Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-03
AMONG THE MINERS.
River Operators Think They Will
Return to Work at Old Rates.
TIE MEN DETERMINED TO FIGHT.
Ksnawha Coal Fast Becoming a Dangerous
Competitor.
BO1MAKERS STRIKE AT JEANEETrE

The 10 or IL small mines up the Monon-
gahela Valley which were operating last
week ceased operations on Saturday, with
the exception Of that of Munhall Bros, in
the first pool, who have seven or eight boats
to load.
A leading operator stated yesterday that
he felt assured, from information from reli-
able sources to which he had access, that
the river miners would have all returned to
work at the 2 cent and 81 cent rates inside
week or ten days The feeling, he said,
among the men and some of the leaders was
in favor of resumption of work at the old
rates. In relation to this statement, Secre-
tarY Robert Watchorn, of n. D. A. 135,
said last night:
81 have just returned from the river dis
trict, and think 1 am in a position to ex-
press some opinion as to the feeling among
the men. They will return to work if they
get cents, and 21z cents in the fourth pool,
but on no other terms.
MINERS IN EARNEST.
'SThe miners are more determined now in
support of what they regard as their just
demand than they have been for many a
year. due to the fact that they know from
bitter experience the impossibility of living
at the 2 and 21k-cent rates. The men are
not all organized within the K. of L.. but
they are all banded together and firmly de-
termined to hold out for the Scent and 21f-
cent rates"
The greatest competitor in the Cincinnati
and Southern markets local operators have
to deal with is the Winifrede Coal Company,
of which Theodore Wright is president.
The capital stock of this company is $780,
600, fully paid up, and it is said that it has
not paid anv dividend for some years past.
It has branches at Chicago, Louisville and
other river points, and only handles Pitts
burg coal when its stock runs down. It has
lately ordered 80 barges from Mcclure &
Co., of this city, and is yearly adding to its
trade. At present the company has l, ,000, 900
bushels in its Cincinnati yards, all of which
is from the Kanawha region. The company
has had the bulk of the lower river trade for
the past two years, and though it maintains
its wholesale rates on par with the Pitts
burg figures, dealers handling the Kanawhs
coal sell it at cents per bushel less than the
Pittsburg article. The cost of transportation
from the shipping point on the Kanawha to
Cincinnati and from the Pittsburg port is
widely different. From the former point to
Cincinnati the distance is 200 miles, and the
cost of transportation S45 for one barge for
the rouno trlp.
FOOTING UP THE COST.
From this port to Cincinnati the distance
is 466 miles, and the cost of hauling one
barge for the round trip is S175. To the
latter cost must be added that Of lockage,
which varies from the toll on a coalboat
from the fourth pool at $66 25 to S1S 80 for a
light boat. and so 80 for a deep boat in the
first pool A good deal of the Kanawha
coal is mined at 2 cents per bushel, and in
relation to this National Master Workman
John B. Rae, of n. D. A. 138, said yester-
day:
f'There is coal going out of the Kanawha
district which is mined at 81 cents. At
Raymond City they have from 5 feet to
feet Of clear coal, and the rate paid is ~
and ~ cents per bushel, but the men at
these mines can make better wages at those
rates than the river men here can at 3 cents.
1 must say that am inclined to advise the
men that if they cannot get fair rate for
their work here to go down where they can
make better wages"
River operators are now beginning to
think that the syndicate which proposed
buying them out is out of the deal. They
srgue that if they meant business they
would be around seeing how things sp-
peared.