The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1897-07-24
WEST VIRGINIA COAL MINERS.
DIR. Myers Tells Why He Thinks the
Miners Here win Not Join the

Miners Here win Not Join the
strike
The Milwaukee Sentinel of re
cent date has the following interview
with DIR. John A. Myers who was in
that city:
DR.. John A. Myers, director of the
West Virginia Agricultural Expert
ment station, who is in Milwaukee,
says that he does not believe the
West Virginia miners will join the
big strike, and according to the re-
ports from Pittsburg the success of
the strike depends largely on Undue
ing the West Virginia miners to go
out.
MATURE says Dir. Myers, "has
given the West Virginia miners an
advantage over other coal mines 1t
will be difficult, and / believe impos-
sible, to convince men who are paid
satisfactory wages and are having
more than they can do, that they
should quit work and take up the
grievances of others who are trying
to live under adverse conditions of
nature and commerce combined 1t
is asking too much that the miners
in West Virginia should starye their
families and impoverish themselves
simply because the poor, unfortunate
people in other parts of our country
cannot earn a livelihood. The most
ignorant colored miner will see that.
We have too much confidence in our
miners to believe that they will
throw down their tools at a time
they are sure to make more
money than ever before in their
lives. They have uniformly said
they would not do SO and we do not
think any ordinary arguments will
lead them to take such disastrous
step They cannot possibly profit
by joining the strike.
The veins of coal in West Virgin
ia are so thick and so free from i'm
purities that ten tons Of coal can
probably be mined there for less
than three tons in most other places
in this country. Any one can see
that the labor organization cannot
exist that can take from our miners
their natural right to profit by this
provision of nature. Nature has also
been lavish in providing for West
Virginia great variety of the best
coal in practically unlimited guam
titles. Until within a few years we
have had difficulties in reaching the
markets, but these have been over
come and we can now lay down our
coal in most of the leading markets
of the country in competition with
other coal fields.
Under these conditions there can
be no permanent adjustment of the
conflicts brought about by these
strikes or labor agitations. 1t is
simply question of the survival of
the fittest and our miners claim to
be the iittest. Nature has so ad
iusted it The owners of coal prop
erty in West Virginia have all made
money. Even where they have not
operated the property the increase
in commercial value of the coal prop
critics has been astounding to per
sons not familiar with It, An in
crease of value in coal properties in
the state ranging from 200 per cent
in ten years is no exaggeration.
These arc facts, and the activity in
the coal business of the state is only
in it's infancy. The veins of coal
extend for miles without varying
more than few inches in thickness,
say from seven and one-half feet TO
eight feet four inches, or in about
that ratio. This is almost pure coal
of the finest quality. For every foot
in thickness of vein under the pres
ent system of mining the operator
can take out 1000 tons of coal per
acre. That is. if he has an eight foot
vein OF coal he can take out 5000
tons for every acre. If it is only
five foot vein he can take out 5000
tons of coal. Suppose he only nets
20 cents per ton on that coal, ] leave
you to determine the actual value Of
that coal land per acre if it is being
operated. II it Is not being operated
it is increasing in value as knowl-
edge Of these conditions becomes
known throughout the country"