The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-09
IRON COAL MINING TO FARM1xa.
Miners Likely to ne Crowded Out By Machinery
In the Ncar Future.

Miners LIKELY to he Crowded Out BY Machinery
in the Near Future.
P~rrrsBURo. Pa. Oct s.-The expression "Hv-
Ing wages IL ono which was heard frequently
In relation to the miners strike recently closed.
Just what It means nobody appears to have do
fined definitely. but tho opinion prevails among
the miners that it refers to tho price per ton
which they receive for their work. Machine
mining has been Q potent factor In reducing the
compensation OF workingmen OF this class to q
point below what they term "living wages."
And yet the view prevails to some extent among
mine owners that tho Introduction of machinery
Into tho mining of coal has only just commenced.
According to made frequently By
leading operators there arc now 10 per cent. too
many miners for tho coal consumption Of the
country. and 1t is held II tho mechanical do
velopment which Ii expected comes to pass, the
demand can be supplied by one-fourth or fewer
OF the laborers who are now seeking to live from
this poorly paid occupation. Unless ono partio-
ular operator mistakes vastly In his calcutta
ton, the majority Of the miners will DO Obliged
to seek other means Of livelihood in spite OF tho
fact that increased coal consumption will give
them a great deal more work than they have
had during the last two or three years. He said:
1T Is not that the price per ton paid for mining
coal is too small which makes 1t difficult for the
miners to get q living. A considerably higher
price might be paid without greatly improving
their condition. for tho reason that there are
too many mines, too many miners, and too much
coal mined by machinery. And much as these
conditions have operated to the injury Of the
miner in the past. he is going to feel a blow
within the next few years compared with
pear insignificant. The machinery which
has 30 far, been introduced into the
mines has been restricted to that which
would TAKE the place of the nick. RlIunlinhua
coal is mined by cutting under IL and blowing 1t
loose vita powder. For some time a consider
done 6y machines, one Of which whrn handled
BY skiltul man will do as much work as two
accomplish. Until within tho last year these
machlnGs were operated with compressed air.
onl lately II has been found practicable to use
their usefulness. This will result In the dis.
Placement OF an increased number of men. and
nus already made 1t practicable to decrease the
Possibly Two men are displaced by each of
troduced. This seems like a good deal OF hard.
snip, yet 1t ID not to be compared with what will
come soon; Hitherto the u Q of machines in
uHdercultlnR has caused q demand for a class of
labor which need N I be SO skilful as the miners
VINO know how TO- use the pick or the machines,
because 1t needed to be strong. Stout, muscular
Fellows are wanted To load the coal into the cars
aone thelr work, and all that the miners who
operated The machine had to do was simply TO
oNtnSpc lhcln IN i. general way,
lheFe are men. several OF them. now work.
me upon "a tool to take tho place of the miners
VINO lEtd he coal cut by the machines, and it is
practical certainty that within the next two
o. three years that tool will be perfected and be-
a. operation at many OF the larger mines. When
snat time comes thousands Of miners will be
e "a . WORK now for a man 70 :load ten tons Of
tho cS Dat a Ct IS / TS sssd to say taSt the maehins q
IONS a day. IT can be takenS4rom room TO room,
ehine a cs sol 81 many m.neI@ working with ma
eraI Idpe os si IL t9r Inc to I've more than a gen.
nature OF an elevator employing huge acoopa,
ena the power used will be electricity. Probably
You'll mus displace eight out OF evory ten men
' Tpw employed In loading at the large mines.
tam number Of mon who will thus DO obliged to
cannot now be- estimated. sss t'iih IL GOES iy wiiho1i
om;ins such a change will not be effected with.
~! ErenI dissatisfaction and sume suffering.
nj ~ tne long run. however, tho Introduction
., ms machinery will prove beneiciai thing
: !moor, Just As mechanical development has
thst the mining OF coal by macbinesrvv't SO 70 a. sS ~
r@s gone has resulted in an Increased mum.
mac n msH being employed. The making Of the
Ma gives work TO mechanics In the drst
SplsSe' ana ihen the machines have to be put In
Tor et thu Rert IN repair, and that makes work
which has resUItea sSs whe ehes1p9ening OF coal
Gnynsrreriui. and this In itself will ASSET in ill.,
numLnIrS iHg O. lndustrJ TO the roint where ths
n ner" !, i, nc vastly greater than the number Of
Ttts1 nom the machines have deprived OF
tr paid han an NE NE labor OF a higher class and bot.
age Of The . . Necessary for a very large percent
cnsn WI turn to farming. This has been' Nv y
min.rs great extent throughout Ohio. Wbers
found tSeip n n been prosperous in the last year.
o. men ~ - eHInl' Is diminishing as the numha,
their hrsi ~ lheir buy mess increased and invsste1
result that The" ,,t'Ie pieces OF land. with the