The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1875-06-11
The Miners and the Operators.

The Miners and the Operators.
During the recent editorial excursion
down the Hooking Valley, we had occa-
sion to witness the beginning of one of
those contests between the miners and
operators, with the reports of which the
reading public have become SO familiar.
The excursion was to take in visit to
the mines at Straitsville, as well as a
visit to Athens. At Straitsville, the ex =
cursionists debarked and at once pro
ceeded to the mines superintehded by
Mr.. Martin. They first witnessed the
process of dumping and screening the
coal, and then procuring supply of
lamps, under the guidance of Mr.. Mar
tin, entered the mine, which they thor
oughly explored. At one point they
came upon body of workmen who were
holding meeting and who had Just re-
solved to ask an increase of pay. We
conversed with some of the men, and
CLEANED from them that they were re-
celving fifty cents ton for mining-that
an expert miner could mine from five to
six tons per day, though the average
mienr's yield was about four tons. They
furnished their own tools, lamps, lamp
wick. oil, powder, &C., which they called
their "back-tax, and which, they said,
averaged from eight to ten dollars per
month. Their hours of labor were from
seven till four or half-past four. The
general complaint was that they could
not make sufficient to keeptheir families
that they were charged exorbitant pri-
ces for provisions, &c. One man assured
us that his last months wages had
amounted to $44 33 and his "back- tax, ,,
to $500 leaving him only $36.2S net, out
of which to support himself and wife and
one child. Another gave his wages at
$4S and his "back-tax" as $40, leaving
$30 to support himself and family of
seven, after deducting the amount of
their assessments to support miners who
were on a strike. We suggested that
very many laboring men and mechanics
in the cities, were working for about the
same compensation, and managing to-
keep their families, that times were dull
and very many people out of employ
that in times of depression such results
invariably followed, and that striking
was not productive of good results.
They were not excited, but seemed de-
termined to ask an increase of ten cents.
or sixty cents per ton, though they might
not suspend work. The present price
of coal is So to 80 cents on the track, and
the operators of the mines claim thatthe
expenses of hauling, screening, repairs
of track, cars, timber to stay up the
roofs of the mines, &C., is equal to from
twenty-five to thirty-five cents per ton,
and that there is no margin at the pres
ent prices, without paying the increase
demanded. Here again the miner put in
a claim that they receive nothing for the
NN SS"A Va pSAOOhAuBS3 WHICH, Iu6y
claim, pays the expenses alluded to. AS
usual, there are two sides to the question,
md which is most entitled to considera-
ion, we could scarce decide without i
uller opportunity to investigate them
han was offered in the hasty visit of the 6
'ast week. We all know capitalists will
lot employ their capital without getting !
tangible return. The ability to labor {
the capital of the working man, and IL
|, too, seeks and should obtain a fair
for its use. For profit.
ne is dependent upon the other, and 81
MUTUAL concession alone will promote d
armony. In times of depression, such k
we now have, and have had for sever h,
years past, the mutations of the mar in
ct have held mining operations under D
very uncertain tenure, and only a re- B
lrn to generally prosperous times can of
lange that tenure, so as to render profit sv
the operators certain, and at the same n,
me secure better wages to the miners. Ms
The National Temneronca Cop,,ant;o,, w