The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1891-06-17

market so as to have the price of the
product rule high or low, according as
they desired TO pay the men The
owners offset this claim by averring that
the fluctuations i'm the value Of the coke
were controlled by the legitimate out
side demand-that il would rule at So 20
per ton for time, and then sink to the
remarkably low price of 81 per ton, pre-
venting them almost from even making
expenses. They furthermore charged
the prevailing trouble to professional
labor agitatorS, and aimed that the
workmen lived better and earned
more than at other mines,
which latter statement was true,
but although the Connellsvile coal
is easily mined and the men work
at their leisure, ana have the wagons To
fill at their hand, they accomplish much
more than in mines in less favored To-
calities
1t was estimated, previous to the last
great strike, that the Connellsville work
men received for unskilled labor 81 per
cent. more wages than was pa else
where for the same character OF work,
and that, too, for simply handling the
shovel and pickaX. Hungarians, Poles
and Italians earned from 80 to 80 day
for seven to nine hours labor in dry,
well-Yentilated mines, where soft nine.
foot veins existed. The usual seventy
six men equipment of mine and oven
certainly averaged $3.50 per man per
annum, aud, during a strike, the thrift
Of the men was evidenced by the fact
that thirty-SiX men drew $14, 900 from
the local banks
The homes from which the miners
were evtcted were, in many instances,
places of comfort and convenience Tho
mine owners leased them to the workers
at prices varying from 81 To SIS per
month. These houses usually had four
rooms, and hydrant water and coal wcro
provided free of charge Often there
would be a pretty garden spot, the
works were accessible, and the scenery
delightful with excellent schools and
fine churches near at hand.
Some idea of the magnitude of tho
coke enterprises may be gained from tho
fact that one company had -, 900, 900 in
vested, controlled 1000 acres of coal
lands, constituting ~ separate plants,
with 10, 400 ovens in blast Three water
pants, with a capacity of 1000, 900 gal
Ions were operated, and the mines had
30 miles OF railroad tracks, /, POO ears, %
locomotives, - pairs of stationary en-
gncs, 172 steam boilers, and S16 horses
and mules.
The profit on the coke is said to be
enormous, one firm purchasing sufficient
OF the product to insure a clear gain Of
5000 day. A new feature Of the indus
try is the breaking of the coke into sizes
TO correspond to anthra lite coal by means
o. three large machines, having capa-
city Of fifty carloads daily, which is sold
for Use in FORCES, and in the manufacture
of agricultural implements.
There il but little doubt that the
troubles between laborer and employer
that have temporarily crippled the
great cole-making industry will JUS
tify themselves in time. The inter-
est is too important, and its ramih-
cations a'e too numerous and oSey
allied TO the best welfare of the country,
to be allowed to lie inert and unproduct-
i've. All great enterprises have a period
Of struggle and uncertainty, and the
coke industry will only reach peaceful
basis of progress when permanent
settlement of existing difficulties is made
that will prove equitable alike to the
rights Of capital and labor.