Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1899-09-15
THIRTY PER CENT GAIN.
Wonderful Revival In Black
Diamond Industry.
CAN NOT GET ENOUGH WORKMBN.

Chief Mine Inspector Haznltine Says This
Year win Break All Reoords--Great
Improvement In the Condition Of the
Ohio Miners In the Last sThrse Years
Is Noted.
A leading coal operator of Ohio said
last week: "The coal miners are bet
ter off today than"at any time since
1892, In April, 1898, the scale for min
ing was increased from 6l cents per
to 66 cents per ton. While it is true
there has been no further increase in
the wages Of coal miners this year, ev-
cry miner has work. Large coal fields
have recently been opened in Kansas,
Michigan and other states. There has
been surplus of miners in Ohio for
several years, but these have all gone
to the new mines. The Hooking Valley
operators have great difficulty in get
ting men. The Michigan opert,Ars are
advertising for men all over Gnio. The
inspector of mines in West Virginia
reported about two weeks ago that
1900 miners from a single district in
that state had gone TO the Kansas
fields. The Ohio miners are making
from $1.75 to S2.25 per day. All of this
prosperity comes in spite of the very
low price of coal and the great diff
Guilty of shipping on account of the lack
of railroad facilities"
R. M. Hazeltine, chief inspector of
mines for Ohio, has almost completed
his report for the year 1898. 1t will
show that the total output of coal in
the state for last year was 14,05S, 1856
short tons, an increase of 1,609, 1876 tons
over the year 1897. Speaking of this
great increase in production, Mr.. Ha-
zeltine will say in his report: at is
gratifying to know that although the
greater portion of the year QS9S) was
one of general lethargy in the coal
trade, but twice in the states history
has the years production been exceed
ed, namely in 1892 and 1898. During
the early part of 1898 and extending
well into the Lake season, there was
little or no activity at the mines. AS
the close of the season approached, the
greatest energy prevailed, and owing
to the revival in manufacturing inter-
ests, the demand continued through
out the remainder of the year"
Speaking of the present condition of
the coal trade, Mr.. Hazeltine says
"The production of coal in Ohio for
1899 will undoubtedly break all rec
ords. The big boom in the business
began last winter and the mines were
operated all winter for the first time
in the history of the state The coal
railroads are all replacing their old
1S-ton and 20-ton cars with new cars
Of 40-ton capacity, yet the Hooking
valley mines have thousands of tons
waiting for transportation"
In his report for 1897 Mr..
Hazeltine said: "The industrial
depression which prevailed dur
ing the past four and one-half years
continued to greater or less degree
in the mining industry alone during
the year 1897 1t was particularly Sc
we're during the fore part of the year,
great dissatisfaction prevailing in all
branches of trade. 1t became so general
that on July a national suspension
was ordered and the mines of the state
remained inactive until September II,
when work was resumed at Sc cents Rer
ton, an increase of five cents per ton"
When the report of Mr. Hazeltine for
the year 1S97-a great year when COM
pared with 1896, 1895 and tS94-is con-
trasted with his reports for 1898 and
1899, the wonderful revival of industry
is apparent. There is now no talk of
over-prCduction of coal. On the con-
trary men cannot be found to operate
the mines and fill orders, and railroads
have not enough cars to transport the
coal to the manufacturing centers.
gives a few additional facts regard
ing the present situation in the mining
districts. 1t says:
IAN era of prosperity prevails in the
Hooking valley such as has not been
experienced since 1892.
-Four hundred cars of coal each day
are being shipped from this point. The
railroad men are working night and
day, Miners who were in want for
the necessaries of life during the years
of Democratic hard times are recover
ing from the long period of depression
in the mining business.
"All mines in the vicinity are running
every day that they can get cars.
Scarcity Of cars is the only thing that
prevents them from running at their
full capacity In order to overcome
this drawback the Hooking Valley
railway has ordered $500 new 4O-ton
coal cars"D n.r
In 1895 Ohio miners were being paid
81 cents per ton and work was scarce
at that figure, few men being able to
get employment for more than two
or three days per week. That was one
OF the results of three years of the Will
son free trade tariff and Democratic
Encouragement of governmental af-
fairs.
Today, as a result of three years Of
Mckinley and Republican prosperity,
the miners Of the state are receiving
&c cents per ton, an increase of almost
30 per cent. in wages, and every miner
In the state has work the week
through.
1t is safe to say that the average
earnings of Ohio miners for 1899 will
be more than double what they were in
1895 They not only get Is cents
ton more for tie coal they mine but
they have steady employment, which
Is even more important
That is the way Republican promises