arc considering the advisability of dropping a heavy mass of metal down the shaft, in order to clear it and thus enable them to descend and learn the worst. ARGENTINE PRESIDENT DIES Dr. Manuel Qulntana Passes Away at Buenos Ayrcs. BUENOS AY RES. Mntv'n n n. Manuel Qulntana. President of the Ar gentine Republic, died today. CONTENTS TODAY'S PAPER Weather. TESTERDAT'S Maximum temperature. 32 dec.: minimum, 27 dec. TODATS Occasional Hunt lain or now; not so enldr easitrv vtnrfr JtBeitlc. New York gamblers and minings' rylng to Anthracite operators deny all propo ad- icea uy me juine-K-orxenr tnion. rag 1. Stockholders cast longing eye on big surplus in Union Pacific treasury. Tape S. Fatal train wrecks in Ohio and Nebraska, Foreign. Over 1000 miners lost in explosion In pits In France. Tare 1. Grandnlece of President Van Ruren sends titled Italian husband to jail, race 1. No National wddlng rift for Prince Ena. who lias becon a Catholic Page Z. Busnlan reactionaries are apparently ursine National. Senator Bailey expected to solve the railroad rate prooiero wiui amendment. Fare 3. Representatives will discuss restriction of ex penses oi inree orancnes or tne Uovernment. Face 3. Change said to be contemplated la the Pres- larnta tamneu rare 2. Pscinr Coast. Freak rtorm la reneral all over the Pacific onnweiu rage J. Mayor-elect Moore, of Seattle. r"fun to stand sponsor tor municipal onnersiup. Fage 4. Marion voters' have many to chocs from for the tate Ierlsiature. Face 4. Hcrrlek Hall, at Pacific University, is de stroyed by are. l'age . 8pert. Garvin expects to come to an agreement with McCredie- Page 15. Portland and Yldakjr. Fire destroy entire block in P.u Johns, and for tile time the whole business- section is e.nda&cered. Pare 1. Labor party baa itresueaa day in convention. Face 8. Portland firemen kept busy responding to alarms, rage . Colonel FltzGeraid declares the San of Banal una ia me xeaeian retHraed to earth. Pace IS. Colonel Hawkins death cauae for jnucfa tor row bi Portland. Page 8. Rabbi Landau talks of tke mtsrepreeeatatleR of the Jew In literature. Page 8. Police court lax. declare Dr. Wlleea la feU semes. Page ft. Unprecedented weather far Marafe iHtt Port land with Men winds a4 extreme eeM. Page 14. TlteaM ia Uw'xalyHa et tke Hr. Fa S. CLERGY IS ALLIED WITH GAMBLERS Intent on Putting an End to Racetrack Betting in New . York. MORALITY AND REVENGE Tjayiiig of Wagers Now Is Illegal In the Empire State Everywhere Except Where Swift Steeds Strive for Mastery. NEW YORK. Marcii 11. (Special.) Politics makes strange bedfellows. and the most unique alliances are fre quently made because of mutual In terests. But the combination of forces to down racetrack gambling- Is some thing that nas never been seen in New York. Poolroom keepers and ministers! That Is the alliance which has caused the public to sjt up and take notice. Tho ministers are actuated by a de sire; to suppress gambling of every de scription; the poolroom men are eager only to obtain revenge. Gambling' is Illegal in New York State, unless-you go to the racot racks If a man pays an admission fee of from $1 to J3, he can bt all th money he can bog. borrow and steal, and no body will Interfere with him. but If he ventures Into si poolroom he Is likely to be clubbed, arrested and fined. Governor Gives mi Illustration. This year a serious effort Is being made to deal a death blow to racetrack gambling-, and a bill to that effect has the cordial and public support of Gov ernor Higgins. "I cannot see." he says, "why some thing- that is legal on one side of tho fence, should be illegal on the other.' In this he was paraphrasing- an ar gumcnt which Anthony Comatock has made with considerable effoct, and which shows the utter hspocrisy of the prosnnt law. "If I sat on the fence around si race track course," he said, "and with my right hand accepted the cash for a bet from A Inside the fence and with my left hand took money from B. outside jtnc fence my right-iMtd action would be perfectly lawful, while my left hand would -b committing a felony." . And. this is precisely the situation that prevails at present. The bill now under consideration in tho Legislature repeals what is known as the Pfircy-Gray law. which stipulates that bets inside a racetrack arc legal. The re peal measure Is warmly supported by or ganizations of ministers, and good gov crnmcnt clubs all ovor the state, who