The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-06-07
THE PAY OF MINERS!
IMPORTANT COMMUNICATION!
The Cost of Producing Coal does
not Exceed One Dollar
per Ton!
A Dredful Story of Wrongs and
Oppression.
THE PRICES PAID.

Third. The prices of production;
the price paid the miners; the price
paid the laborers. This is the most
complicated of all questions. The
companies guard the price of produc-
ing ton of coal as much as possible.
This is secret which cannot be pen
etrated. We can figure, but may be
not correctly. In order to give you a
perfect understanding, I must relate
some facts in history concerning the
miners. Years ago, about the time 1
was born, there occurred a great
strike. The whole coal field was laid
idle. The cause of this strike was
the attempt to enforce the "long
ton" Previous to the strike 234O lbs.
constituted ton of coal. The COM
panies now demanded 2S4O lbs. The
men refused with the above result.
The strike lasted, 1 think, about nine
months. Soup houses were establish
ed and many families were poverty
stricken. Most men who owned
homes mortgaged them; many lost
all; some are paying for their homes
yet. The consequence was that the
companies won and the miners start
ed to work again in hopeless and
pitiful condition. Ever since that
time 2,840 lbs. has been the standard
weight. Other strikes followed but
the companies won every time. 1t Is
folly for the avorking men to strike Except
at the ballot boz. When the companies
lease the coal they only give 1900 lbs,
the United States weight. They
often take 1000 lbs. and "check' you
if you ''kick." The companies claim
this was agreed to by the representa-
tives of the miners. Who they were
I could never find out,-nor will the
companies tell. They have no agree
ment in writing that know of, but
they fling it in your face every time you
criticise them about it. Now, there is
another agreement, which even Satan
would not believe was ever made with
them by sane men. | think that the
living wage workers should not be
compelled to adhere to any agree
ment made years ago. made by men
who are dead, or are now coal opera
tors themselves. You will recognize
the injustice of this system and won
der why we tolerate it. We must.
We haze no friends. Even the state,
the great old Keystone state, makes
laws against us. What shall we do?
Defenceless and moneyless we are as
helpless as babes.
INGENIOUS ROBBERY, LIKE WHEAT
: GRADING AND WEIGHING.
This system is the robbing of the
miners of any compensation for ''pea-
coal" "buckwheat COAL" "birdseye"
and ''culm." You are surprised now
l am sure. There is so much pea-coal
consumed that everybody but the
miners-and some of them do not
know it-thinks that the miners get
paid for it. you doubt this? l will
make it plain shortly.
Where miners are paid by the ton,
scales are in vogue; where by the car
they are not. We take the former
first. Now. here are the processes:
A miner loads a car of coal. It is
transported to the ''breaker." When
it arrives there it is run on a scale.
The weighmaster, presumably, jots
down the weight. 1t is dumped into
the 'breaker." What is known as a
"docking-boss" is standing on plat
form watching the ebony, rock and
culm." It is his job to "dock' at his
discretion,-with leanings towards
the companies interests. The miners
look upon the docking boss as eur"
swearing vengeance every day. This
boss is often fifteen to twenty-five
feet from the coal which he is dock
ing. If there appears any "bony," he
docks it 500 lbs, if rock 500 more and
if culm 500 more; total l 800 lbs. Sell
dom is one car locked 1,5OO, but l
have seen it many time. Should
there be ton of pea-coal in the car
he would not receive anything for it.
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