Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-30
AS MASTER AND Nan.
How Sliding Scale is Made for
Miners in Far South Wales.
SECRETS OF A FINE-COMB PLAN.
Talk of q Mine Auditor Who Controls Coal
Prices of the World.
AMERICAN SIGHTS FOR AN ENGLISH EYE

far off South Wales to maintain perfect
equality between master and man and to
handle the tremendous coal output that
controls the markets of the world. A
gentleman thoroughly acquainted with these
questions, both by natural ability and
official position, is Charles Edward Parsons,
an Englishman born. but a thorough Welsh
man by education.
Mr. Parsons, with James Evans. of Bris-
tol, England, is visiting relative here, A.
B. Wigley, of the Dun Agency, and in an
interview in this city last evening the fol-
lowing interesting facts were learned of the
methods employed in the Welsh collieries,
by means of which the sad scenes at Braid
wood and the trouble in this vicinity are
avoided:
The Colliery Association is one vast COM
pany or compromise agreed upon between
master and man, in order to obviate these very
troubles spoken of. 1t controls the vast output
of the mines of South Wales that controls the
markets of the world, and this association
governs as one man, the 175,OO0 miners en-
ployed. The means employed to do this may
sound strange to an American. but they are a
recognized necessity in a country where every
thing is
GROUND DOWN TO AN EDGE
exceedingly fine. This means is arbitration, in
the form of the Colliery Association. that has
now for nine years preserved peace and unity
between employer and employe.
There have been a few local disturbances in
these mines lately, and as a result this combi-
nation of collieries has changed the examina-
tion of books and the establishment of the
sliding scales from once in four months to once
in three.
This Colliery Association is a sort of compro-
mise agreed upon between employer and en-
ploye;a guarantee against strikes of any kind
(except mere local disturbances), as all differ
ences are referred to a council composed of
half employers and half employees. The en-
ployers, who have all joined this association,
pay so much dues per week, and, should o
strike occur, each firm is paid from this sum a
certain per cent on what should have been
their output of coal. The men are just as well
represented, and all their grievances are settled
by this council.
AS the sliding scale that is now in effect
provided for some four months ahead. the
miners are somewhat disgruntled, since coal is
higher, and they claim they are not receiving
their just wages. In order to obviate this it
has been decided that the books be examined
and during the late difficulty the employers
had voluntarily made a concession to the men
that, they have but lately ascertaIned, was
entirely justifiable, as shown by the books of
Mr.. Parsons is one of the two auditors,
who have most difficult task to perform.
They must be just to 315 colliery owners on
the one side, and they must be just to 49,
900 men on the other. Every three months
they must audit the books of these 315 firms.
A MOST ExACTING TASK.
They must closely examine the cost of
production, OF storage, of tolls, railroad
rates, clerkage, shipment, taxes, and thou
sand and one things incident to each mining
district; then, after it is all finished, from
the totals the official selling price of coal
per ton is officially made up, to last for the
succeeding three months. Continuing his
chat, Mr.. Parsons said, in substance:
This is an important thing to the miners, this
price of coal, as it not only regulates the
pounds, shillings and pence that must be paid
for an output amounting to 100000 tons per
year, but it also regulates their wages, as their
sliding scale is based upon this fixed price of
| coal The workers, however, are generally well
once referred to that magical peacemaker, ar
| bitration. for the country over there
| has recognized the necessity of agree
ing, upon one thing between employer
| There is one matter of difference. however,
| that will probably soon be settled. The sliding
scale of wages has been fixed at fourpenny
rests. That is the wages on the sliding scale
| would not be changed unless the selling price
| of coal justified fourpenny Is cents, change of
wages in the sliding scale. The men are dis
satisfied with this, however, and in all proba-
| bility Auditor Parsons suggestion will be ac-
| cepted and the sliding scale will be made to
| operate at ''tuppence" "A centsl jump.
I The efficiency of this arrangement is shown
| by the fact that it has been in operation for
| nearly ten years. and there have been no strikes
| and no troubles, except few local and special
| affairs. caused generally by private differences,
and easily adjusted.
NOT ALL GOALS TO NEWCASTLE.
This coal, placed in the hands of some dozen
men (the auditors and council). who control
| the worlds markets, is shipped to Cardiff,
| Swansea and Newport. The old saying must
abe amended. for Cardiff handles more coal
than any port-some 100000 tons, and far in
| advance of Newcastle, which comes next, and
then Newport close in rivalry.
1t was noticed by the visitors that
] tine large mines about here were
worked more from headings, while there
| the product generally came from pits
and shafting. The method of working, how
ever, was the same, though the gentlemen
were amazed to hear there was no head, and,
in fact, no tail to mining operations in this
| country. 1t was not fair, they thought, to
| compare wages paid here with those paid to
the miners in South Wales, as conditions
we're so different. They said, however, the
best aud steadiest miner made some S. or 81
per week there by hard work.
| A peculiar source of difference has come
| up there lately between employer and en-
ploye, and that is the Monday holiday,
coming every Monday in the month. Every
worker to a soul takes a holiday, and as a
result they come struggling in to work the
| wednesday, Thursday and even Saturday
following their lively holiday.
SATURDAY Is WANTED.
| As this affects q tremendous number oil
| men, the loss to employers is something
enormous, and as a result they are trying to
enforce a Saturday holiday every month,
while the men stick out staunchly tor the
Monday holiday, with full week to sober
| up on.
The three gentlemen, Messrs. A. B. Wig
lev. Charles Edward Parsons and James
| Evans, will leave Tor Butler county bright
and early this morning, and though Mr..
| Wigley can't show them a colliery run on
the fine-comb plan, he intends to show them
| an oil we'll that will cause them to tell fairy
stories in Wales for the next ten years. The
two visitors wind up their merry jaunt
| through America on the steamer Umbria,
for Liverpool, next Saturday.
In this connection it may also be stated
| that Baron r. DeSoltenhof, who is the repre-
sentative of Mr.. Evance Cappee, of Brus-
sells, Belgium, the head of the American
Cappee Coke Company. limited, has come
TO this city to make final arrangements for
the formation OF the American Cappee Coke
Company, in this city.
This corporation has been already in ex-
istence in Pittsburg about six months, and
Mr.. c. B. Vaughan is the managing direc-
tor They propose to put up plant in the
| vicinity of Pittsburg as soon as suitable
location has been found by them.
| rl. cIa - tn