The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1894-11-21
FIVE CENT REDUCTION.
Mass Meetings Held-Miners Hardly Max
ing Living--Drivers Discharged.

iNaoo NicctilBo Tlclu-nlncrS f1afuly WAX
ing Living-Drivers Discharged.
We stated last week that the b., l..
q Y. G. M. Co. had given their men
notice that on the 10Th inst. the price
of mining coal would be reduced from
40 to 35 cents a ton. or course the men
were not delighted to hear such news,
and it was only after holding three mass
meetings in Centennial Hall, two on
Friday and one on Saturday, and care
fully and wisely considering the matter
and having a committee confer with the
manager Of the company, did they de-
eide TO accept the reduction without
striking.
Under the circumstances the men
done the wise thing by not striking,
although some Of the miners, especially
those in Big Soldier were barely maxi
ing enough before the reduction to
keep soul and body together. What
we state is not guess work, but real
hard facts. About three hundred men
are employed in the Big Soldier mine
and they are averaging from $1,000 to
$500 per month. When man feeds
and clothes good sized family on that
amount month there is bound to be a
shortage somewhere. The men in the
Sprague and Hamilton mines are get
ting more work, and hence are making
a little more money. Our readers not
acquainted with the workings of the
mines may wonder why the miners of
one mine make more than others in the
employ of the same company. The
reason is this, the Big Soldier Is the
only mine here that digging machines
are used in and these machines are kept
at work all the time, and the pick men
OF this mine get what cars are left that
the iron men can't USE Many of the
miners have homes here they are trying
to pay for and they do not like to sacri-
flee what little they did make when
times were better by leaving the town,
and they remain hoping against hope,
for better work in the mines here.
Notwithstanding any assertions to
the contrary, 1t is our honest and can
did opinion that the secret Of the hard
times among the miners of this place
is the company store. The mines are
crowded with men and the company
store gets very nearly all, II not all,
they make. The more men. the more
business for the company store.
There are miner families in Reynolds
vile that are suffering for the neces-
saries of life. Children are compelled
to stay at home from school because
they have not shoes and clothing to
wear. We do not mention these things
because we delight in doing so, but
because they are stubborn facts. Who
is to blame?
After an idleness of five days, caused
by four drivers being discharged, the
miners resumed work yesterday. The
trouble first started by driver being
discharged for burning "black strap"
in his lamp, which is violation Of the
rules and laws OF the mines. All who
enter the mines are supposed to burn
nothing but lard oil in their lamps.
The lard oil costs forty cents a gallon
and the "black strap" is much cheaper,
but it would be impossible for the men
to work in the mine II all of them
burned "black strap" A driver, or
any one else, who willfully violates the
laws OF the mine can not complain II he
Is discharged for doing so, but why not
use all alike? 1t is claimed that the
son of the man who reported on the
driver burns the "black strap" himself
and also furnished it to this driver at
ten cents gallon. 1t is also claimed
that there are others who burn the car
oil in their lamps.