Frostburg mining journal., 1880-07-10
THE MINERS ALONE Sd We
THE SINKING SHIP?
FRosrpuRG. July S, 1880.

the miners of this region is plausible
paper, and in that sense worthy OF its
reputed author. IL has been known
for some weeks that Mother Mayer"
was in labor, and the world has at
last seen the unsound offspring in the
form of this address.
The president OF the Consolidation
coal company does not seem to recog-
nize that the miners of this field are
an intelligent body Of men who keep
abreast of the times and are fully
posted as himself as to the competition
Of other fields, and the course Of
events therein transpiring, and cannot
be instructed by The platitudes Of this
address. We do not need the presi-
dents of all the coal companies to tell
us Of a few events patent to all, but
we have a right TO expect that they
shall at least be candid and honest in
their treatment Of subject SO vital to
us and to their interests as the growth
or extinction of the coal trade.
BUTT may be that the gentlemen oc-
eupying their prominent positions do
not as fully and broadly understand
the questions that underlie the stabil-
jty of this coal trade as do the poor
miners who live in humber homes
and pursue lowlier work, but have
quite as clear heads and honest hearts
as they. Our linen is not as fine, and
when we return from our dusty work,
is not as clean as theirs, but we may
call their attention to a few facts Of
which in their manifesto they display
lamontablo Ignorance or forgetful-
ness.
1t is represented and well under
stood that this region is losing its
trade by reason Of its inability to lay
down its product in market as cheap
as do competing fields. Now the ele-
ments that 60 to make up tire cost Of
our coal in market are numerous and
not confined TO the price of miners
labor alone. Besides the price of
mining labor there are the matters of
Cumberland and Pennsylvania rail
70 ID fre;ghts, Chesapeake and Ohio
canal tolls and lreights, Baltimore and
Ohio railroad freights, and wharfage
charges at Cumberland, Georgetown
and Baltimore, besides the charges
Of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
for use Of its cars. During. the past
season we have seen miners wages
advance fifteen cents per ton, canal
tolls fifteen cent?, canal freighta thirty
cents, Baltimore and Ohio railroad
freights fifty cents, while the Cumber-
land and Pennsylvania railroad con-
tinues to exact, as it always has done,
tho uttermost fartbing which it is law
fully authorized to charge upon this
coal, 1t would take more if it could.
But here comes Mr.. Mayer for his
owners and masters, the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad, and solemnly declares
that the whole trouble with this bust
ness lies in the wages paid to the mi
ners, and that the increase in these
alone constitutes the grave danger,
threatening to annihilate this indus.
try. The trade will 80 10 the bow
vows unless we raise among ourselves
charity fund of fifteen cents a ton to
enable the railroads and canal to
maintain their grab in the increased
cost OF coal. 1t a remitted fifteen
cents from the miners would save the
day, would not the cutting off the in
creased canal tolls be equally saving :?
and would net a contribution in this
dire necessity of the fifty cent grab Of
Mr.. Gsrrott's be 50 much further ef-
fective as to galvanize into healthy
activity this dying coal interest?
The Cumberland and Pennsylvania
railroad through its people in this
county has declared its ability and
purpose to carry coal as cheaply as
anybody when the new road is COM
pleted. God speed the day But if
it can do it then, can it not anticipate
few weeks and do it now ?-and, by
contribution from its own bursting
Golfers, avoid the calamity which its
president grievously forebodea?
But it is the faces Of the poor that
must be ground in order that these
carrying corporations shall reap the
rich harvests which their cupidity
demands.
No, gentlemen, if this trade needs
relief let us rather ask you what you
are going to do about it? What con
cessions are you willing to make to
protect it? When you indicate de-
sire to save it, and to loosen the
strangling grasp which your rapaoity
has placed upon il, you will not find
the miners Of this coal field unwilling
10 make any fair concessions necessary
10 insure a healthy, prosperous trade,
The miners appreciate the .needs of
those companies who have no part in
The greed and gains Of the carriers,
and who are used as the monkey used
the cato pull the chestnuts out Of
the fire, but we may with propriety
re. address this communication to Mn.
Mayer and his boss, Garrett, and 10
boss German, and say--gentlemen,
will you pool the issue? Are you
willing to bear a hand with us and
save the ship and speed her on her
way2 We have no cellars to our
houses stocked with Old Madeira; no
tables or sideboards groaning under
heirloom plato; nut We have wives