The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1886-08-07
ANTHRACITE NINE
BITUMINoUs MINES.

outSlue' 9.GO 5.6l
SIN the forthcoming report for 1885
It is estimated that the total amount re-
turned as paid in wages in coal-mining
would, If divided equally among al re-
turned as employed, give $GG7 per week
in anthracite mining, and SO. q in bitum-
inous mining" But out of the miner
wages must come the cost of his mining
supplies-powder, fuse, oil, cotton, etc.
and these must be bought of the com
pany at from 20 to 100 per cent. more
than the ordinary prices, Still worse,
what the miners call the 'pluck-me
store" system is general in the Penn,
sylvania coal regions.
"These 'pluck-mc' stores seem to well de.
serve the name the miners have given them
the prices charged in them running from 10 tC
100 per cent. above the ordinary retail rates
and probably averaging from - to 10 per
cent. Quality, too, is sometimes IN inverse
relation 10 price, rs when a miner bitterly
complained to me that while fresh roll butter
could be bought for 25 cents a pound. the
company store charged ~ cents pound for
butter'strong enough TO pull a ear up slope.
II Is doubtless true that there are some com
pany stores content TO charge only ordinary
prices, but in the course Of conversations
with miners representing pretty much all the
mining districts of the State, only heard Of
one. In this case the company store has
passed to the widow of deceased member
of the mining firm, and this lady, who lives, I
believe, in New York, has issued strict orders
that prices shall not be higher than In ordn-
airy stores"
"There is no ayowed compusion, 4"
says Mr. George, Sin dealing with these
stores, but it nevertheless as effectively
exists" As the miners put it, "If you
go elsewhere to buy your powder, you
must go elsewhere to burn it,"
In regard to the habitations of the
miners, Mr.. George finds this:
"As rule, when the operators of the mine
control the surface, and where they are not
brought into competition with the owners of
closely adjacent land upon which stores or
dwellings can be built, they will neither sell
hhA ANhoN buAAAllb olAAoa tiAN AhllllNl VI llAi
land giving them better control OF their men.
The employees are lodged in drcary ,monuton-
Gus rows of company houses, divided by thin
partitions into from two to four tcnements of
from two to four small rooms These houses
are of wood, built in cheap and ninsy mar
ner, usually unfinished inside and unpaiutcd
outside. The only evidence that there is
such thing as paint in the world (aS for
whitewash, that seems to be unknown Is
generally the company number painted in
bold figures. The rent OF these houses
diners on different estates, ranging from
$3.50 to 60 a month, the average being S.
In these mining villages every one Is
"A tenant upon five days notice. In
some places no one is allowed TO live In the
village unless employed by the company "a
young man born on the spot and still living
with his parents being compelled TO leave IL
he goes TO work elsewhere than for the lord
Of the manor The power Of the sole
landlord enabiesthe operator or superlnteud-
eat TO exercise such control as he cares To,
aud may deem prudent, lie may enact do,
Laws, goat laws, chicken laws, hquorlsws, cT