New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-27
PENNSYLVANIA INTERESTS
THE COAT, MINERS STRIKE.

OF COAL IN THE YARDS-B ITUMINOUS COAL USED
BY IRON MANUFACTURERS.
frRoM A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS OF THE TRiBUShi
WuKEsBARRE, March 2G.-The present great
strike OF miners tho anthracite coal regions OF rem
syyana promises to be OF the most obstinate, long
continued and peaceful labor strikes ever tu'
country Tho strikers have now held out for three
months without showing any Intention to yieih ther
point and to work the terms onereo ny 'ue'r GIN
ployers With tho latter, as Mr. PARISH fresiuent Vi
the Lehigh and WlkesbIrre Coal Company toiu NE
TRIBUNE correspondent, the enforcement OF tue
reduction Of wages has become matter Y,
pride and question to whether the coai
comoanips snail control their own business OF
no succt TO the DICT alton Of their employees The lead
ers among the strikers declare that they VIII not 90 10
work OF Tho reduction Of 10 per cent on wages mao
by the coal combination even IT they nave 10 eat 'no
bark OF trees prevent starvation ana the companies
with at least equal rmness, assert that not anime VIII
be worked IN the reduction OF wages Is accepted ny
the miners The general duness OF trade Is rather an
advantage to the companies they are not called
upon 10 supply large demand for COAL while 1t Is dis
to the muers because the scarcity OF money
cuts Of 10 large extent the assistance they might otu
erwise get from sympathi2ngabor ORGANIZATIONS. i"o
companies beside have hand large STOCKS OF coal iron
which TO draw while the strike lasts, so that the stop
mage OF the serious loss TO them at pres
emit The Lshigh and wlkesbarre Company have over
100 o tons of coal stored below Mauch Chunk and the
o,her ereat companies have still larger amounts Oh
hand.
Tho total number or men engaged in the strike IN the
State OF Is estimated to DO about 4oooo
and is distributed as follows: In the schuyIk''
region, 10000; In the Lohigh region, lO0oo; III tuc
Wyoming region, 1000 The number still at WORK 10
estimated at about 3oOO viz, for the Delaware La ka
wanna and Western Company, 1000; Tor the delaware
and Hudson Company, 10000: for the Pennsyivania
Company bOOo for smaller companies and INDIVIDUALS,
1000 During the strike there have been very tle Vio
lsuce and intimidation used The whole business IS
managed by organization called the Miners Natiopai
Association This Includes not only coal mines, pu'
gold silver copper, iron, aud all other mines as we'll
The organic alton has been in existence about year.
aud 1t lodges oil parts OF the United states VIII
an aggregate membership OF about eoooo 1t h1es no
standard OF wages for miners, but assists them when
ever in any locality they thnk they are underpaiu one
OF its main objects Is TO maintain the struggle OF laoo
against capital by concentrating at any point where
the battle may bo fought, the moral power ana pecun
AIRY aid OF the association throughout the United states
It has agents who into every minng district anu
establish lodges 1t is mIxing Efforts to organize
all the miners of Pennsylvania under its banners.
The present strike brought about by the generll
staena,ion OF trade following the panic OF 1873 The
large manufacturing companies fndng that their bust
ness had greatly decreased. and that their expenses
would have to be reduced last year unanimously de-
was seconded By all classes OF consumers IN every part
of the country Tho great coal companies of Pennsy[
yania ths necessity for the reduc ton IN the
price of coal which demanded aud resolved to con-
cede IT, They had largo stocks on handso large That
the market which was dull was Glutted and last Fan
tbey partially ceased work In order to let TINS surplus
coal work off their hands. In December the Six great
compauies-the Lahlgh and WikesOarre' the oet"a'e'
Isckavanna and Western. the Pnilaiephla ani READ
r ,iIq he Delaware
tbe pspusylyan,a companies besides large number OF
smsl,cr companies and individual operators
met In New-York. and resolved to reduce the
prlce OF coal; but Ia order to do so IL WAS
necessary to reduce the cost Ok production anu
TRANSFORMATION cOrrespOni ingly Accordingly IL
was resolved to make reduction OF 10 per cent on
miners and laborer wages and to secure an equal re-
Auction OF cost from the transportation companies on
Ian l. 1873 notice OF this reduction was given at she
mines and the next day general strke look p!ac' 'uo
men refusing accept the reduction Coilcres Whlch
we're closed then have remained closed ever SINCE wne
those In which the miners resolved 10 continue Work Ut
the reduced rate OF wages have been active opera
ton I'D to date THUS material change In the cohd
ton of strike has taken place since 1t began three
months ago The amount of anthracite coal produced
has reduced By this strike about 81 per cent Tle
reduction OF 10 pes cent asked by the coal companies
was promised the transportation companies, ana as
soon as the strike ends by the mems accepting the re-
lhuse companies now WORKING own transport ,on ucs
own, and can accordingly control tne cost 10
sut their expenses. TIE reduction OF wages apples not
only the miners but to tao a1oFcrs ana all othcr
classes OF wOTkmen.
worth explaining. Every miner Il small contractor
who is hired b. the company. After gtngwaS Das
coal ayer openings made each from II into the
mass OF coal which called breasts In each or these
breasts "a niucr works ike bee In honey CELL lie
pusbes his breast into coal far as may be safe
or until he meets another miner working III his direction
from second gangway running parallel WIN the hrst
one Tne coal which blasts out is shovcled into car
by aborer whom the miner hires at whatever rate or
control over the matter Each will con ain from rs
TO l95 cubic feet OF COAL and the miner who averages
rates rom Is cents to s. Is per car. miners aborcr
generally receives about $? % day Inc miner mas to
as Wei the wage, Of tis aIeref f. AltoSe5n ay
these expenses amount to from - 10 70 q TaS
from s. to 81 day. The average number OF hours
work during day TOR miner Is SIX and Tor aDorer
Ten Sometimes "a single blast IN "a breast Will bring
down coal enough 10 keep the aborer employed Tor one
or two days wnile tae miner romans ide, a''nouEh
pese to himself except the laDorers wages Gangway
men, who employed to drive tho man gang"ays or
passages In mne, s. day under tue old rate,
or a 20 under the rate. Engineers, punpmen ana
carpenters receive from 81 to - 80 day. ana men Gun
Moved III dead WORK" which means all work ABOUT
niue such driving shaft, or making ar h0eH. not
performed the actual production OF coal ana outside
aborers are paid from 81 40 TO 81 30 day. under tue
old rate. Tne Phadoipna aud Reading Company
made distinction between contract labor, or mat OF
Miners and dead labor, reducing the former from 10
10 20 per cent and the latter 10 per cent only.
There wee formerly in existence institutions known
as company stores" where the coal companies sold all
sorts OF goods aud supplies 10 their worknen, and some
times IL said charged exOrDitant prices In 1871 these
stores abolished by act OF the Pennsylvania
Legislature. AT present some OF the companies hnd 1t
convenient to favor certain large stores III tue vicinity
OF their mines, which their workmen patronze. These
stores sell goods and supplies In LARGE quantities. and do
little besides their trade with the miners. IL does not
tnat Latter OyercharYed in these places,
since they are liberty to trade where they please but
good deal OF jealousy against them Is felt by other
fhp
ii ~ are made against the companies, II being sad that
they seek in this manner 10 eyade the act against com
pany stores. ,, ,, -,
rne strike has undoubtedly produced considerable
suffering. the small villages along the line vi the
L -allA In fnnl.