have urged the passage of legislation "on the ground of morality." Black and Checks Hobnob. The poolroom men take another view of the case. A day or so ago, on the Empire State Express, two men got Into Conversation. One was garbed in black. the other In a gay chocked suit, with a diamond the size of a walnut In his tic "I am going to Albany," confided the man in black, "to urge the repeal of the terrible racetrack gambling bill." "So am I," retorted the roan in checks. "My dear friend," cried the man in black. Joyfully. "I am so glad. I am a member of the Ministers Alliance, of New York, and I will appeal to the hearts of the committeemen." "And I," replied the other, "am in tho poolroom business, and will appeal to their pockets. If we guys can't do busi ness I don t see why any other guys should. You work the moral end of. It, and 111 look after the real business." The racetrack men arc making the bit terest kind of a fight, and declare that MIW. WHITF.I.AW HEII). WHO WOrtn PRICELESS JEWELS AT OPENING OF PARLIAMENT. 5 -a Mrs. Whitrlaw Held, whose diamonds outshone the Jewels worn by other women In the House of Lords at the ojsenlnr of the British Parliament. Is the wire of the American Ambassador to the. court of St. Jam. She was Elisabeth Mills, daughter of D. O. Mills, and was married to Mr. Held April 26. 1SSL She has two children, Ogdea Mills RekS and Jcaa Templeton Reia. Mrs. Held Is noted as a hostess, not only at New Tork. Washington aad the celebrated Ophlr Farm, oa the Iftulaon tint .l.n ( T nn t . ... -vmwwu, MilcrQ recently she was one of the most popu lar women at a reception riven by the Marchioness of Lassdowne. Mrs. HeM's sedaJ taleats are assay and varied. ''s' "jj i . It II ... . . EVENTS OF THE COMING WEEK, t I I I L ft! V .EVENTS OF THE COMING WEEK. Fermlnc New Frraeh Ministry. Jean Sarrien. bavin r undertaken the. formation oi a MIntery in nieces alon to that of M. Rouvier, which was defeated in the Chamber of Deputies last week, interest in French affairs win center in tho selection of indl. vidua! members of tho Cabinet and In the chango which Is likely to rnult In the policy relative to the applica tion of the law providing for the sep aration of church and state. It was through the vote of one faction fa vorlnr a. more rigorous administration of the law. and of another element which held that the ktw wait beln; en forced in an oppressive manner, that tho Rouvier Mlntetry was defeated. Leon Bourseols has already accepted the Ministry of Forelsn Affairs, ami as bis views are known to be In gen eral accord with tbcee of M. Rouvier. no change In the French attitude 'rw gardinc Moroccan reforms is to be anticipated. ConceaIon Expcctedat Algeclra. The outlook'at'AlRWlraPtS'TawaWe to a pacific adjustment of the Fraixw Germsy "controversy. Conciliation Is apparently In the air, and the Indira tioas arc that mutual concessions will be made in the matter of the Moroc can bank, after which the police querv tten will come up. with prospects much In favor of a satisfactory adjustment. CriftU In Con! Mlnlnc Situation. The week should xve a decision, one way or the other, of the question of a strike of coal miner- in both the anthracite and the bituminous fields. The operators havln- sent to the min ers their reply to the demand of tba United Mineworkers of America, in which they reject the proponalrt f tho anthracite workers, the mlntrs will probably go into conference Immedi ately, and their decision ought to be re ported soon and the subject of a strike settled. A a direct result ef Prudent Roosevelt letter to President Mlteh II. a special meeting of the llalfd Mineworkers of America will assemble In Indianapolis. March 15. Conference of American Universities Fifteen unlvcrrttle of th!. country will be represented at tke seventh con ference .f the Association of Ameri can Universities at San Franetao, March H-u. Among the delegate who nil! mke part in the 'discussions arc: President Renjomln Wheeler, of the University of California: Prtfessor David Starr Jordan, ef the Lelaad Stanford University: Profcjror William Jam en. of Harvard; Theodore Woolsey. of Tale, and Andrew F. White, of Princeton. ConuInr Reform Contention. A National Consular Referra Conven tion will be held In WaiOMnsten. March 15. Do'sxate from varleu cltlM and chambers of comment will be present and an intercsUn; meeting Is antici pated. the passage of the bill win tn ing dead as a door niii in . an Illustration of the magnitude of the TV. "owing list of cash prizes, paid to owners of winners at the various races In the state last year, is of Interest. erpn.ai nay track Belmont track oTl.