The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-01-22
HARD TIMES IN THE MINES.
BUT NO STARVATION NOR MOT rs YET
IN THE SCHJ YLKILL REGION
How the Lenst Wretched Of the Miners nre
Pairing The stoppaRe Wages on the Bnsis
Plan Deductions " hat One Miners wire
snid-MIners Hoping for Better Times.

MAHANoY CITY, Pa. Jan. 19.-Thc stop
page Of work by the Philadelphia and Road
Ing Coal and Iron Company has undoubtedly
caused great deal Of inconvenience. perhaps
some distress. among the miners in the dis
trict. but not starvation. Nor is there any foun
dalton for the published falschOods about riot
and outrage. The fact If that tho miners Of this
HchuylL III district are better Of than those In
any other part of the anthracite region The
difference between their condition and that oil
Che others may be only one Of degrees OF mis-
CRY. but such ~ II IT, they have the best OF II.
During oil last spring while those in tho upper
basins were starving; during the long summer.
while the striking miners were making thoir
wonderful exhibition Of stcadfast purpose and
respect for tho rights OF others; during the
autumn when the strikers. overcome Mt length.
resumed work at the wrctched pittance accorded
by their mcrciless masters tho men in the
Schuylkll district. both those in the employ Of
the corporation named and those working for
private parties had steady work True. their
pay was very small. SO small that you wonder
how they could live and support families upon
Il. yet 1t was something It was regular and GER
tain and II was sufficient to enable persons ac-
customed TO economy and priyation 70 support
life. To the honor of the Philadelphia and
Reading Coal Company. be II said, n disposition
has actually been manifested by this one corpo-
ration to take some human thought Tor its ein-
ploycrS. ana even 10 iOrcKo oppOrtu mites Tor
rohbing them. To explain:
The Philadelphia and Reading Coal Company
organized system Of paying its miners upon
Tho basis OF the price OF coal at Schuylkl
Haven. its shipping point. When its pricn
there. rs fixed by the Coal Exchange. was s2.5Q
per ton, the rates paid according to classes Of
work, location and character Of the mines
would be nj least tl2 per week for miners
5000 for inside lahorers. and $50 for outside
laborers. to say nothing here Of the two ex-
tremes. boSscs and breaker boys. or some
special classes OF employees about the mines
As the price II coal descended below that figure
or assembled above ittheir pay would fall or rise
In regular percentage upon til" decline or in
crease. suppose that an outside laborer's
wages ara - 10 per week whom coal sells ut the
basis price; they will he only <j.67 when coal
falls 60 slG0 per ton. and il he has To- support Il
family on that 50 much the worse for him when
the Coal Exchange announces Thirty per cent
below tho has j. Ter the MONTH But osdent
+. Is. Gowrr and thef Engineer Henry pl"as-
ants pledged thei. word To- The mon that the
percentage should never. rs lar lis they were
CONCERNED. b. permitted 10 20 below 80. and
should ho IL much less ~ the company could
possibly AFFORD. while they should have all the
benefit OF advanced percentage above tho basis
that tho market would AFFORD. The record of
the rrdnciions slnco that promise was made is
good evidence ~ sincerity. Here are the fig
urUs Tor The twelve months past.