The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-11-25
wednesday Morning, November Is, 1868.
why Coal is so Dear.

why Coal is SO Dear.
The following article from the Pottsyile
Miners Journal affords curious and instruc-
tive insight into the nature of the troubles in
the coal regions, and the reason for the ex-
eessive advance in the price of fuel:
Trade shows the extraordinary increase of
5o,92l tons this week over the corresponding
week last year. Every department of the
business is pushed TO its utmost capacity in
order to supply the demand, which has far ex-
ceeded the most extravagant calculations
made in the early part of the season. The in
crease required by the Government for the
army and navy this year over last will not
exceed 100000 tons, If it reaches that guam
tity, while the increase thrown into the mar
ket SO far this year reaches / 1,665, 10 tons. No
other period in the history of the trade shows
SO large an increase. In 1851 it was lO0S. 1874
tons, and in 1859, 992, ,67S tons, but the prices
ruled low, and coal penetrated fapinto the in
terror where it never reached before, in con-
sequence Of the low rates. This year the
prices have ruled higher for the last five
months than were ever known before, and the
increase thrown into the market will reach
about 100000 tons, with no surplus stocks at
any point SO tar.
There are various speculations in the press
abroad as to the cause of the present high
prices OF coal. Some of these speculations
are partially correct. Everything that enters
into the mining of coal has nearly doubled
In price-such as powder, oil, timber, horse
feed, DC. Tho wages of labor have doubled
over the prices paid in the early part OF 1862.
There was, however no necessity for so large
an advance in the wages at the mines, which
are from 40 to so per cent. higher than are
paid in other departments of trade in the re-
gion, ii 1t had not been for the combinations
formed at large number of the colleries, for
the purpose of controlling these collieries by a
minority OF the men, generally the most reck-
less and turbulent portion. These combina-
tions have virtually taken possession of the
collieries, and dictate their own terms in wa
ges and in the hiring of Bosses, &c, who will
make the returns TO suit the committee men.
The operator is virtually Ignored in the
management of his property, and must
either submit to the terms proposed, or
have his colliery stopped, his life threat
ened, and his property probably destroyed
At first some OF the operators felt disposed to
resist these combinations, and stopped their
collieries for weeks at u heavy loss, but in the
end were forced to yield to the demands, be-
cause others, who did not desire TO encounter
these losses, yielded at once, and added an ad-
ditional price to the coal These demands
have been continued once or twice a month
for the last six months, until good miners at
several places can and are making from So 10
30 day, working by contract. TO pay these
high prices the operator, of course, has added
to the price of coal, and has taken care to add
goodproflt also, SO long as he linds a brisk
demand for all the coal he produces. The
carrying companies and boatmen, knowing
also that all that could be produced would be
required, stepped in for a slice of the profits.
and increased their rates higher than they ey
er were before. Hence the high price of coal
at which 1t is now selling. These are the
causes which have produced the present high
prices OF coal, and sotong as there is a good
demand these high prices will continue. Moth
ing but the breaking up Of these combinations
or an oyerstocked market,or an increase in the
number of miners and laborers sufficient TO
create competition, will affect the present pri-
ces OF coal to any extent.
While all the miners and laborers do moi
object to receiving the present high wages. s.and
many OF them do not condemn very strongly
the measures taken to produce it, unless they
become sufferers themselves or by threats and
intimidation, still it is only small minority
IN all the regions that have gotten up and
sustain these combinations in their turbulent
unlawful and murderous acts. In every in,
stance, as far as We can learn, the leaders in
these combinations are copperheads aud op-
posed to the government. They received
their tutelage from the leading copperhead
speakers and their papers, and after finding
that they could control the coal operators SO
eSsiiy, they supposed that they could control
the government also, and set themselves nm
In opposition to the enforcement of the laws.
and would have resisted those laws il the mil
itary had not been stationed in the different
coal regions to overawe them.
The consumers of coal have been taxed ex.
ira not less than from six to eight millions of
dollars this year, in consequence of these COM
binatlons which exist in the coal regions. Al
present the coal trade is so situated that II is
receiving more than its proportion of profits.
at the expense of every other branch of bust
ness.
The question is frequently asked, "How is
TINS state OF affairs to be remedied 2. The
coai operators have not the power to do it
alone, because their lives would be placed in
jeopardy. The civil authorities are defled
and, even n man is arrested. these outlaws
believe that the courts in this county and in
carbon county are SO constituted that they
will be favored. The Governor cannot act
until the civil power is exhausted but the
civil power remains inactive, and seldom II
ever, calls for aid.
The miners and laborers opposed TO these
acts Of violence can do nothing, because thew
are forced to live among them, and if they did.
their houses would soon be smashed in. or
w utatCu VI outt. GuNtT these
circumstances there is but one course left
ana tnat Is Tor the general Government to take
the whole matter into their hands. They are
deeply Interested in having the collieries
worked regularly IN order to procure supply
oil coal for the army and navy at fair rates.
and also to supply those who are Snanufactur,
Ing for the support of the army and navy.
The leaders are as arrant traitors to the Gov.
ernment as the rebels fighting for JEFF Davis
In the South, and even go so far as to threaten
the steppage of all the mines In order 10 ston;
the war, as they say, by stopping supply Of
coal. George X. Smith was assassinated in
Carbon county last week and his family fired
on, and his clerk also shot, because several
soldiers had been entertained at his house a
night or two before; and the leaders now
openly declare that they will drive away from
the mines all those who will not join their
party; they say there must be but one party
In that place.
some OF the operators are compelled to
keep an armed forcesto guard their houses
ana property; in fact, they live as much in
peru OF life as Union men In the South. II