-VO 3iu.C0rt 32T..4M 2S.1.840 129.WVI Graveend track '.'.I'.'.'. nrirhton mMr ....... Saratoga track..."'. Jamaica, track Aqueduct track Total THREE LOXEnfiAV .?C.10I,5.V) This Is exclusive of the valuable rlnt distributed as trophies In many of the events. What It Costs the Public. On the other hand, enemies of raeiiir have prepared figures showing that the tracks cost the people of the state some thing like UCOOI.OW a year, that hundreds of embezzlements can Iks traced directlv to this one cause, and that evervbodv .would be wealthier and happier If all the tracks in the state were razed to the ground. Badng men admit that they cannot continue in business If the gambling i cut off, and declare that defeat here will sound the death knell of racing all over the United States. They are brinrins- powerful pressure to- bear, and In the cities public opinion Is generally with them. 'We will have a solid "city vote, and will buy up enouch countrymen to give a majority." is the way they size un the situation. And while they arc working tho minis ters an praying and the poolroom rrwm are hustling. It Is a peculiar combination all around, -and the final outcome is In doubt. But the racetrack men are not worrvln- hnlfvs much as are their foes, and they arc men better qualified to gaugo legisla tive sentiment, and know how to con trol IL JUL FOR TITLED HUSBAND ITALIAN" COUNT IS CONVICTED OP ADULTER!-. Complaint Made by American, the Grandnlece of President Van Burcn. GENOA. March 11. On pnmnblnt if hlswife. who was Edith Van Burcn, of New York, and whose brother is the American Consul at Nice Count di Castetmenardo was today convicted of adultery and sentenced to three months' Imprisonment and to pay the costs of the action. The Count has taken an appeal frdm the verdict of tho court. The Countess di Castelmenardo is a daughter of the late General Van Bu rea and u great-grand niece of Presi dent Martin Van Buren. She was mar ried in London In 1903 to Count Vesai chlo Gurgl di Caatclmeaardo, who Is a son of the Duchess Tortora Brayda di Belvedere Giuditta. Ours dl Castet senardo, of Naples; Fire in Texas Town. AMARILLO. Tex.. March 11: The Carson bulldlag. - the largest in the city, whs totally destroyed by Are early t44&3e Xrf&9f ar $1&$949 ULII MADE BY MINERS Anthracite Operators Favor Continuation of Methods Es-' tablished by Commission. SUGGEST THREE-YEARTERM Contention Is Made That Conditions Do Xot Warrant Any or the Changes Asked for by the United Mineworkers. NEW YORK, March 11. The proposals of the United Mineworkers of America for a readjustment of wages and condi tions in the anthracite coal fields, as a whole, have boen denied by the commit tee representing the anthracite operators. As a counter proposal, the operators sug gest that the awards made by the anthra cite coal strike commission, the principles upon which they are established by the commission and the methods established for carrying out their findings and awards, shall be continued for a further term of three years from April 1. lf. The present agreement terminates March 31 of this year. ' Announcement of the anthracite oper ators decision and their counter pro posal was made tonight in a long, formal statement, which was given out for pub lication. In this statement, which In eludes the correspondence on the subjects at issue between President John Mitchell of the United Mlneworkrs. acting for the miners, and George F. Baer. president of the Philadelphia & Reading Coal & Iron Company, for th operators, discusses the miners proposals in detail. In every Instance the contention Is made by the o porn tors either that the conditions In the coal fields do not warrant the chango proposed by the miners, or that the questions at Issue already have been passed upon by the strike commission. Slund for an Open Shop. The demand of tiie miners that the op rators enter Into an agreement with the union it declined on the ground that the antnracite operators "stand unalterably for the open shop, and again decline to make an agreement with the United jimoworscr. an organization controlled by a rival Industry." Of the demand for an eight-hour day. the statement says the operators