The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-23
G Q A L..
LABOR v S. CAPITAL.
HISTORY OF THE RECENT STRIKES.
DEMANDS OF MINER ..
ATTITUDE OF THE COMPANIES.
PROBABLE RESULTS.

universal interest TO the whole subject OF Iuel ana
only Affects all classes OF manufactures and the
entire population but illustrates the spirit Of anita
gonism between labor and capital. OF which so much
has been said during the last ten years. The strike
In the coal regions Involves issues far exceeding
In importance the temporary embarrassments OF fuel
consumers. II Is an organized movement on the
part Of labor to etact copartnership with capital
which II successful in this instance must naturally
be followed by smilar measures wherever large
bodies OF laboring men are congregated. Volumes
have been written upon the relations existing
between capital and labor, State and national legis-
lators have exhausted their logic and eloQuence
tho subject and politicians have annually used 1t
as means melting the masses until every politi
cal PARTY has found 1t necessary to emb0dy in It's
platform some important principle Affecting labor.
Within short period great concessions have been
forced from capitalists by their employees, but In
instance have these concessions been secured until
alter protracted struggle in which the public has
been more or less q sufferer. The war now being
waged between coal miners and the coal companies
illustrates the magnitude OF the interests involved In
the labor and capital contest more than any similar
difficulty that has hitherto transpred, and In add
tion to importance fuel question, it is closely
studied by every man interested in extensive manu-
featuring enterprises. careful review Of the history
pfstrkes and ssurvey Of the elements arrayed against
each other the coal contest fully demonstrate this
1actrand In studying the present coal situation 1t
Will be found that not only Is the supply ana price OF
fuel to be regulated by the result Of this dtcuity
but every branch OF industry will be affected accord
ing to the degree OF success achieved by the cham
pions OF labor in this contest. In order to under
stand thoroughly the character and probable results
OF the coal fight 1t proper to briefly examine into
the origin and material Of this labor organization.
THE COAL FIELDS
o. fennsyNania supply nearly AL 'ne ahsnraci'e coal
produced In this country. In 1919 they were I'M
troxvr bavora tho c,rc,c NJ uAo,ooista and fav
.,.,o o.1 :, ~ nn., ~
men Iamiiar VIII Tue ih'eHof VI renusyiVania' ana
when after our last war with Great Britain, q few
gentlemen attemntea IN ,ntrodnce thu Goa, ga sr,h
so"so'e" o''enp.sN W Wv. oSA' 90 euo
sttute for wood they met with ridlcule ana loss
The father OF The President OF one OF the
present coal companies was -, the e.,,f nrst to
markat In rnmnamy with one or two nther @appta
men he ,oaaer IN Old battesu with coal and. Alter
Scn~v,r, ~ ph',,aSs,nha whore no t;naiv S,snosad
~ IT. To- almost nntSipn moi res,,znn siciant 70
~ nthar s.,,tou,as nrni,r Iand IN th So
cosl rspan exnended consderabe capitai IN intro
duoing tine coal to uubic attention. and finally az
cnaI nc,ent navTet was nrodnced to stta the
erection q mashnery q the mines and tls employ
e oU 81 msps st
tttata Srth eansiS and rairoafis and cnncan,rynS
mI1I,ons NJ dollars in great cnmnanies
u nh % vn@,o 81 Siv,ded Intn fhree orest ot.
tr,cfS knnwn as the schuyIkIll or Southern district
M n,S ~ ,1,%dIe d,strict and the Wyom~v o.,
Nor,herns dtstr,ct In addition 70 tnese ia a small
prtor, snown az the shatooxn dsric ta tns
H nnow r,ssa o Win ,na ncsuvIr.iI Ssstr,ct
AMI sendnr most OF lis coal Vest is not OF much In
terest 70 Eastern Consumers. The product Of these
nected with these mines are the bitumnOus coal
1eiSs of pennsyiyanla. MARYLAND and Virginia
Witch nroduced IN inc same wear over 900 600 tons
WIN" P'"N' THE MSss
NJ tho anthracite region numDer about 49, 900 no en-
: 49,
class ena mostly laborers ana the latter two
less sKied ia mining The skilled miners are
hIs s othars beonuans To- the aSorers
department are about the same as the iaborers
ployed In the construction OF railroads, canals. &c
9ne operatives live principally In houses owned by
te SsH s%a rea Tn nonns
from phladepbi baltimore and New York their
nrices are little IN advance Of city rates. As rent
abnnt an nm euua footing With other aborers IN re-
spect to the cost Of living. The wn9es oi the miners
srs ner cav 70 inc skilled miner ipai by me ton
for mininQ aud fifteen to nineteen dollars per week
" 0 TIE OPERATORS
as the coal COMPANIES are termed, all have their
mead centres IN New York Ph,iadelphia baltimore,
ann few other large cities with agents and s,yper.
sntendents in the mining districts to carry on sher
,TorF Wn,e thew remain in town To- conduct
can on Che nuctuations OF supply ana demand.
The ots;ces Of the comnanes are furnished expoh-
utvplv and MANY them seem more like aparC-
menfSs ~ an alersnt nrivate resiaence Than nlace
~ nu@,nnss Richv Tacorated nlafe glass windows
ve,vef carnets Walnut and other expensiye (urnl.
sitnre and MANNING and enurayinQs render the Of
i1ces IA pleasant as could be desired and white
busy CLERKS attend to uii the details Of the once the
nrncinaI oaicais uuiety 20 through the day with a
fegree nf ease and comfort that must be seen to be
Snnrectsted There are over flfty coal Companies IN
New YORK All of when have offices fitted up with
mora or ess elegance and whose aggregate capital
amounts to over 400 oOO, 900 Two companies-the
Deiaware ana Hudson and the Delaware, Lacka-
wanna and Western Companies (the latter known
as the Scranton Company, each has o capital OF
con OOn oOO Next 10 vhese are the
Cumberiand Coal and Transportation Co. s5 O0J 900
(Onsolidated OF MARYLAND. ............. g. 900 o
pennsylyania COMPANY .,......,...,,.,. $500 900
Cameron ...,..,.......... 500 600
Scotia ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1850 COO
and a large number OF Al COO go and upwards
rxsp TN AS a pi
Danies The Delaware and Hudson and the scran-