Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-14
WHAT WILL THE MINERS DO?
The Situation in the Georges Greek Coal
Region.
Observations Of O Star Special Cor.
respondent-HistOry of the Strikes
in That Section.
Special Correspondents Of The Evening star.

SPeSA1A Correspondents Oh Inc Evening StAr.
CUMBERLAND, Md. May ID. 1894.
The situation in the Georges creek coal
region has not changed much since yester-
day, when an uprising by the miners was
feared and much speculation is going on in
regard to the meeting of miners tomorrow.
II the Consolidation Company miners go to
work the backbone of the strike will be
broken. The 'Eckhart Allegany and Hoff-
man miners are still at work, but the Ocean
mines are idle. 1t appears that the miners
in the latter mines have not asked for any
thing, nor have they presented any griev-
ances to be remedied.
Early in the spring the miners delegates
ana the representatives of the companies
held conference in Cumberland and agreed
TO accept 40 cents per ton until the situa-
ton improved. In 1856 there was a reduc-
ton from so to 40 cents, which caused a
strike of eleven weeks duration, but the
companies afterward raised the price to 80
cents ton of their own accord. Never be-
fore in the history of this coal region has
such unprecedented action been taken by
the miners. The Consolidation miners have
great confidence In President Mayer, and
believe he will restore wages as soon as the
condition of trade justiies 1t. The strike
cannot be made effective as long as the
Consolidation men about Frostburg and the
Maryland men at Homecoming remain at
work. The companies and miners are not
Tic oLly suHeTtTS ITOfn tfllS state Oh dHdlTS,
but the consequences are permeating every
class and trade, reaching and Affecting the
largest business operations throughout the
state.
dated Coal Company alone. who receive
about $4,000 a month when work Is plenti-
full. This company pays about S9OO.O0O to
the miners each year. and the combined
companies in the region pay out about
10000 daily to their employees.
From umberland to Piedmont.
The trip from Cumberland to Piedmont
via the Cumberland and Pennsylvania rail-
road. which has been hauling coal and
passengers from the mines to Piedmont
and Cumberland ever since 1912, Is a de-
lightful one at this season Of the year.
The railroad runs through a valley eish-
teen miles long. between Davis mountain
and the Great Savage range. and from the
time The Stars correspondent left Cumber-
land the route on either side was dotted at
frequent intervals with little mining vii
lagos, which appeared to overflow from the
mouths of the inevitable coal mine drifts"
to be found in close proximity. At each Of
the small mining stations the platform was
crowded with bronZed miners q large per-
centage being of stalwart and muscular
build The scene at each station was near
ly the same repetition Of the preceding one.
and when the correspondent reached Pied
mont he was convinced, from personal OBJ
servation. that there was a serious strike
on hand. and that little work was being
done in any mine along the line Of the rail-
road.
Prosperous Region.
The strike cannot fail to be demoralizing
In its effect, which will be more widespread
than one would suppose. This whole region,
which is so thickly populated with men
who ordinarily earn comfortable wages, is
one of the best sections in the state for
commercial business. The miners live well.
some of them luxuriously for their class,
th,.a ~
an active demand for all classes Of goods.
In all the larger towns. such as Frost
burg, Homecoming. Mt. Savage. Borden
Shaft. Barton and Pompey Smash. now
called Vale Summit, the number Of shops
Is remarkably large, and, of course, the
entire valley is overrun with "drummers,"
mostly from Baltimore and Pittsburg.
The companies claim to have SIS 900 900
worth of property in this region, a state
ment generally discredited, since they pay
taxes only on sl3,000.OOO. During the strike
Of 1882. which was the most disastrous ever
known in the region, which was opened in
1872, there were estimated to be about one
million Of Knights Of Labor in the country,
which was sufficiently rich and formidable
as to enable the strikers to hold out over
six months
The Georges Creek Coal Region.
The Georges creek or Cumberland coal
region covers an area of about seventeen
thousand acres. underlying a region about
sixteen miles IN length ana three to four in
width. The vein which is now being work ed
Is known as the Big Vein," and varies in
thickness from seven to fourteen feet The
amount Of coal contained in an acre is esti-
mated by ex-Mine Inspector Thomas Brown
at eight thousand tons, and Of this a large
percentage is lost in mining. OF this area
over fourteen thousand acres have been
mined. leaving some three thousand acres
unmined.
The greatest body Of undeveloped coal
land belongs to the Consolidate Coal Conn.,
pany, which at its formal ton bought the
entire property of several corporations. OF
this company Charles F. Mayer Of the Bal
timore and Ohio Railroad Company Is pres
ident. In 1S4I the price Of digging coal was
30 cents, In 1884 70 cents, and in 1855 Ii
went up to Is cents, which was the highest
wages ever paid in the region. In 1880 It
was Is cents and in 1882 80 cents. The
miners struck in 1856, when II was reduced
to 40 cents, but the same year it was in
creased to 30 cents and has remained at
that price until the agreement was made
this spring to accept ~ cents. In 1882 for
eign laborers were brought to one of the
mines, and were set to work under a strong
guard of police, brought from Baltimore for
the purpose.
This course resulted in breaking the strike
and disorganizing the Knights Of Labor
No lives were lost, and not any Of the
property of the coal company was destroyed
In 1856 the strike, which lasted eleven
weeks, was caused by a reduction to 40