The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-13

the Way They Earn Their money
A Slight AllusiOn to Matters of a
Political Nature, more from Force
of Habit than a Design to be
Newsy.
Special Correspondence of the Star.
COLUMBUS, O., Nov. 12, 1879.
THE COAL QUESTION
Still continues to be an all-absorbing theme
of conversation in this city, and unlike the
majority of subjects is not confined to anv
one particular class, but is discussed pro
and CON. by the occupant of the hovel and
mansion alike.
Last evening the STAR correspondent, in
order to convince himself Of the true state
of affairs at New Straitsville, paid that busy
little mining town flying visit and had
long talk with number of the leading and
most intelligent miners in the place.
New Straitsville has population of about
8, 900 souls, four-fifths of whom are miners.
Like all mining towns, it is built on hills,
and has wild and slightly repellant look
to stranger. Broad sidewalks grace
THE PRINCIPAL STREETS,
while the others are left to take care OF
themselves, which they have done to per-
fection and as consequence are filled with
holes, stones and mud-puddles until walk
ing after night is really dangerous.
Some four or five churches of the usual
denomination furnish spiritual consolation
to the miners, while seventeen or eighteen
saloons furnish the men with the
WATER OF DIscoNTENr,
which is very lively thing to do on pay
days and week thereafter. The miners
are paid on the 18th of each month, and a
general hilarity then ensues among the
men.
All of last night the men seemed to be on
their
GOOD BEHAVIOR,
and, barring few loud-mouthed fellows,
the town was very quiet. The miners, as
general rule and when at themselves, 20 to
paratively quiet.
Through the kindness of Mr.. John E.
Gormley, general manager and book-keeper
| Oh Gllc IulUC Nv ppldltoNiiiS,
your correspondent was introduced to a
number of the influential and leading
miners.
As the dispatch of this city had pub
lished very acrim 'nious and one-sided
article about the miners, which had been
answered by the Daily Courier in quite ar
effective manner, took the troable before
leaving this city to secure a copy OF eaci
paper.
by appointments your correspondent me-
a number of the miners in the office OF Mr.
Gormley at 7:30 o'clock, and at once
OPENED THE SUBJECT
by asking the men if they had seen cop!
of the Dispatch or Courier. They said the!
had not seen Dispatch but had read til,
article in the Courier, which they unani
mously sanctioned to the letter.
l handed both papers to s. X. Hill.
miner of more than the average amount o
intelligence, and told him to read the tw'
articles aloud, which he proceeded to do
The article in the Dispatch stated that th
, reason the miners
DEMANDED AN INCREASE.
, in the price of mining coal was caused b,
: the anticipated coal famine in Cincinnati
This, Mr.. Hill claimed, was erroneous, bu
that the demand was made because of tn
, advance of coal by the Columbus opel
ators.
; Five years ago last March coal was bein
} mined at the Straitsvlle mine for 81 cent
= per ton and at these figures few miner
e could make 50 10 per day. The
. AVERAGE WORK OF A MINER
is four tons OF coal per day. When tn
l l. IL. s,xkx n rn%t hnt fAI
. miners have steady ''run"-that is dali
v paying work at getting out coal-the wage
: do not amount to SO much as
O number of wild writers think.
n At the present price of mining-& p'
ton
THE AVERAGE WAGES
l. now being made at Straitsville by IL
l. miners is fraction over SIS per day. TIL
d oks like exorbitant wages, and so it j
l. but then those who state this fact wit
Is such flourish do not understand the insit
ID workings of mine or the many expens
lie to which miner is subjected.
* In the first place, miner buys all h
own TOOLS the powder he uses for blastil
purposes; the oil he burns in his lam
'e pays for the sharpening OF
rf
r and last. but not least, by any means, bu
u his groceries and other supplies from vii
the miners call ''pluckmes," i. e. the va
GUS stores run by the coal companies
Straitsvile, whe always charge full pri
for the necessaries of life, which are, as
TO general rule, of an inferior character.
Then again the miners often
We LOSE THEIR TOOLS.
in consequence Of their being buried und
rS falling rocks. Powder costs $4 per keg,
40 for lamps 81 per gallon, and for sharpeni
tools $3 or A per month. So, when pc
in day comes around, the miners have pla
for every penny of their exorbitant wag
70 While the general conversation was goi
~ on an old, white-haired miner chnled
with 'Let me tell you something;;" a
ne producing a greasy-backed book from
I'd, pocket in his shabby coat, he
CONSULTED THE BOOK
he a moment and then said: 'In the month
IN October the price of coal in Columbus v
50 per ton. We received here, for diggi
zoo It, 60 cents; and, as before stated, four
' five tons of coal per day is a big day worl
'@ Another miner spoke about the numl
-, of days they got in each month. Six days
Ill CONTINUOUS WORK
e1t is rarely ever had by miner. During
eat entire month of June the miners only h
lny.. ;,, Iulv %ba corna ~,