New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-23
THE COAL TROUBLES.


FERENCE BETWEEN THE OPERATORS AMI
THE MTNBRS-FACTS AND FIGURES
HAZLEToN, Luzerne Co., Pa. Aug. W.-lhe
strike among the coal miners rather among the coai
operators, still continues and there Ia no ProSpe0'
settlement OF difficulties under two or three holtu -
operators say that thus far they nave Deeh ule 'o
their laborers-henceforth .hey are determined 10 man
age their own affairs they ht IL necessary '1
Will call on the Government 10 protect them u'o"' %
citemept prevails among tho operators, and ruihoiS ~
1viug in all directions was informed on arrlNuE Ho
that RIOTS had occurred the dag before and that the eR
neers wero breaking the pumps and dnNnB "
successors away. Tho hotels are ful Vi Poop0
talking about the basis and damnlng the miners a Va"
newspapers The operators say they would ike 10 SEQ
James Gordon up and nail their cars 70 tno
iamp.poss Hearing that the police had Deen urlVeh
away from the pumps Harelgh tho nght pelore'
started for the Stopping at store just 'nis Suo
OF the village learned that disturbance Oh any Au
had yet occurred but that fight might take pace at
any moment A squad Of policemen had been sent out
tho day before, but they secreted themselves unuoi
train Of coal during the night and at dawn they "
for azIetou whence they came The clerk OF the soro
advised me not TO 20 INTO village as the Buckshots
were skuking around, and they mght punch Stranger
in the head and mako with his horse ana buggy
This being in the newspaper line Immediately uroVe up
TO the drinking saloon where the Buokshots we're sau 10
be stationed and inquired for of the engineers who
had left the pumps After talking With him for lew
minutes invited him to take ride 10 Mlnesvlle'
where other difficulties reported MY friend tue
Buckshot was quito tame, and soon discovered that
no was not at all dangerous. He said That they the
engneers felt rather to have strange men come IN
and take their places STILL they not going TO make
any demonstrations whatever II the operators wished
to pump the water OF their mines. they could do 20
IN peace Milnesyilie is half mile from HarelBh,
and Harlegh is two miles north OF Hazet0n.
Both OF tho former places nave ABOUT
l5o inhabitants EACH and the houses are roughunpanted
structures surrounded by small vegetable gardens The
miners innumerable stories to tell about the mean
ness of the operators whom they said would be glad TO
get them to work for 90 cents day were IL possible
The strange men in charge OF the pumps said that
TINS far they bad not attacked though they were
freaueptly nsuied by the miners and their wives The
woods were full OF Buokshots and they knew not when
they would be fred We going to get out OF TINS
tonight whether the operators like 1t or not III they
think that we are fools to stay here and be shot,
they are mistaken" The miners declared that
tbey had no intention OF attacking any one, aud
they said that the stories circulated by the
operators were false in every particular
For four hours / had been chasing lie over the
country and found at last that the armed Buckshots ana
the broken pumps existed only In the imagination OF the
operators and their friends Having To go about nan
mile through the woods gave the rens 10 my iriend
the Bucksho and directed him to drive to the hotel and
hitch returning after an absence OF an hour tound
the $500 rig had hired at the livery staDls ana my
sIk umbrella undsturbed. Certainly this did not quite
agree with stories had heard about the dishonesty
OF the miners The stores in these mining villages usually
for some apples. The clerk ieluseu 10
take amy ~ that store This EXPLANATION was that
the mostly miners. and they pay up once
MONTH or rather the amount they owe IS taken out OF
their wages. While present, moro than a dozen
pqrsOps came IN 20 purchase and every one OF them
Rgbt Iitiie leather bound memorandum books for the
clerk 20 enter their purchases on The miners made
great complaint because the operators charge so much
hey
places for human beings dwell in. The altitude Is
great that tho soil produces nothing but
scrub oaks and pines. Vegetables seem TO do
very we'll bur There Is grass, and where grass will
not grow desoation begins Returning to this place I
found the town full ofrumors concerning inc very lOa
ties that had Just visited Yesterday afternoon called
at the coal office Of A. Pardee Co. 20 get some facts re-
garding cost Of mining and transporting coal 70 mar
ket The bookkeeper could give me no information as
helr books were Kept In Philadelphia but he presumed
that the desired information could be obtained AZ the
office above Before reaching the office above" ! Was
overaken by gentleman from the Office had just left,
who said that he would be happy to gyo mo al
called aud IL only by chance that he heard my In
curry. SO went back and hgd the OF learning
that some fellow" from The iRIEuNL had been up ihe
day before and had written lot OF stun which sounded
ridiculous TO one who knew nythpS about ,no strike
and prove that It was impossible iPI an operator to mine
impossible satisfy the demands Of the miners and the
only hope lay In employing men outside the Union,
the miners called a tun not tun; consequently.
they losing much by short weight In proof Of THIS
'hoy presenter '"' 'O''O"'"S '''''"' ~ 10 toni.
What the minsrs demanded pav fo....,.........20lI
Amount shipped By rarjss kCo.'''''''''''''''''0Is'
No EXPLANATION could be- made which would satisfy the
men that their account Incorrect; and In order 20
proceed without strike the loss had 70 be sustained
Messrs Pardee Co. say that during the war they dd
make money at mning In year they shipped 10000
tuns realizing 90 cents per tun, or total Of $4,000
million aud a half was employed In the business, and
there partners Since this time the miners seemd
10 think that they have continued 20 make IN like proper
ton. G. Il. Marker Co. give the following statement:
mining ~ EIeess Of ulntge paid the
a0| ceat....,...
Tols 10 Port JohusOu....... s1I
Expenses selling c0a.... ~ I0tll..............s - IS
Total ......,............p ~ 05I
Thus it will be that 10 get tun OF coal 10 New
York cost S. Is according 20 the operators story.
Pardee * Co. give the following statement:
Per Tun No tuBs shipped ........,.. BR
Expense Of mining last rear, 81 a.
TIL IN Man fEubk- Ian an