West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-12-26
MINERS WITHOUT WORK.
Thousands of Men Penniless
and Facing Starvation.
Owing to Mild Weather the De-
mand for Coal Limited.

The news having reached Schuylkill Haven,
Penn, that the twenty five thousand coal
miners and mine laborers throughout the
Schuylkill coal regions had been ordered on
three quarter time, it cast gloom over the
entire region controlled by the Philadelphia
and Reading Railroad Company and other
companies
An through tho autumn and winter the
coal miner has had bad luck upon bad luck
Still suffering from the effects OF the long
strike, with debts contracted for the necosSi-
ties of life still unpaid, his wages were re-
duced TO four per cent. below the regular
basis. Then came the heavy autumn floods
which drowned out the collieries: mild
weather continued and the coal trade was
worse than had been known for twenty years
Summer prices prevailed at tide water. with
"a sharp cutting and shading OF circular
prices; stocks at the markets increased aud
there were no sales
The miles of sdings along the railroads
from the mines To the sea were crowded with
loaded coal cars. Colliery after colliery shut
down, repair work was suspended thou
sands OF men were thrown out OF work and
now all those who have been left at work as
long as was possible have been ordered on
three-quartcr time. This Is regarded as only
precursor of what il 10 follow and IL is n
toregono conclusion that the miners will be
very soon ordered on half time and there
may be a complete and total shutdown be
fore long.
In the Shamolin district thousands of men
are out of employment and there is no know
ing when they viii be reemployed. Those
who had work during the summer were
obliged to labor at very low wages. owing 20
the sharp competition of tho Huns Poles and
Italians. IL miners and laborers averaged
s2O month they were doing well; the men
had large families, it cost every penny 20
live, many ran In debt, and now they are
penniless, and without credit because at many
stores the rule is spot cash or orders from
the mines
Between Traverton and Mount Carmel IL il
estimated that there are 1000 men and boys
idle. Individual colleries are shutting down
in all directions, and the operatives having
no money ahead are in "A state of mind verg-
ing ON despair. The foreign element Is al
ready tramping about the regions begging
for bread. The miners and mine laborers
who are citizens and tax PAYERS are silent and
gloomy, unable TO help themselves. With
thousands upon thousands of tons OF unmined
coal at their feet they have no work.
They are in need of the actual necessities
Of life and are strong and willing 60 labor.
but they are told there is no use 10 mine any
more coal, because there is no sale for II and
no room forit in the great storage wharves
at tidewater. The only demand at all for
coal is for manufacturing sizes.
The miners are also told that recent fail
ures in New York city have had much to do
servative. For weeks past men have been
sent through the regions predicting coal
panic This to some extent has prepared the
miners for the news despite the fact that
3,OOO,OOO tons OF coal less have been shipped
70 tidewater this year than last. That means
5000, 600 at least out Of pocket TO the miners
of the coal regions of Pennsylvania.
Very many men in utter desperation are
leaving the regions. 1t is reported that at
TrevertOn at least "A thousand men have left
for other sections Of the State 20 secure
work. Many have been driven away by ac-
tual hunger, and having large store bills al
ready they have no more credit. The same
story is told of many another mining patch
in the Schuylkill coal regions.
The mine owners prefer to keep the coal
under ground rather than continue the men
at work because trade must not be dcmoral-
ized. The coal carrying companies say they
had rather make less i'm tolls for carrying the
coal TO tide water than cline the coal which
they cannot now sell. Between these two
millstones the miner and mine laborer arc
being ground 30 pieces.