New-York tribune., 1870-08-06
THE COAL-MLNERS STRIKE ENDED,
TIE OLD AND NEW BASES CoMPARED-PRICE OF


TIE OLD AND NEW BASES C0MPARED-PRICE OF
COAL.
MT. CARBON, Penn, Aug. 4.-The Schuylkill
coal region comprises all OF schuylkn part Of Columbia,
ana the northeastern part OF Northumberland Counties
having l4s collieres operation These produced in
lsC9 600S5 tns Of coal Here, as elsewhere, coal Is
mined either by contract the day During the year
1869 an agreement made between the operators of collier
les and the WOrkngmens Benevolent Association fxed
the wages In this reon at s4 per week for miners s2
Tor inside and s1 for outside laborers, when coal in
Gliding the sizes, "lump." "broken," "egg"" stoye"
and chestnut brought the average price Of 50 per tun
at Port Carbon, that being tho recognized shipping
point. II the price advanced ahoye - per tun, there
was to be corresponding increase Of wages IT, how
ever the price fell below 9 there was no provision made
for proportonate reduction Of wages Contract prices
had also been arranged the 50 basis with provision
for sliding scale only upward.
BY the the agreement the anCenent tcrmi
mated the 3lst OF December 1863. The operators,
therefore notice. toward the close or the year. at
new basis and schedule of prices must be made for 1870
The price Of coal at Port Carbon ranged at the close OF
the year. from s. down to 81 90 Believing that during
the year the lower figure would be about the average,
the operators proposed 10 the wormen scale of prices
both for contract day work. based s. 80 per tun
FOR coal The miners hoping 10 keep the price up to -,
and prcferring naturally too, high TO lower wages de-
cnned the arrangement, and declared THAR willing
ness to work tho basis of 1867 that being denied them
by the operators the left the mines on the LIST OF
January. Meetings held in all parts of the region
by the WOrkingmen's Association, and the BOARD OF
Trade of OPERATORS" the subject was fully discussed
and numerous propositions submitted from one to the
other, all OF which were, because OF some OBJ
jectonable feature, rejected. This state of things
continued six months many Of the coerle having been
IDLE eight months. The half year OF idleness ntcraly
consumed every dollar OF the savings of years, aAd
brought the thrifty, welltodo families of the working
Minersvie, Ashland Girariville, shomokin, Mahoney
Cty Tamaqua and other mining centers, the accounts
OF frugal miners in the banks showed balances
In their favor OF from 300 to $500, every dollar Of which
has been drawn and consumed Weldressed, inelll-
gent wives and daughters have been traverng the reh
agricultural country south Of the coal fields begging Tor
been morgaged to their full value to storekeepers, and
accounts have been nun up that VIII be burdensome for
constrained to believe IS the OF handing over the
whole management OF the abOrng mems interests to few
mercenary villains, who some how cOntriye to make
money out OF other peoples msfortunes. Not only the
workngmen, but business capital, aud individuals IN aud
ont of the Schuyk region have this paid the price
OF the folly OF labor strikes business III tho
mining settlements has for weeks been prosrate Even
the attractive Summer resorts at Mt Carbon Ashland.
shamOkn, and other mountain hooks have been empty as
barns before harvest The OF violence four years
remembered against the region and seekers Of
pleasure cared TO go among reported rioters and ROBBERS
TO find IT, The Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Com
pany, controlling every mile of transportation. both
rail and water from the coal mines OF the Schuylk re-
million uns Of coal per month. perhaps the greatest
corporate sufferer. Finally, therefore, Mr. L. B. Gowen,
between the operators the workn gmon his services
accepted and after consultation with both sides TO
the controversy Mr. GOwen procured from the working
men proposition go work the basis Of 1869, with
a sliding scale of wages graduated to the price OF coal
above and below 50 per un at Port Carbon. The earnings
OF miner working by contract were restricted 10 500
under the basis price, and all over that was made subject
a heavy reduction. The exact terms - follows: 49,
That the members of the W. B. A. offer start the basis OF i
That when coal bngs ~ 2j demand cen, Of an advances
Oll advances so -2i er Of adyancei
That When coal s below the 1862 So IS accept
reduction Of 81 per cent; ~ 5l cent ~ -I per cent
That miners working on contract aer they start earning over
reduced 10 Sl25 and over2O cent
$50 and over per cent + per month there be any ~ per cent
That the above figures be taken om the ia grades Of coal pea coal
inculed.
The article regulating contract work is not generally
accepted. The men, however, have gone to work. the
operators at of the cOleres accedng to special
colleries worked Tuesday, but some local di-
culties provided for remain to be adjusted on tho
north side These finally disposed OF on Wednes-
day and to-day throughout the whole Of the SChlykll
region every cOllery In condition 70 he worked ls vocal
with the sound Of busy wOrkmen 1t IS believed that the
terrible lesson of the six months OF distress, now happily
ended will he long remembered 10 the immense adyant
age of the people in this coal region.
The supply OF anthracite coal this year. nowithstand
ing the prolonged strike IN the Scluy XIII REGION Is
already million IN OF the production for
the period in 1862 Despite the combination OF the
dealers seabOard to keep them up, prices must
therefore gradually decline Coal Will soon average
e. 30 per Port Carbon. The transportation from
the mines the sCahoard being in the hands of corpor
ware 1t can therefore be laid down TO the consumer at
from IS TO ST. allowing reasonable prOht 10 the dealer
Hitherto there rival companies transporting coal
from the Schuylkll; recently the Philadelphia and
Reading Railroad Company purchased the schuylill
Navigation COmpanys property and gained controlling
interests in all the lateral roads, It s therefore now
within the power of the managers OF this Company to
regulate, within the limits OF the necessary working
profits the price VI ScluykQ coal 1t can build up and
smash will rings OF coal dealers inc pnDnc nave
good reason expect udicous exercise OF this power