know of no change In conditions that can be used to sustain the renewed demand for a re duction In hours: declares that the execu tion of the strike committee that the re duction from ten to nine hours should not result in any decrease In the output of tho mines has not been realized, and adds: We might Justly say that with the experi ence ef the ia.it three years the ten-hour day ahouW We restored, but we are wlllinr to abWe by the decision, of the commlMlon. Thp proposal that a uniform scale of wages be established In the anthracite fields is met by the operators with the reply that this would be Impracticable, by reason of the varying capacities of the workmen and the varying conditions existing In tho region aud at the col lieries. Advanced Wages, Higher Coal. "We cannot increase wages without ad vancing the price of coal, and we are not willing to advance the price of coal." Is the roply to the demand for a general in crease In wagos. The request that the operators shall col lect from each employe certain stated sums for" the support of the mineworkers' union is denied, on the ground that, "as a matter of policy we would not make such an agreement as you inquest, and as HENRY 31. BEARDSLEY. Y. 31. C. A. PRESIDENT. NAMED FOR .MAYOR AT KANSAS CITY. KANSAS CITY. March 10. (SpeciaL) Henry M. Beardsley. who has been nominated for Mayor by the Republi can, la president of the local Y. M. C A., and has been a member of the upper bouse of the Common Council atnee lSCO. He was born la Ohio la l&SO and lived for a while with his parents at Champaign, 21L In 1879 he was graduated from tho -University of nilnour. then became a tutor ia the university, and In 1362 -nras admitted to th bar. Mr. Beardsley came to this city u ISM and entered into a law partnership with Alfred Gregory. Ia religious work he always has taken aa active part, and for several year he has bea the executive oC the Y. M. a a. a matter of law we are not permitted to make It." The operators decline to agree to any change in the board of conciliation as established by the anthracite coal strike commission, taking the ground that the system proposed by the miners would simply involve the creation of a series of minor boards, whose decisions might be conflicting, and from which appeals would have to be taken, thereby creating- more delay than now exists. The complaint of the miners that the board of conciliation does not act promptly the operators de clare to be not warranted by the facts. The demand for a new sliding wage scale is denied on the ground that the sliding scale fixed by the anthracite coal strike commission covers practically all the propositions In the proposed new scale. Would Stick to Present System. In conclusion, the statement says: It has 'been our hope and. wo trust, the public expectation as well, that the effect of the exhaustive Investigation and Hndlnss of the distinguished citizens who constituted the anthracite strike commission, would be to establish a Just and permanent adjustment of the relations between the operators and their employes. Therefore,. wc regret the sug gestion that an entirely new and untried sys tem should be made which is only to last one year. It is not to the interest of employers and employee, nor of the public, to have the min ing buslnesM. as well as the general business and comfort of the people, eeriously disturbed by these yearly contention. Neither can stand these progressive and enormous increases in the cost of the produc tion or anthracite coal, followed necesjarily by corresponding increase in the price. It ki particularly fortunate therefore that exlstlntr conditions have all been the result or arbitration by third persona; that neither party can ear that it ha tint hn.t win. slderatioc There can be no doubt that the good of all concerned will be served beat by adhering to the results thus reached. Demands of Mineworkers. The demands of the mineworkers. which were prepared by a committee of seven, wun jonn Jittcheli as chairman. were forwarded to President Baer, chair man of a similar committee representing the anthracite operators February They sought to provide for an agreement between the representatives of tho United Mineworkers of America and the various anthracite operating- companies that cer tain wages, rates, hours of labor and conditions of employment should become effective April 1. 1MJ. and continue In ef fect until April 1. 