The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-04-17
WORKING IN THE COAL
MINES.
Amy, WYOMING TERRITORY,
April 11tb, 1880.

April 1ltb, 1880.
Editors Herald:
Would a few items from this forlorn
region of Almy be of interest to the
many readers of your valuable paper,
in connection with the ccal digging;
the way snd manner in which it is
received by the company from the
mines; form of weighing; wages, and
the way this is 10 be disposed of again
in TIE stove; the houses intended for
human beings to live in; and in
behalf OF the poor workingmen in
general?
! noticed in The Evanston Aqe. a
sheet printed about three miles from
this place, principally owned, and
conducted by the managers of the
coal mines, an article stating the
wages and advantages of the collier
IN this place. 1t says: Gan ex-
perienced miner can make from
$3.50 TO 1915 per day." which is
absurd in the extreme. There is no |
class of w0rkingmen, that labors |
harder 70! a subsistence under con-
tinual disadvantages and receives less
compensation, than the man who
digs coal. He is said to have the
small gum of 74c. per ton: small as
this, he does no. receive any more
than half that amount, say 35c. or
40c. per ton. And then what is
a ton? In the United States
1000 pounds aVoirdupois is the
standard weight for a ton,
but the coal diggers have to give
2, 240 pounds for fine COAL" being
carefully sieyed by hand, and 2,34O !
pounds for lump coal." which !
makes on an average Of go pounds q
he miner has to lose on every ton. Y
L was first allowed that this much be a
charged for refuse, such as rock and II
lack, but this has become stale nor, d
or if there should be shat amount, or s
ven half that. they have custom 10
ogue of deductiDg at least 600 [
oundJ, which looks to be rather an O
Itravagant idea, that for 100 or 200 Ii
Ounds of refuse the miner must lose fl
least 600, and very often 1900 al
ounds. So very prevalent is this, e.
lat no matter what quality of coal is liz
ut up, q certain amount for dock IN
yes OF tAe days work Is charged. W
hen he has his own expenses to pay pe
ON this, such as powder, fuse, oil, to
or, etc. For this the store owners
,om pany) DO not forget 10 charge sh
lie fall amount. For powder enough ia
last ten or twelve days, the miner Ii.
charged 1915; oil, per gallon. al
so, which is consumed in about in
e same number OF days. de
Thus anyone WILL be able to Judge sc
? wage of the coal miners, which an
ersge $1.25 to $3.50 per Day, less tb
q amount for expenses. Not only ns
Is the miner to dig and load the q
al, and contend with all these az
stacles; he has also go: % take a
e part Of mule. No doubt T.
G company has objects the hv
I'M OF mule-, but If the men refuse u,
do their share, along with the ON
ule, they are Immediately notified tb
their discharge, which l have no nu
ubt would be q blessing to many. of
The Rocky Mountain store, in con- IN,
ction with the works, is owned raj
incipslly by n. Beemau, superin- for
ldent of the Rocky Mountain Mine. ful
le small amount of money made
the men, it Seems, ia expected to mi
wholly spent in this institution, mi
lich is too easily done, as two prices SEA
g charged OF all articles, and these shC
ing inferior goods. This too, ii sct
e does not contribute the most part ahc
his wages. will soon receive notice val
1t be is not wanted here. tor
The company have what they call Tb
uses, but far from being worthy of the
s honor. One load of slabs and a edr
' pounds of nails comprises the his
Iole structure. This Is what is in tea
lded for human beings to live in. 23C
10 can readily imagine the suffering eel
N cold that women and children SlE
We experienced during this long and Tn
-ere winter in these huts. Not one paj
them, with the exception of the I
oerintendent's and store men, are bui
e to combat against a rain or snow twC
nm, unless by great exertion on Set
part OF the tenants, by giving it ext
outside covering with dirt. or try exc
to stuff up the cracks from the ing
side with rags, etc. ret
Z ct for these miserable structures, Tn
, miner has to pay the enormous exc
n of S. per month; for fuel he has raj
pay 81 so for the amount he digs res
35c. S. see
By