The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-17
damp, which is often fatal. Like the Davy
lamp. It is given to the public free. being unse-

damp, which is often fatal. Like the Davy
lamp. 1t Is given to the public free, being unse-
cured by letters patent
The last years coal output in Indiana was ma
terlally In advance of that for the preceding
year; but during the preceding year there was a
six-months' strike in the Brazil block-coal dis
trict, the result of which was a falling off of
3on; 0DD tons: This -as.s for the State at large,
and some OF the loss belongs elsewhere; but for
the purposes for which we want the figures we
VIII say the loss was confined to the block-coal
fields. DO strikes payi Let ms see. The opera
tors made q reduction Of one-fourth, dropping
from 81 q ton to rs cents-tne miners cs....ned
80 when they resumed work. But had they
worked at Is cents for the six months of the
strike, their earnings would have
aggregated $225, 600, Putting the value Of
the coal at $L.l5 at the mine, /. and it
was doubtless more, the operators would
have realized $345, 900. The railroads. for trans
porting the coal to the Chicago markets, at SIG
a ton, which was about the rate realized at the
time, would have been S495, 900 better of. To
this must be added the sums contributed by the
various labor unions to the support of 2, 800 idle
men, and those dependent on them for six
months, which, at 81 per week each, would ag-
gregate $239, 200. Total, 81. 304, 200. The gen.
eral experience has been that the miners have
lost their wages. and then, impoverished to that
extent at least, have gone to work at the reduc-
ton when the strike was over.
Reviewing the industry for the past year, and
commenting on the increase over al lOrlnor
years in output-an increase out of proportion
to that of the number of mines and miners-the
inspector attributes the latter to the absence Of
any considerable strike, and adds:
Strikes are to be deplored, in whatever way
they are viewed. They are bad for the men en-
gagged in them, and very often are disastrous to
the company. If reason took the place of preJu-
dice, the parties concerned would enter into each
others grievances and discuss them in a friendly
spirit, not as belligerents on the eve of declaring
war, but as men who felt that the prosperity Of
both depended on the discretion and justice Of
EACH"
This sentiment is that of most of the miners,
as evidenced by the favor the State Federated
Association has found in their eyes. This order
has for its objec. Arbitration, with q big A. 1t
provides that no strike shall be countenanced if
inaugurated without the authority of the State
and national executive boards. and after every
effort has failed. This association has supplant-
ed all other organizations. and is now. after four
months of life, the only leading, if not existing,
organization among miners in the State.
In the spirit of this order, the miners of Indi-
ana, in common with those of various States
and Territories. will meet the operators at
Columbus, in joint convention, on the 23d inst.
The operators enter that convention non-com-
initial, so far as a scale of prices is concerned;
while the miners, at the Pittsburg convention.
last December, frankly submitted q scale of
prices to go into effect May !, and to continue in
force one year. That scale is as follows:
Par ton