1907. The proposals Included the establish ment of an eight-hour day for all nersons covered by the agreement: a readjust ment of wages with an increase of 10 per cent above the award mado by the strike commission for contract miners; a new sliding scale providing for an in crease of 1 per cent In wages for all mine- workers affected by the agreement for each increase of 3 cents In the aver age price of coal in the sizes known as grate, egg. stove and chestnut, sold at or near New York above W.30 ner ton. the rate of compensation in no case to be Iesa than that fixed in the agreement; the recognition, of-a mine committee from the union with full authority to take un with the officials of a company any dis pute or grievance which may arise at a colliery. Reference or Grievances. In case of a failure of the mine com mittee and the officials of the company to bring- about a settlement, the erlev ance, under the plan proposed by tho miners, would be referred to the offl clals of the district, who would take the matter up with the general superintend ent or manager of thecompany for In vestigation of tho failure of these nffl cers to agree, the complainants then might present the grievance and the com panies answer to board of conciliation. It was proposed that the whole anthra cite coal region bo divided into three dis tricts and that the bourd of conciliation be made 'tip of four representatives from each of these districts, two mombers from each district to be chosen by the miners and two by the operators. In event of tho board falling to reach an agreement upon any grievance. It was proposed that they then should select an arbitrator, to whom the grievance should be submitted for prompt decision. Rules for the Employes. The demands also provide that each employe be given an itemized pay state ment at least ono day before pay day; that a discharged employe have the rluhr to present his grievance in the same man ner as provided for In the case of other grievances: that no person he re fused employment or In any other 'vay dissrimlnated against on account of their membership In any labor organization: that the companies collect from each em ploye such amounts as mlKht he Ievfrvr by their organization monthly, the amounts thus collected to be turned over to an authorized committee at the col liery: that all employes who are required to work a safety Lamp should receive 10 per cent extra. In addition to the rceular wages or prices, and that the violation of any provisions of the agreement either by tho employers or the employes should not Invalidate any of Its provisions. Mitchell Gives 3IIners' Reasons. President Mitchell, actinr for thA min ers' committee. In a letter to the com mittee of operators, outlined the reasons upon which the domands of the miners were based as follows: We favor a uniform scale of paid by the day, hour or week, because of the fact that men nerformlne orecliu.lv th character and. indeed, the same amount of jaoor. cannot wort with any degree of con tentment while the comDensatlon mvir. them la not uniform. At the present time thte condition exists in the anthrax We feet that the proposition whioh we have submitted, following uniform rates for simi lar classes of tabor, will appeal favorably to the member of your committee and that the ratea themselves are entlrelr consarraMv not In excess of rates paid to man performing- pracucajtj-. n not exactly, use same cla&a of labor In bituminous mines. We propose an Increase of 10 nr tit in v. rates paid to contract miners for several rea sons First The general industrial, commer cial and trade conditions of the country Jus tify an increase of wages to all classes of labor. The prosperity of the coal-carrying reads la nnprecedented. aa is dtmnnitnt by the reportsd earnings and the enhanced vaiue or. laeir stoexs. Standard of Eight-Hour Day. v7e favor aa eight-hour workday because eight heura Is the standard working- day of coalmine workers in nearly all the bituminous districts of oar cofmtry, as well as la many ef the mlalac district of Great Britain and Out ceatteeat. and eight bears is aa lone am a maa can work In & coal mine, withoat doing. DISASTROUS FIRE IN ST. JOHNS WholeBusinessSection Was Threatened. AN ENTIRE BLOCK IS BURNED High Wind Adds to the City's Peril. SEVERAL MEN ARE HURT Loss Is Estimated, at About Eight Thousand Dollars Only by He- roic Erforfc Is