Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-12
CORNWALL'S MINERS.
Edgar L. Wakeman Continues His
Tour of King Arthur's Land,
BOTH ABOVE AND UNDER GROUND
How They Share in Mining Profits Under
the Tribute System.
BRITISH LIFE PECULIAR AND DISTINCT
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DIsPArcH.i


ing the reader with Cornish mining statis-
tics or history. The former is accessible in
all well-made encyclopedias. The latter,
one would have to begin on good ways be-
hind the Christian era. But the Cornish
miner himself is worth coming to see, to
know and tell about. He is such brave,
sturdy, cleanly, religious fellow that you
cannot help having power of respect for
him; and then, though an "out-and-outer"
of the sturdiest kind, he is so warm-hearted,
loyal and hospitable that he wins your
affection, if you have not even half won his
trust and confidence.
For myself had always imagined some
dark tales could be truthfully told about
these miners labors and lives. Tragedies
and dolors among them are many. it is true;
but the odious injustices common to
human beings in the great pits Of Pennsyl-
vanla, and which ruin and depopulate entire
communities within the sound of church
bells as in Illinois, are not known and
never have been known within the mines of
Cornwall. Two facts reveal the reason for
this The first is race.stubbornness and in
dependence, which, drawn from the very
Arthurian blood, as at least the miners
themselves sacredly cherish as truth, has
never permitted that subtle encroachment
of money force and legal power which in.
yariably finds its ultimate in the serfdom of
labor. The seconds fact which American
mine owners might study and adopt with
profit from interested helpers and contented,
instead of ever glowering and rebel lious,
labor-is in a system which from time i'm
IL H. H. ,sr1
AN ENTHUSIASTIC sHARER
in mining profts,- or patient and sympa-
thetic bearer of mining losses. 1 refer to
the 'ttribute" system, as it is universally
known in Cornwall. This system, invaria-
bly, employed in the actual breaking down
and extraction of tin and copper ore, unites
the interests of the miners and their employ
ers. There is no other sort OF labor in vogue
in the Cornish mines save in the dead
work" carried on for trial and discovery,
for which the miner is paid q fixed sum
per fathom for his labor. The "tributers"
then are the miners, all of whom receive
certain percentage on the actual
value of all ore taken from
Cornish mines. Therefore the quality of all
ore raised is as important as the quantity,
and every stroke of miners hammer or
pick is made with precisely the same care
ful self and mutual interest as it could be
were the tools in the hands of the mine
directors themrelves. At every mine there
are a number of 'overlookers," captains or
agents whom the miners call "kepens."
These meet six times each year and deter
mine on the detail of the work to be done
for each succeeding two months, and among
themselves form an idea of what price
should be paid for each separate item of ex-
cavation. "Setting day" or contract-let-
ting day, follows.
The plan is practically an auction of petty
contracts. Each piece of work is called in
turn, and bidding is done by the men who
begin at the highest price or percentage they
may hope to gain, and falling from this un-
til satisfactory terms are made. The little
contract has not been taken by one man.
MATES" or "pairdners" of three, four and
sometimes half dozen miners, these parties
universally designated a ''core' (corps) in
Cornish mines, combine their labor. They
have undertaken, on certain ''pitch" to
blast or break the ore which thev call
"hure," wheel it, and
PAY ALL EXPENSES
of candles, blasting powder, and all other
materials necessary for the work Every
month all ore "fatched to grass" that is,
raised to surface, is assayed and the "core''
members as may have besn agreed upon.
their stipulated percentage or tribute"
The core" may at any time
throw up the contract on payment of
an agreed fine. As "pitches" sre constantly
growing richer or poorer, the result to the
miners is constantly variable. But il seldom
falls below living English wages, and occa-
sionally in two months time gives the miner
handsome reward. Instances have been
known where score" of "tributers" have
made 81, 900 by a single bargain. There is
no doubt that the system has contributed
through generations to- the molding of the
Cornish miners selfreliant, manly charac-
ter. They are constantly called upon to
exercise forethought, ingenuity and the
faculty of invention. They are thus given
an individuality and manhood. Indeed,
they become part proprietors of the mines
adventurers, in the best sense, spectators
with their own combined capital of labor;
business men in a way which fosters the
growth of the best qualities, assiduities and
motives.
In all Cornish mines there are practically
six 'cores" or shifts of miners in two d.
visions OF three scores" each of which labors
eight hours continuously. The local nomen-
clature and hours of these are: First division,
first core by day." working from to 10 A.
M; "second core by day." 10 A. M. to P.
M; and "frst core by night" from P. M.
to 2 A. NJ. The second division reliefs are:
Forenoon core" A. M. to 2 P. M; latter
noon core" from 2 P. II. to 10 P. M; and
''last core by night" from 10 P. M. to A.
M. This adjustment of ''cores" provides
each gang or shift fair chance to send their
ore "to grass" or surface; and to follow
miner through one days experiences, which
are practically the same as those of all work
ing days of the year, will be found interest
ing as key to his life and character. But
before doing this we must take peep at the
CORNISH MINERS HOMES.
They are seldom found clustering in dirty
villages contiguous to the mines as in our
own country. 1 DO not recall half dozen
instances of this sort in all Cornwall. Two,
three, four, very seldom a dozen, may be
found together. They are everywhere, on
the road, or of, Like the Irish cabins, Won,
will find them usually at the back, instead
of the front, of somewhere or anywhere,
Nearness to a mine seems to possess no ad-
vantage. Few are as near as half mile:
thousands are from two to six miles away.
'Pairdners' in 'core" may live in as many
different directions, Jem and Jack and Jan
often occupy homes six or ten miles apart.
But wherever the cottages are, their walls
are all of everlasting stone embowered in
brilliant Cornish creepers and roses, with
cement floors and matched roofs, everyone
subject to interminable repairs from on
slaughts of scores Of vicious sparrows, tiny
miners themselves, endlessly sinking
shafts and drilling 'cross-cuts" and
''levels" in the soft and yielding straw.
There is one room below, sometimes two,
and half-story garret beneath the thatch.
| There il nnlu a front dnnr A Windnw is Of