The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1894-07-28
STILL STRIKING.

STILL STRIKING.
Our Miners Refuse to go to Work Oh
One-Half Cent Reduction.
On last Monday morning. according
to orders previously posted, the Licking
ton Coal Company opened its mines
that all who would, might work. Every
arrangement, preparatory to running
the mines, had been made. All tie
miners, had they seen fit to go to work
could have done Sd at 3 and 81 cents pei
bushel. About a bakers dozen of the
men were OF the ground rs lookers-on,
but none were prepared to take up the
pick and shovel, and the mines which
should be humming with the miners
tools are as silent as a grave yard.
An INTELLIGENCER reporter has seen
fit to interview a number of the opera.
tors, and the substance of the interviews
regarding the strike generally, are as
follows
Last spring tine operators in this vicin-
ity, finding that Goals from Kansas and
Iowa were selling, i'm competitive mar
ketS, for less money than il was costing
TO produce Lexington coal. found il
necessary to either reduce the price of
mining to a basis that would enable
them To meet competition, or to close
their mines entirely. Accordingly notice
was given that a reduction of II cent
per bushel in summer, and One-half cent
per bushel i'm winter, would be made,
effective April 23d, or two days after
the date announced for the general or
national strike of coal miners. Some
mines were operated in Il small way
until this date, while others, on account
of the small and Improbable business
which was offered, closed down prior
thereto.
After the action of the individual
operators was taken as above, and dur
ing the general strike, IL was thought
best by many to recede from the former
rate indicated, and that the same be
increased by One-half cent per bushel in
summer. No concerted action in that
behalf was taken; but the individual
views of operators were expressed foI
such increase, and, accordingly, some OF
the operators have posted notices, indi-
eating such an increase in summer rates,
and thus making One-half cent reduc-
prices now offered as follows: In sum.
mer- flat is from nj arch I. to September
4. where miner wheels. 81 cents pei
bushel; and where the o~perator wheels.
3 cents per bushel. In winter. or from
Septembers1- March 1. where the
miner = accents per bushel, and
where n s61Sr wheels. 81 cents peI
busbel. has shown that the
average r. coal, produced pei
miner, pr Rfty bushels. some
average 81 bushels per day.
while others average more than
twenty-fye;s nrperal average in
the Lexington = above started
fifty bushels peG Epuf day. 1t will
be noticed from 6o2e that ut the
lowest price OffeS< hHerage minel
will earn not lessS NO per day
while his more fog1I ccnrades will
make s
An
One-h
mine
per d Hl1G6G16>12f
day: the average miner, g contS
day; while the best miner will have 10
stand q loss of 37i cents per day, &c.
These wages compare favorably with
wages paid at other places. The opera
tors, as well rs the miners and citizens
in general, would like to pay higher
wages: but are so unfortunate as 10 be
working a thin vein, from II feet to .
feet in thickness, in competition with
veins OF from two to even three times
this thickness. where the same amount
of work will produce "A CORRESPONDENCE
increased amount of coal, and hence are
confronted by a condition which de.
mands lower cost of production.
W. ii. Greer, of the firm of Bell &
Greer. saws the cost of producing coal
is as follows: Mining, A cents; hauling,
2 cents; repairs of mines, I cent: royal
ty. I cent: time of man in soliciting
orders, in collecting, together with
shrinkage, stealage, bad debts, &c, !
cent, or a total of st cents per bushel,
We have to sell at 9 cents a bushel in
order to make anything. lie further
says: 1--WE could not, at the time the
reduction was made, and cannot now.
pay a cents for mining and put our Goa
in the Kansas City market in competi.
ton with the coal that is being shipped
there from southwest Missouri and
southeast Kansas" Mr.. Greer went on
to a that about April y, the operators
reduced the price from Al to / cents. The
miners quit work. The operators then
agreed to paw Al cents i'm order to suppl,
the local demand, though they did so al
a loss. They had but little demand fol-
coal, and only worked a few men, and
they worked only part OF the time. The
miners returned to work at Al cents, but
only worked eight or ten DAYS, When
they all quit on the sympathy strike
IL the miners will show MIR. Greer how
he can make money by selling coal al
Kansas City for II cents he will III
greatly Obliged. MI. Tom Walton's
estimate OF the cost is about the sams
as Mr.. Greer's. Mr.. Ed. McGrew saws
the McGreW mines are in no hurry I,
open. When they resume it will be OF
exactly the same terms given by til,
| lexington Coal COMPANY. There arr
two men at work in the McGrew mines
getting out coal for MIR. McGrew's priv.
| Ate use. When the INTELLIaENcEI
made its statement last week IT wa.
made on pOod AUTHORITY. Let the miner,
90 to work. Our coal dealers are Iosin.
their hold on the market.
present price prevailing in the western
making we cannot afford to pay 1 cent
per pushei ior mining, = meet IN
ACTUAL running expenses oi lne ihihes
My mines are ready to open mt 81 cent
pU0,v uanrouaoant =, nr;nas i IN ~ naa
enS p'N'" w ""
iuIuio'
ent price of coal our operators could pa,
4 cents. They cant 10 it and get in til,
markets, and no sensible man Will cen
,na hnS;nass TIniasa thaS can saa thei
NOV oIaar tho ro;noo will NOT no ono,