New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-02
THE COAL TRADE.
THE STRIKES IN THE MINING REGIONs-CAUSE'
AND REMEDIES-EFECT on PRICES.

AND REMEDIES-EFECT on PRICES.
Few persons are aware of the immense in
uence exered by the coal trade on the various indus
trial interests Of country careful study OF the sub
iect involves much thought and patient research The
cheapnes Of larger portion Of manufactured products
depends in a certain degree, the price OF coal and
the rich and poor more or less affected by the
rise the price of this commodity AT present
the people anXiousy mquiring when there Is to be
change IN the market. Last Spring the dealers said,
now your time to buy supply Of fuel for the year"
Consumers laughed and the newspapers advised them to
keep their money in their pockets At that time coal was
selling at six dOarsper tun. The prices, instead
of falling began to RISE and to-day coal Is held at SO
The general impression that the present prices Of cea are
caused by combination of the operators of the cOeres
with their miners is The true nature Of the
miners strike "bogus strike" as it has frequently
been termed has been misunderstood Instead OF being
"boguso 1t has been demand for cooperation by which
TO obtain higher wages and control of the market
Before the public can fully understand the magnitude
and cause Of the strike will be necessary to give few
facts The miners Of the great coal regions OF Pennsyl
vania have organized themselves into labor mining
unions and officers have been appointed to look after the
interests Of the miners Many of these talented
and well informed all Of the questions connected with
the coal trade They know how much coal required 10
supply the market and they also know the number OF
tuns which they produce In certain length Of time.
II evident that if extra employed aud II more
gut in the market and the prices will fall Now, it is
acknowledged by all who know anything about coal
mining that when the price is below &C per tun by the
cargo no margin is left the These facts being
known to the wOrkmen they have sought TO control the
market and their efforts have been successful in the Le
high schuylkill and Wyoming regions. The cause OF
the whole difficulty will thus be readily understood. II
was well known at the commencement Of Spring trade,
on the opening of navigation that owing 10 the largo
stocks OF coal left throughout the mild Winter that
all Of the mines continued TO send coal 10 market
surplus would accumulate and the prices would fail
I'll nothing could be made at mining. The experience OF
few weeks was sufficient TO prove this, and by the
OF April coal was offered in this city for s per tun and
no purchasers found at this rate. Meetings
we're held and to avert as far as possible disastrous
consequences they decided 20 quit work until the surplus
was worked OF, and until the operators were willing 10
give them share in the profits arising from the business
When once the proper standard was reached, then they
shipped and control the market would be obtained
ware and Iackawanna r. r. Cos, and the Delaware and
Hudson Canal Company aud others several days
In succession TO regulate the trade but they failed TO
supply suggest practical remedy, and finally they
parted each intent carrying all the coal they could
get over their roads and charging the highest posi-
nous Te Charges 81 were e edaced Was divided
between the operator and his poor miners The result
that the miners struck work and organized On the
sh day OF May their organization complete. by the
DIST OF May there was general suspension OF work in
that part OF the state Out Of $4,000 miners employed
the Anthracite region not more than 5000 were at work
The latter belonged 10 the Pennsylvania Coal Com
pany but they have since participated in the strike, and
rot until Friday last did they resume work.
AT the commencement Of the suspension the surplus OF
coal in the market, over the supply OF 1863 1872
tuns By the 10th OF June IL short nearly $4,000
making decrease Of over 100000 tuns. BY this time
the miners organization had issued their proposition that
they willing 10 20 10 work again, but that they
must have voice IN what the price OF coal should be-
and they must participate IN the profits. The advance
asked for but little above the wages they get
ting at the time Of suspension. IL was
sSdrtd That We dtmaud for outside labor Sll; platform
So inside Sll miners u per weti when working
Also al contract work be raised D Accordance there S This
10 be asked when coal Il worth 81 ton a: Port Carbon
Rsod That werceve ouehb on al advances thereafter and all
reductions be taken OF accordance 10 the above advances
TheSchuylkll Company was first 10 accept the condi-
ton OF the basis" IL is termed The Companies OF
the Lehigh and wyoming regions soon followed. At
Scranton the Delaware and Lackawanna Railroad Com
fused 10 accept the basis OF cooperation and IL is here
that the issue stands today. 10 Is where capital and
AbOf are nghtiDG close battle. Which side will succeed
remains 10 be SEEN The actual advance obtained by the
miners for the month Of June Schuylkn County was
as follows The average price Of coal s. 49, making
outside labor So 65; inside labor S3 So miners s6 TO-
HGSS wages are not ex9Tbitant, they only fair IL
ne observed tnat Vne transportation companies
advantage OF the scarcity Of COAL by advancing
their rates The average charge Of Transporting coal
rom fOit carbon to New York on the LIST Of April was
% per tun' and their for August is o. Os per tun
& sI ~ sSy lnat when the wholesale price OF anthra
price 70 "a so II Is about as low as ID can he sOld and
heh ~ Ialls DelOW this reaction will be sure to follow
W me miners cannot i've IL h said the time has passed
season when coal be purchased at the mid
summer rates The miners have suffered great pr yations
what they have, ana there must surely be
INC commission dealers in this city say
the production OF coal has fallen an extent
mat 10 NINE enough 10 supply the market Inv the It ~
oCen9tr VIII require moro labOrers than can work I'm
tne llhes Ihey declare 1t makes no difference To them
VIC PNse VI coal rses o. falls AL they want u