The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-05-03

striking district, who Is secretary and
treasurer OF the Turkey Gap Coal and
Coke Company, and who for the past
seven years has been secretary of the
Flat Top Coal Association. and is COM
sequently quite conversant with the
workings Of the coal operators OF that
and other regions, held a.oonversation
with TIMES reporter in regard to the
strike, the causes leading thereto and
the probable consequences.
At and previous to May, 1893, the oper-
operators received for running mine coal
which may be considered es standard,
IS cents per ton. AS that time the net
price received WAS reduced to rs cents
per ton. Another reduction was mad @
In May, 1894, which brought the net
price received per ton by the operators
to 7eH cents. This price prevailed up
to May, 1895. UP to this time the
wages paid by the operators to the
miners was rs cents per car load for
room coal and S1.05 per car load for
entry coal, car load weighing on an
average two tons.
The operators had stood these two re.
auctions In the net price received for
coal and had continued all the slime paw
Ing the name prices to the laborers. An
effort waa made to maintain the Tux
cent price, which had 1t been successful
would have had as a sequence the con-
tlnuatlon of the old wages paid to
miners.
There are ak companies known in
that region as RAILROAD" companies, ns
follows: The Sou.hwest Virginia Inn
provement Company, the Browning Coal
and Coke Company, the Houston Coal
and Coke Company, the Grocer Coal and
Coke Company, the Upland Coal and
Coke Company and the Pulaski Iron
Company, who SILL claim to be running
but as matter Of fact the number Of
mere bagstelle.
These companies virtually own their
coal lands. In other words the stock
holders in these companies are also the
shareholders in the company that owns
the lands, and consequently their pay
ing of royalties is like taking a dollar
from one pocket and putting 1T into the
other. These companies, or most of
them at least, are contemplating the
erection and use OF electrical mining
machinery. When this Is perfected
these railroad" operations can, taking
into view the fact that they work no
mtners-only few laborers at the ma
chimes, and that they virtually pay no
royalties-sell coal at profit, and at
the same time pay the Norfolk and
Western Railroad advanced freight
rates. The coal OF the six companis 8
was offered TO the railroad at IS cents
per ton.
The cut in the wages was 15c. car
load, car holding two tons, and the
reduc ton in the price was 716 cents q
ton, making the reduc, lions identical, so
that 1t can be seen the reduction in the
price paid would not result in any adj
vantage to the operating companies,
but only to the Norfolk and Western
Railroad Company. The operators
claim that the advance in freight rates
con- PEELED them to make this cut in
wages.
The Chesapeake and. Ohio RAILROAD
having the same coal and hauling It the
same distance, and being direct COM
petitors of the Norfolk and Western
people, charged such freight rates as to
net the operations handsome profit.
The operators admit they have made
roney at the old prices, but, to ssll coal
for 65 cents per ton and pay the same
wages So formerly would cause them
all to close out their business. They say,
officials of the Norfolk and Western
Railroad Company. that the store bust
ness produced profits enough, and that
the operators should be satisfied with
the commissary gains alone, but the
operators claim that such is by no
mesos the case. The operators also
assert that the railroad shares a large
part of the etcre profits by having re
Gently raised freight rates from the
markets to the coal fields 40 per cent.
The assertion that the miners are com.
PEELED to purchase goods from the COM
missaries, they claim. Is not the fact, as
no one is compelled to deal at the com.
pany's store. AZ the miners are often
providens men, and, as there are other
stores, the trade Of the.miners goes into
various channels.
1t has been suggested that the failure
OF the Norfolk and Western Railroad
Company was due entirely to their un.
profitable branch lines, and not to the
hauling OF coal at low rates.
The agitation among the miners was
very strong and their organization was
thorough some time before the oper-
ator5 notified them of the intended re-
duction in wages, aud this state of at
fairs was brought about, it is said, en-
tirelv by the proposed use OF the cleo.
trical mining machines by tho six COM
panies referred to-
This gentleman told The TIMEs re-
porter that he believed the strike would
be quite durable one; that the miners
were in possession of considerable
money ss they hal always been paid
we'll and at this time of year they were
not averse to laying off for while.
m, ~ ~