The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-04-18
The Coal Miners Strike.
Editors Of the Register:

Editors OF the Register:
In your contemporary issue OF Tues
day noticed letter from a coal miner
who tries to show the real cause o.
grievance now existing between the
stockholders Of the mills and coal
banks of Wheeling and Benwood and
the coal miners employed in the mines
who are at present on a strike; which,
according to his view, seems to be about
this: That the miners have allowed
the employers of our labor to fleece US
Just when and how they had a mind to
do it, and that without murmur ever
coming from US, and although the coal
and iron markets have gone up
exceedingly, in fact to almost war
prices, yet the poor miner or
willing serf,' as "A Coal Miner
terms them, was expected to work
on, satisfied with anything that
our employers had mind to give US,
and that was Gas he said) the Jacksl 8
share, and very small share even
then. Now, sir, was one Of the
delegates appointed by the miners to
meet our employers, at which meeting
it was reasonably expected that the re-
quest of the miners would be given US,
but instead of this we were offered one
half OF our demand, ic per bushel,
which we refused to accept. Theques
ton was Immediately asked; Why TO
which we replied by stating that the
offer was not in accordance with the
markets. But our employers began TO
try to show us that the high market
for nails was owing entirely to the ad.
vance that has taken place in the raw
material market, and that their profits
now are less than they were before any
rise took place in the market at all.
But when we put the question to them.
how is it that the boilers have received
such enormous advances and the coop
ers been raised in their wages, and
the nailers given such large amount
of wages while the coal miner has
not enough Of this world goods to live
respectfully and educate and rear his
family as they ought TO be, we were
answered evasively by our employers
I'VE are ruled by Pittsburgh and cannot
help it," Now here is the seat Of the
grievance between the employers and
that, while boilers, nallers,
coopels, and other branches OF skilled
labor are ruled by Pittsburgh, the coal
miner is ruled by Wheeling, and why?
Because if the coal miners were ruled
bv Pittsburgh, instead of our having
three cents, as we are now asking, we
should have four cents by the ruling.
Blu, no, they are not ruled by Pittsburgh
and cannot help il in this respect, but
are trying to screw us down to the low
est possible..point, and when we ask for
an advance, they tell us, we will give it
when we are forced and not till then.
Now how can we think kindly OF en-
plOyers that use such language towards
us As this. when we know for a GER
taintv that they are boarding up wealth
that is wrung from us drop al a
time, and have received their position
at the hands of the laboring man. AS
see in "a coal miners letter they are
learning us the value Of our labor now,
by the enormous prices they are paying
for coal and also for men who go to
work in the coal banks Why, they
didn't give us bat little more than one
half Of what they are now offering, and
should we present ourselves for work at
the prices they are now offering they
would not give it to ia, and then we
are accused of trying TO rule the whole
affair for just asking for an advance OF
wages 10 put us on more equal posi-
ton with our fellow men and raise us
in the scale of respectabiIity, and
enable us TO live and appear as every
honest and law abiding citizen OF this
free republic should be, and none more
so that the coal miner who is the first
and greatest of all artisans in skilled
labor, and who is determined to share
in the general prosperity with which
this district may be blessed either now
or at any future time. Thanking you for
80 much of your valuable space, beg
to remain, yours truly,
A MINERS DELEGATE.