The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1900-11-03
THE MINERS LIFE
HARDSHlPS THE MINERS HAVE no
STAND,
In the Pennsylvania Coal Fields
NOnOpOliAts Make Millions of Dol
lars From Their TOil-The Method
Employed to Mine COal-A Dam
EcrOus and DisaErcclble OccM-
patton.

a great deal about d coal miners life
underground because they have been
carefully let down a shaft into a coal
mine They arrive at the foot of the
shaft where it is warm and dry and are
conducted through some of the safe
and dry tunnels where the air is warm
and pure. but they are not taken into
the new workings where the miner
chances his life every moment of his
toll.
The anthracite coal fields of Pennsyl-
vania present some very curious fea-
lures. In the Wyoming valley the coal
is deposited in subterranean beds or
StrataS. These stratas underlie a vast
area and vary in thickness from a few
inches to many feet. The upper or
top layer is found cropping out at the
surface in some places, and in other
places is from 100 feet to over 1000 feet
below the surface. The different lay
ers or strata of coal are divided by
layers Of rock varying also in thickness.
These rock layers are often so full of
horizontal seams that they are rather
beds Of independent rocks fitted to-
gether and liable to loosen and fall at
any time. In buying coal fields sur
veys Of the surface are made and the
boundaries are ascertained by surface
measurements and monuments.
In the Wyoming district shaft is
sunk. usually perpendicularly. although
occasionally a slope is made in the
side Of the hill. This shaft is sunk to
the coal bed and from this shaft head
ings or tunnels are driven into the coal.
AS they are driven the coal is taken
out. loaded into cars drawn by mules
and carried to the foot Of the shaft
where it is hOisted to the surface. For
merry not all of the coal was removed
but tunnels were made leaving tiers
of ccal between these tunnels to sup
port the rock roof. At short intervals
these tiers were cut through leaving
long narrow pillars to support the
roof. During late years the coal COM
pancs have been taking out these pill
lars and supplying. their places with
Z wooden props. These props so0ns arot
Cut and cause "cave-ins' which are
so numerous in that section. Some
times these props are crushed into
splinters, and sometimes they penetrate
into the shale rock or break the rock
into small fragments. Where these
props are used the roar Of cracking
wood and stone is terrifying, and often
the whole roof will be on a constant
swing. One not accustomed to the
noise and moving rocks overhead would
almost perish from fright. Even the
frnr tl17 Vnf I n
from one of these subterranean bells
exhausted With fright. Not many years
ago a miner was directed to take out
u large pillar about 100 feet thick near
Avuca, Pa. For days he and his son
worked at this pillar blasting out the
coal with rocks breaking and falling
all around and the whole roof swinging
A blast too strong or improperly placed
and acres of stone and earth would
have buried those two men forever
Finally one night the mine caved for
half a mile and the rock roof and 2O(
feet of earth above it sank to the pave
ment Of the mine.
The miners work is done Of course
in awful darkness and in a dreadful
solitude. The air is cold and damp
so much SO that he cannot long be
comfortable unless at work. Water is
constantly dripping from the roof sc
that it is like working in storm anC
ne stands many times in water two
feet deep. Not only is the miners work
dangerous and doleful, but he must be
q man Of great experience and almost
infallible judgment. He must know
when the danger limit is reached in the
place where he is working. He must
know how to drive these tunnels safely
and to the best advantage. He must
know how to use his blasting powder
economically and with each blast gel
The most coal. To become d good miner
means years of actual experience and
a high degree Of intelligence. The man:
her in which the present strike has
been conducted shows the high degree
of intelligence these men possess. II
requires 10 to 20 years Of actual ex'
pcricncc to make Il good miner.
Coal must be mined by blasting il
into large blocks. 1t cannot be picked
out. The coal is checked with irreg'
ular seams and penetrated with rock
or slate. Comparatively few men are
good bIastcrs. Usually the oldest are
the best. A blast costs the miner q
great deal of work in drilling the hole
and besides it costs from Is to 80 cent:
for powder which he must pay for II
advance. If he drills for his blast too
near Il seam: if he drills too deep, nj:
blast will elbow OUT and his Worl
and powder are both wasted. If he get:
too heavy a charge of powder 1t viii
tear the coal into small particles ant
waste it. If the charge only loosen:
the coal he must pick it out with picl
or bar and he cannot make living wage:
at such work. Only one charge can b.
fired in a place lest he pulverizes tn
coal. If he encounters water so as t,
wet his powder, it costs him his wor]
for drilling and 20 or 30 cents of pow
der Besides all this he must have
helper to load mis- cars and remove tn,
stone and dirt into the abandoned tun
neIs, and this helper must be paid b,
the miner. Under these circumstance
one cannot blame the miner If he re
fuses to pay 1910 per key for powde