Progress of. Plonics Stopped. ST. JOHNS THREATENED. The entire City of SL Johns was seriously threatened by fire between the hours of 7:45 and 0 o'clock last evening, when a blaze, starting over Elliot's drug store, spread rapidly to the adjoining structures on the same block, and In a very short space of time the whole block was ablaze. The volunteer fire department worked hero ically to Have the rwt of the city, and that this was accomplished In the face of the high east wind prevailing Is regarded by the citizens of that vicin ity as little short of marvelous. The total loss by the Are Is esti mated at SS00O. which Is covered by Insurance to about half that amount. Fire last night destroyed a whole block of business houses in St. Johns, causing a loss of about JSC0O, of which $4300 was covered by Insurance. For three hours the fire department of the citizens of St. Johns fought the flames, which threat ened to devastate the entire city, and it was only by the hardest kind of work that the fire was confined to the block in which it originated. The- fice was first discovered .over a building occupied by Elliot's drugstore. It is thought that It was started by two boys smoking cigarettes. "Within, a few minutes after it broke out of tho rear of the building the flames enveloped tho whole structure. A high wind was blow ing, and it fanned the flames until thoy spread to adjoining- structures. Building after building caught fire from the myriads of firebrands which filled tho air, and for a time, it was thought that the whole town would be destroyed. Stop Progress of Fire. Men manned buildings across the 3trcet from the burning block and prevented the flames from spreading- further. A bucket brigade was formed, and this alonn saved the business blocks which surround the one that burned. The boat was so intense that plateglass windows across the street from the fire were broken. The fire department of SL Johns did valiant work, and those who were present at the fire are unanimous In their praise. Many of the firemen risked their lives In getting to advantageous positions from which to train water from the hose upon the burning buildings. The losses and Insurances were: Elliott's drugstore, loss J4000. Insurance $2000; va cant building owned by H. "W. Light, loss $-"000. Insurance 51000; two-story buildlnjr occupied by Hazelwood Confectioner!" Company, loss 52000. insurance 51000; office building occupied by Dr. Rossitcr. Spread to Adjoining Buildings. From the Elliot place tho flames com municated to the adjoining empty build ing belonging to II. "W. Light, of Salem. and about this time the fire fighting bri gade came into action and endeavored to quell the fury of the flames, but their efforts were fruitless in the face of tho high wind prevailing, and seeing the fu tility of wasting energy and water on tho burning structures, the chief sent his men to save adjoining property and the buildings across the street- In this work they were joined by almost the entire population of the city, for every one as sisted as members of bucket brigades, and In the face of Imminent danger of Instant death from contact with many live wires hanging loose, the gallant band worked with might and main to save tho business section of their city and the ad joining- homes of the citizens. Four Families Escape Flames. Over the Hazelwood confectionery store. is a rooming house which was occupied by four families, all of whom escaped without Injury and managed to save a few of their effects, through assistance rendered by friends. The fire fighters atter vainly endeavor ing to save the Hazelwood structure on one side and tho office of Dr. Rosslter on the other of the burning buildings,, turned their attention to the saving of the St. Johns bank building. "Wilson's jewelry,, store, the St. Johns Hotel and other vmallor buildings, which were separated from the furnace by a street 100 feet wide. In most of these buildings the glass win dows facing east are cracked and In some Instances shattered by the heat. Dlckner's bbj department store was se riously threatened for a time, and it was while engaged in carrying water up a ladder to the roof of this building; that Charles Cates, a member of the fire de partment, met with an accident through the breaking of the ladder, which, precipe itated him to the pavement, and resulted 23 (Concluded e page 2.) (Concluded oa Page U.) n II gjg'