New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-26

duce the coal and get to market than the coal would
bring 1t Ia that during the 30 years. there have
beon some years when the demand for coal
has been equal ahead OF the production aud then
the coal operators hayo made some money but taking
the 80 years together again assert that the coal trade
has not paid per cent per annum the capital in.
vested in s. The for this Ia obvious With the
exception Of the occasional periods to which have
alluded the quantity OF coal produced has been In
cess OF the demand, and 1t had 10 be sold for whatever
price 1t would bring; for. you well say, Coal is ono
Of the rudest and bulkcst Of materials aud cannot
BIO stored to any extent -four grain, or merchandise
can be.
And there business carried in this country in
which the operators have had much trouble with their
employees and workmen the coal operators Of Penn
sylyania have had. There has been year IN which
there have not been repeated strikes for higher
wages, and those strikes, In many instances re-
suited in bloodshed and murder Of "bosses" and su
perntendents and to such an alarming extent aid this
system u violence and murder CO. that Legislature
was obliged to pass law creating armed
patrol or police for the Coal District And
comfy tho miners and laborers have insisted
upon directing who shall and who shaH
be employed as superntendents OF their work. while
they dictate what wages they will work for, aud what
mines shall work. and when and how they shall DO paid
Let give you an illustration There is scarcely mine
in Schuylkin County where the operatives are not
receiving from 30 TO so per cent advance on the
wages OF three months ago. and they demand that
they shall be paid every four weeks instead OF every
third saturday in the month has been the custom for
year past. Last week. firm carrying on large bust
ness Ieceiyed from their men tho following notice.
GENTLEMEN We respectfully inform 7ou that your roE shan pro
coed rs formerly up the wished ior and that comply
four weeks pay r The remainder OF TIE rear a' Tia, yos
All i9,r pry to ibis note Is required"
From the above notice. you will see that the men were
gracious enough say "your work shall proceed a. Tor
mery for this month provided you agree 10 our uoaNu'
for the balance Of the year.
Aoain. another firm received the following and am
tl that eight other coieries this district received
the same notice ,,,
SIR You are hereby notified that The gorEiame7 Of D'.
No COUNTY will suspend work six days iroa date " 700 40
not giant the per month oJu with the gs aee PSI
IS vas u7n'ols' " '' BT order Of the W. .. A."
BY this notice you Will see that these men demand an
advance Of % per cent their last months work. sHd
the system OF four pay " and, II not acceded TO-
they suspend work. These are but small items OF inc
troubles and difficulties the coal operators have had TO
contend with to my knowledge, for the past tWeVe
wears and yet they denounced by portions OF mo no
nrcss throughout the country az PennsyYanla CVaI
fnrds pIupderers OF the people" making Villain.
| ons combinations" &c, when the truth IL, lhae
tic average price OF Coal from the close OF inc war IN
fy IN The present time has been lower than any other
article or necessary OF life. Flour DeeI pOtatOce'
ol kinds OF produce have ruled at higher average prices
during the last four years than COAL as eomP"reu WIN
/ prices previous 10 the war. -, l.. a.,
tha coal operators get rchl reply that very Few osl
operators have got rich by mining COAL ana .nOsc ~
having most available coalveins or IN buying out ~
very low prices some unfortunate oPer'or WI" no VIZ
either sold by the Sheriff, or Obliged 10 sen 70 save
ii VS. ,iU i'm vnuF comments" on The Worlds
tce Asa Packer as one OF the fortunate men, and you
very truly say that he made his money in buying ana
selling coal lands and operating eqal Gana, II
The time viii conc when the owners and miners OF
ita will be
rcmuncTatiye prices aud that VIII DE Wleu lhe
sbil he about equal 10 the supply, which time Is fast ap
proaching The anthracite coal lands in the country are
limited I'm extent and the most, II not all OF those
have bccn opened when the mines have all been steadily
nU,,,g.d i'm work the production has, with few eNcep
tiuns been ahead ot the demapd ana Consequently 10"
ami rnipous nrices have been the rule but when the
mines have been stopped by strikes by the miners e.
was the case for two months this year. theh te Ce ~
yarces because the demand becomes equal TO tht
%nnI Goals an article OF necessity, not luxury and
a certain quantity must be had 70 meet ,uy wants Va ~
As AN evidence OF this let aude to the fact that y
the Winter OF '67-s, the Legislature OF FehbsyFahl'
enacted law that on and after the lst Of july co. egh
hours should constitute a days work IN the coal di1
trcts. The miners and workmen OF schuylAu Iouhyl
notified tile operators the 1s OF July that, under TN
law they would only work eight hours per day. ans
demanded the same pay for that time Which they h1'
preyiosy been getting for hours. Tho price Of Goa
was so low that 10 impossible for the operators
acccde this demand, the men refused 70 work hhe
What was the conseauoucel The result was that The
stoppage Of the schuylkli Company mines sion'
FOR that period so shortened the supply oi c9i - ~.
market that when the mines resumed Work m the middle
Of August the price Of coal was from u To lo
all the remainder OF the year thant had prey ous4 0ee
but tie coal operators did not Get the benefit ot an thi
advance for there not operation where the miner
ana wormCu did receive an advance OF from - 10
per cent in wages and the coalc1rTyipg ralro'ds a
canals made from 80 ~ cents per tim advance ia esh
/ and tolls. 80
And so has always been Whenever the price OF coal ma
advanced the miners, wOrkmcn aud carrying eolnpahe
have received the largest portion OF the advance II
1904 when the Government WAS using more thah hlo
uus per anun ana the factories ana iron furnaces Wtt
NH busy the demand for coal was 80 great That the pro
higher that year than ~ Dau ever Dceu & liz
since: The miners were receiving larger wages hah he
ever before received and the Reading Railroad COnpdh
charged s. SD per tuu for carrying Goa! 70
distance OF % mies-as did also Mr. Packers road an
every other carrying company, aud yet the operator
were charged by the press with being tie great hoiop'
lists of the coal trade, aud the only cause u those hs
| prices 1T, l., st.,h,so
% these gross msstatcmcnts; and, hcUcNhe lha ~
journal is always willing 70 let the pubic near Doth sle
have hastily put together the facts conlalhed ia sh
communication W o. "