The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-13
THE COAL TROUBLES.

THE COAL TROUBLES.
THE wonderful increase during the last few
years in the productive power of the coal
mining districts of Pennsylvania, and in the
facilities for transporting anthracite coal to
Market has exercised an important influence
in engendering the troubles which seem to
occur regularly every year. 1t is hard to
realize that twice as much coal was mined in
1870 as in 1860, the aggregate last year reach
ing the enormous quantity of 15,S49, ,S99
tons. This no doubt exceeded the
natural demands of the mar
ket; and the root of all the
difficulties is to be found in this over-produc-
tion, and in the desire of miners and opera
tors to check the tendency towards ruinously
low prices which springs from over-produc-
tion. If all the anthracite coal mines now
opened were worked to their full capacity, all
the miners kept constantly employed, and if
the facilities for transportation possessed by
the existing coal-carrying railways were all
brought into requisition, the product would
immensely exceed the demand. Various circum-
stances, and more especially the high prices
paid for coal during period of temporary
and partial scarcity during the war, have led
the master-spirits of the coal trade to stimu-
late this ever-production; and at the same
time the high prices paid during the war for
coal led to such an extravagant increase in the
wages of the miners that they have never
since been contented with fair and reasona-
BILE recompense for their exertions. In their
philosophy the whole question is narrowed
down to this simple point:-H they can en-
force suspension of operations, and
thus create an artificial scar
city, the price of coal will go
up again to the old war prices, and they can
once more earn from five to ten dollars per
day with comparatively little labor. The great
increase in facilities for mining coal, and in
sending it to market, however, have in
creased the difficulties of enforcing this sus-
pension policy; and the present deadlock
has only been produced by resolute and
tyrannical combination among the miners
favorable to suspension, on the one
hand, and by counter-union as equally de-
termined, on the other hand, among the coal
carrying coal companies. Whatever may be
the details of the final settlement of this dis
pute, the object aimed at has been already
accomplished-that is, the over-production
of the coal districts has been checked-and
through enhanced prices of coal the public
will probably be Obliged to foot the
huge bill run up by months of
idleness among thousands of miners
and by the inactivity of coal-csrrying
railway companies. If about one-fourth of
the miners abandoned their present pursuit,
and a similar reduction were made in the
facilities for sending coal to market, all the
legitimate wants of the public could still be
promptly supplied, and there would be no
necessity and no plausible pretext for violent
and dangerous combinations and complica-
tions.
At the present day the Wyoming region
sends to market nearly half of all the anthTa-
cite coal mined in Pennsylvania, its products
exceeding those of the Lehigh and Schuylkil
regions combined. The wonderful increase
of late years has occurred mainly in this com
paratively new Wyoming district, and the
coal troubles have been greatly aggravated by
the rapid rise of its comparative Importance
and the relative decrease of the Importance
of the Schuylldll and Lehigh regions. Ii
nearly all the disturbances feeling of anita
gonlsm between inc rlVAi oislricts mas exerteS
an important influence, and increased tn,
difficulties of speedy and amicable settle
ments.
1t is reported that system of arbitration
will probably soon be adopted which vii
furnish the basis for settlement of the exist
ing trouble, and we hope this report vii
prove well founded; but it is exceedingly
doubtful whether permanent settlement o
any kind will or can be made before a con
siderable reduction in the number of miners
number of mines in operation, etc., is effecte
by mutual understanding between all th
coal railway companies and coal operators.