New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-01
THE FALL IN COAL.
WHO SHALL BEAR THE LOST

WHO SHALL BEAR THE LOSSf
TIE CONTEST BETWEEN MINERS OPERATORS, AND
THE RAILRoADs-MINERs' PROPERTY con-
TRAsTED WITH IRoN-woRKERs PovERTY-NE-
CEssITY OF REDUCTION OF THEIR WAGES.
tFEoA A STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRTBUNE.I
HAzELToN, IyZERNE Co., Pa, Dec. 30
There is noticeable ference between town In the
coal regions ana in the manufacturing districts
close hand The hard times that distress the latter
add somewhat the property Of the former by re-
ducng prices of all lux ures and OF many OF the ne
cessaries OF Iife Miners wages higher than at any
time since 1870 and their large earnings make all busl
brisk Go to an iron manufacturing town and you
ud working for from 81 IS to 81 90 day, and per
hsps employed only three or fOdr days In the
week, while many have had no work for months, ana
are steadily consuming the savings OF prosperous years
There look OF anxiety In al faces; the tradespeope
complain Of small sales the mechanics OF want OF ORDERS
everybody economies; old clothes are worn haDs OF
saving and self sacrifice long since forgotten, are pam
fully reearDed. Come tO one OF these mining villages
and You imagine yourself back in the nush times tIat
followed the Tire shops are full Of customers; the
work-people are well clad and look CHEEKY and 2oh
tented the merchants say that the seasons business
has been good 1t is not reasonable to suppose
that this marked difference in places but little more
than Of miles apart long continue, and that
single industry escape any participation In the
suffering By the general prOstratiOn OF business
throughout the country. A combination OF powerful
railroad corporations, controlling tue
tue anthracite regions to the great cities and to tide
water has been able hold the price Of coal up Tor
nearly year to figure that insured large profits for
transportation and unusual profits for mining and gave
TO miners aud all wOrkmen engaged in the production
OF coal wages that very high in comparison with
the remuneration obtained by labOrers and mechanics
IN other avOcations.
THE PANIC FELT AT LAST.
The pressure OF hard has at last defeated the
wellad plans OF this combination. Coal operators sec
that artificial prices longer be maintained Con
sumption fallen of cavity aud large stocks OF coal
have accumulated at shipping points. reduction OF
price is inevitable The operators can stand only
small part the reduction demanded by the condition
OF the country and the laws OF trade The rest ought TO
be borne by the railroad companies and the mlners
II is plain that II coal at tide-water falls from " 80
tom the present nominal price, 10 s. the operators can
not stand alone the reduction or 81 3O for their profits
during past have not averaged over 30 cents
"a ton taking the whole Lehgh region into account In
order to fully understand the subject let us see III what
proportion The paid for ton OF coal at Elizabeth
port HOboken, where Wholesale prices are pad, Is
distributed among these various Interests concerned III
producing and transporting it, Take first the cost OF
mining. From eOlliery situated near Mahanoy CITY
have the following statement OF the averas cost OF
ton Of coal over the breaker for the months OF Oco
Der and November: