The New York herald., 1871-02-20
THE COAL MINERS STRIKE.
Proceedings to be Instituted Against the Car.
rying Companies.

Proceedings to be Instituted Against the Car
rying Companies.
TAMAoUA, Pa, Feb. 10, 1871.
1t is rumored that the Workingmen's Benevolent
Association and the general coal operators, who
have renounced their allegiance to the Anthracite
Board OF Trade are about to institute proceedings
against the several carrying companies, under what
Is known as the Conspiracy law Of the State Of
Pennsyvania. The rumor cannot be traced to any
definite source, but seems to be very generally
accepted as correct
Manifesto by the Miners Benevolent As
sociation-Rapacity of Operators-Frauds
Upon the Miners Miners Wages and
DanRers-S4,OOO,OOO Realized by Ope-
ratOrs in Consequence Of the Strike.
JRDDo, Pa, Fec. 16, 1871.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
AT q special meeting OF the Miners and Laborers,
Benevolent Association of Jeddo, Luzerne county,
Pa, held on the 18Th inst, 1t was unanimously
adopted that the undersigned committee should
through your wide circulating Journal make known
to the public at large the real cause or suspension
these anthracite coal fields There are some period.
tcals which take the part OF capital against
labor, never thinking that the working
class is the bone and sinew OF the and-such
as the Poetsville Miners Journal, better known
as the Coal Operators Journal; the Scran-
ton Republican, the Philadelphia Inquirer, &c
We doubt the veracity OF these journals for truth
and honesty in the garb OF public printers They
try TO make the public believe that suspension Is
brought solely for the welfare and benefit of the
miners. such is not the case. Suspension Is
caused by the tyrannical oppression and combina
ton OF railroad companies and coal operators who
are, almost to man, stockholders in said compa-
ME-. They try all means in their power to make the
public believe that the miner wishes to earn enor-
nous wages. The miner would feel quite satisfied
ba frraa InIJ 10 x,I1
be only considered fair days wages when taking
INTO account the perls and dangers which he has to
encounter by descending and ascending those dark
and dangerous shafts or slopes, with no guarantee
OF life save an Indifferent cham, or as
is too often the case, worthless wire rope,
which may at any moment launch HIM into
eternity He has also to contend, when IN the
mines, with foul and damp gases and powder
SMOKE and Is liable at any moment to be crushed or
mutilated by fall OF coal rock. When coal is
sold at five dollars per ton at the seaboard the miner
gets gftyfve cents per ton, and does not average
over elgnt tons per day While working. From this
Is deducted his ab0rerS wages, amounting to Sl3 20
per week. for loading his cars besides paying for
powder, blasting paper, cotton and oil, &c. He has
also 10 pay monthly Tor tae sharpening OF his picks
and drills and must procure his own shovels, the
balance OF the five dollars going to tne railroad COM
panles and ccal operators. The miner will always
feel satisfied that coal should remain at five dollars
per ton at the seaboard but when 1t gets below
price ne canrior live or keep his family.
1t is alleged that the miners are the cause or are
10 blame lOr the hgn prices OF coal In the market.
When suspension was ordered 1t estimated that
not less than coo tons had been tide water,
which had been sold at advance two dollars per
ton, making total profit of 0OO 900. Did the miner
or miners receive any OF the proft2 We answer no.
Besides, these 1000, 900 tons were mined when
were paid at the rate OF five dollars per in the
market ana compare this with the real prices IN tue
market Tor the three months ending December, 1871.
we nave given above an overrated statement OF
the miner's wages; 1o instead of being paid by the
ton, he Is only paid by measurement. For instance,
car measuring l26 cubic feet, and allowing thirty
Six cubic feet to constitute ton Of COAL said Car
would exactly contain three and O half tons, for
which the miner is paid 81 "a. Thus you see how
the enormous wages he earns; for instead OF getting
nlty-nve cents per ton, he actually gets little over
thirty-nvc cents per ton. Now, where does the bal
ancc or The exorbtant prices paid by the consumers
go TOY AS we nave said before, the miner does not
get 1t. and as natural consequence, 1t must go TO
might be termed, one company.
The miners, without an exception, are ready 10 re-
sumo work, but the operators are not owing, as
tney say, 10 the market being overstOcked, Lnelr
chleI OBJECT being to lessen the supply and advance
the prices still higher, and afterwards attach the
by themselves and thereby denounce Them before the
public Tor the sole purpose OF strengthening their
comoinatonS With a view TO eradicate forever the
Miners and Laborers Benevolent Association.
Seeing we have trespasSed Oh your space too
much we shall stop, hoping, some subsequent pc
mentS herein made are disputed by any OF the read
ing public we. the committee, arc willing to prove
the above facts.
n. P. JOHNSON, President
ENOCH Z. EVANS, comro,,tee
PATRICK MCLAUGHLIN, So