The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-09
CITY NTELL1G ENC Il
TIE COAL TRADE.
The Continuance Of the StrIke-The Business
of the eWeek-QuOtatiOns, Etc.

The Continuance Of the StrIke-The Business
of the Week-QuOtaIiOns, Etc.
The Schuylkill region is now in the full enjoy
ment of one of its periodical strikes. As far as
can be seen at present, it is likely to remain in
the enjoyment of that blessing for some little
time to come. When two strong powers pull in
directly opposite directions stand-still is always
to be looked for. The miners form one of these
powers, power of great strength, though blind,
and the operators comprise the other.
The strength is now about equal and the tug
has come. Which side is to be the victor remains
to be seen.
There is q slight advance in the price of the
article at this port. The stock at Richmond Is
very small and but little is arriving except soft
coal from the Broad Top region. The New
York business is unusually large. The region
supplying the coal for that market is in full
operation, at old wages.
The strike of the railroad hands continues
The strike of the hands employed on the Broad
Mountain and Mahanoy Railroad, a lateral of the
Reading Railroad, would prevent the resump-
ton of the Mahanoy region, even if the miners
there were willing. The Reading Railroad has
reduced the wages of its mechanics ten per
cent, and the wages of laborers, helpers, etc,
10 cents per day. This is only in strict proper
tion to the reduction which is now being made
in all trades, which was also the case with the
proposed reduction on the striking railroad
hands. These men who now refuse may be
very thankful if in the end they can again work
at the wages which they now reject. They
will end before long that there are plenty OF
Others who are willing to take their places at
the low rates.
The miners would be in a similar predicament
were it not for the protection of its association,
which has gained sufficient strength to protect
them for the present. But these associations
never know when they are well off, and abuse
their powers as in this instance. A long abuse
will always result in the old story of all trade
unions-a total overthrow. The time required
for the accomplishment of the overthrow is de-
pendent upon the strength of the organization.
The strongest can hold out the longest, but as
sure rs the abuse comes the ruin must follow.
The tone of the communications from mem
bers of the association published in one of its
own organs shows exactly what is the spirit
which auimates the movement. They evidently
consider themselves the owners of the mines,
and that no one else has any rights whatever.
One even goes so far as to propose that the ones
who purchase the powder which the miners use,
which is bought at wholesale prices and is re-
tailed to the miners, have no right to the profits
of this sale. No one must be allowed TO live
but the miners, who are the present masters of
the operators and of all other persons in nomi
nal power in the coal regions.
The season is very dull for the boatmen on
the SchGylkill Capal, They had poor time
last year on account Of fleshets and suspen-
sions and now another suspension comes before
they have fairly commenced the season. The
following statement shows the great falling-of
in the amount of coal transported by the Schuyl-
kill Navigation Company. The statement is for
the week ending Thursday, April e