The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-01-11
TIE BIG COAL COMBINE.
How II GrinGs al Both Ends and
In the Middle.

The true status of this protected
industry is thus portrayed by the
Mnersville Tree Press
1t is generally known that the trade
journals and special writer's who furn.
ish public information in regard to
the anthracite industry, prepare only
such reports as may be satisfactory to
mine owners, railroad companies and
sales agents. AS consequence the
public is continually misledd by these
untruthful statements showing that
the coal trade ais utterly demoralz
ed owing to excessive production" )"
and that it is necessary to keep up the
system of limiting shipments from the
mines in order to maintain prices that
will enable railroad companies and
mine owners TO reap fair margin of
profit over and above wages aid
operating expenses.
Now, as a matter of general know.
ledge it would be interesting to know
whether advances in the wholesale
price of coal are followed by pro.
portlonate advance in the wages of
the mine employees. During the past
summer about $4,000 miners and Ia.
borers throughout the anthracite re.
gion were restricted TO less that half
time work at the collieries. Under
the low rate of wages they did not
earn sufficient to provide their
families with enough food-to say
nothing about clothing and the other
necessities of life.
The introduction and employment
of the hordes OF cheap laborers to re-
place intelligent labor in the colieries
has from the first been part of sys-
tematic plan carried into practical
effect by the mine owners and rail.
road corporations to get coal produc.
ed at the very lowest possible cost.
1t is enough to assert the simple truth,
viz: They have ground wages down
to the starvation point, at the same
time limited the output of coal to
keep up the price to consumers. In
this way we find that the present de-
moralization of the trade is not due
to the excessive production, as metro
politan newspaper tell us, but to the
fact that the policy of the anthracite
combine and its purpose is to let mil
lions OF consumers freeze or burn
cord wood, if they are unable to pay
from 81 to $S per ton for anthracite
coal at retail, while the miners must
be content to work half time and get
out coal for 10 cents ton, as they
are doing in some of the mines at
present.
1t requires no argument to prove
that restricting the output and ex-
acting high prices from consumers is
not for the purpose Of paying high
wages to mine workers. AS mat
ter of fact, the mining and transpor-
tation companies have during the past
few years imposed most unnecessary
and extortiopate tariff on anthracite,
In order to reap extravagant profits.
For instance, it is the tariff of from
$I.25 to $2.Io which the railroads
charge to carry ton from the mines
to Philadelphia that is the prime
cause of limited consumption. Then
there is another tariff of from 10 to
IS cents ton which goes to the army
of sales agents. Add to this the tariff
OF from IS to 55 cents per ton royalty
that the land owners are paid for
every ton that is mined. In many
cases the railroad companies are the
land owners and mine owners, but all
the same they pocket the royalty to
swell the general dividends earned
over and above operating expenses.
Now, in all fairness, is it right that
miners must risk life and limb and
starve themselves and families while
working half time to produce coal for
10 cents a ton, while at the same
time the railroad companies who own
and operate the mines are permitted
to extort $I.25 or $500 to haul that
same ton of coal to market less than
100 miles from the minesp Let our
great metropolitan newspapers try
to answer this question when they
oiSSuoS SduoSo tiidt tSHNl W uClllOld d
lie the coal business.
The following tabulated figures will
enable all who can read to understand
how, under the railroad combine
rates, the percentage of profits in the
trade are divided between the various
interests involved.
When coal sells at $3.50 per ton in
New York City the total may be ap-
portioned as follows
The railroads get 90 per cent
The operator gets IS per cent.
The landowner gets 10 per cent.
The sales agent gets 10 per cent.
The miners get S per cent
And the consumer, in order to
avoid freezing, gets what coal he can
at high protective rates.