Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-10-05
PROGRESS OF CHE STRIKE.

The anticipated reconciliation be-
tween strikers and employers In the
anthracite region has not yet taken
place. The offer Of an advance Of ten
per cent IN wages. made by some OF the
larger companies has not been accept
ed. The men are stlll out, waiting for
further offers from the operators The
grievances Of the workingmen are evil
IDENTIFY not considered removed by q
small Increase in wages.
The general public has bur an imper-
feet understanding Of the conditions
prevailing in the coal region. It Is
claimed that the miners are paid by
the ton, or by the car. but that there Is
really no unit OF Measurement. 4
ton" may range from $500 10 $500
pounds, and a car from one and half
10 four tons At some mines the men
are paid well for certain kinds OF work.
while at others they are but poorly paid
As the coal is dumped the"boss' inspects
II. and the miners get credit according
10 the within OF the inspector The
docking may vary as much as from 300
20 900 pounds per ear. The operators
figure on a certain amount Of dockage
daily and at a breaker OF ordinary
capacity II often runs az high as forty
tons. The amount OF dockage each day
is deducted from the output Of the
miner for that day, and the amount
thus left forms the basis for the So
called balancing Of the scales"
When the coal has been ground into
the various marketable sizes. deduction
Is made for all the Sizes smaller than
chestnut. II Is claimed that about one
nfth Of the coal run through the break
ers belongs 10 this class, and that the
men DO not get one cent In pay for II.
When the product Is marketed the
ton" IL 2.2iO pounds, and the operators
are paid according to that standard
When the miner Is paid by the car.
| there must always be a certain amount
" topping" The inspector who ex-
smlnes the car before It leaves the
mines Is supposed 70 see to this matter,
and Il the "toppIng" IS not satisfactory
the car may be sent back 70 the miner
/ ior reloading
with such regulations, Il Is hardly 10
/ expect that an increase OF ten per cent
/ 90 wages should be satisfactory. The
. bosses have ample means In their hands
10 more than neutralize the benefits Of
such an Increase. The companies can
I with one hand take back what they give
/ with the other. One Of the complaints
OF the miners was that the dockage sys-
ten was unjust, and they offered TO
submit this matter as we'll as the wage
question. to arbitration.
Il lsa matter OF congratulatlon that
the strike so far has been orderly, with
the exception Of the first outbreak
which resulted in a conflict, with some
! fatalities. II the men continue 10 show
due respect TO law and the property
rights Of others. they can count on pub
De sympathy. and the moral aid TO be
derived therefrom, Should the work
ing men become the tools Of dema-
eogues and turn rioters. their cause Is
( surely lost.
Fear Is entertained I'm some quarters
that the strike n long continued. will
permanently injure the condition OF the
mining districts by opening the way
Tor the sale Of bltuminous. In place OF
anthracite. coal. The output OF btu
minous coal in this country, as the
/ pittsburg Times points out. has
Increased more than so per cent in the
last ten years. and, being much more
economical 20 produce than anthracite
coal. Il gradually finding a place IN
markets that the anthracite coal deal
ers once looked upon as safe from COM
petition. should this prediction be-
come true. the strike would be de-
ei3ed loss 10 both sides,