Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1880-05-15
OUR CORRESPONDENCE.
COMPANY STORES AND THE
"OURRENT HONEY AOT."

Mr.. Editor The price paid for
mining coal in this region is 65 cents
per ton. The men who don't work
for companies interested in stores get
their wages in cash, but those who
have to take the most in truck do not
get 65 cents. Let us see how it works ::
A digs, say 1870 tons, a .s5.. $500
Cash received ..............$7s 90
5==@@=
B, same. .................. $500
Cash received (high estimate) $500
Goods Qow 5000
--$7s 90
In the $50 Generally low estimate
when the wi ole smount is not taken
up) profit of 25 per cent. (rather
lcw) is made by the truckster
amounting to $l2, the monthly cost
of his privilege of working for that
company. or of the duty he owes to
that company's store. If he had got
all his money to spend as he pleased
he could have bought his goods at a
profit of Is per cent. and save $4.l7
every month. Counting s months for
years work this saving would
come to $33.36, enough to buy win
ter's supply of -four for an ordinary
family.
What does he get for digging coal ?
Divide $4,000 by 100 and you have
55 cents, nearly 81 cents per ton less
than his neighbor. This looks small,
but small things amount to a guol
deal in the great ocean of coal Dusi-
ness. A company which gets a hum
dred thousand tons of coal mined at
81 cents per ton less than other COM
ranies gains an advantage of $500
by the operation. Let us add $4,000
net profits beside from the store and
the thing is better than the mission to
England
How easy to go in market and un-
dersell other comranies The men
who keep up company stores know
not what they are compelled to do.
They put club in the hands of thsir
em, loyors TO break everybody's head
who compstes IL coal and merohan-
die, abroad and at home. The same
club mashes down the welfare of their
fellow -workingmen. If the company
I work for has to sell coal lower be-
cause of lower bidding, the first thing
wanted is lower cost CT mining, and
the first and last man who feels the
blow is the poor miner. I do not
know for sure that this always takes
place, but it would be wonder ii it
does rot sometimes.
Let US go back little. 1t is claim
ed by atore companies that they pay
IS cents per ton for mining coal, like
the other compauies. They don't do
it. Taking the previous calculation
as the basis, the store companies pay
IS cents-10 cents less than those
which actually pay IS. And, while
l think of ii, don't know how much
|, ss than IS cents where the coal Is
not aUsighedi
| heard Midlothian man few
days ago say "the bottom would fall
out Of the law" / hear a good deal
of talk about things in general, but
that's the only argnm>nt I have
he; rd against it. It's bad law. not
because it weeds out monopoles, but
because it has no bo:tonai With q
pail, tub. or poor mans pocket, the
reason would be good one.
More next week if have time.
FAIR Snow.
Since I come to town I heard
that case has been trumped up to see
| if thu law has no hlttom TO it, and by
agreement Of pl1int.fs and defendant
it will be tied this month at Hagsrs-
town. / am told that tenants haze
brought distress suit against tteiI
landlord | Whoever heard of thai
before? Bottom rail on top ?" II
must be terrible change in affair
when landlord agrees to be distress.
ed land goes all the way to Hagers.
town to have it donel Why didn't t
he build his rack Of torture nearer
homeP If parties to suits would al
ways agree in this brotherly way we
would have no use for courts or court.
houses, no, not even in Hagerstown
The in locent defendant is pulling
somebody's chestnuts out of the fire,
or behold, how pleasant and good q
thing it is Tor brethren to dwell to-
| gether in unity" When they lock
arms from opposite sides of lawsuit
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