The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-07-30
AN OPERATOR TALKS
Says the Field Is Now Fully De-
veIoped But Is Not Appre-
hensive Of an Early
Decline.
Staff Correspondence.

districts of the state and embraces in
its scope the counties of Stark, Medina
and Summit. In point Of production
the two last named counties are insig-
nificant as compared with the former,
although at one time the output Of these
counties was exceedingly heavy. The
once vast resources of Medina and Sum-
NIT counties have been so thoroughly
developed that they have become well
nigh exhausted and the output of coal In
these counties is now comparatively
small. 1t is the mines of Stark county
that give
PRESTIGE AND CHARACTER
to the field now. In these mines for 20
years OF more Hon. M. d. Ratchford,
state commissioner of labor, was en-
ployed. He began welding the pick
very early in the 70's and is familiar
with the history of the district. While
in reminiscent mood he favored your
representative with some interesting in
formation concerning the field.
"Hs daily capacity" said he, ZAP
proximates million tons, although the
output is not so high. The best mines
are in the small towns and villages con-
tiguous to Massillon. The coal is Of
good quality and its best market Is
found in Cleveland. Much Of the coal
is used by the lake steamers. Shaft
mines are the kind sunk, many of which
are 200 feet deep. There are probably
1000 miners employed in Stark county
at fairly remunerative wages. Most
of these
OWN THEIR OWN HOMES
and are in comparatively comfortable
circumstances. 1t is the ambition of
every miner to own the house he occu-
pies. The percentage of improvident
persons among the miners" Mr. Ratchi
ford declares, lis no greater than that
in any other industry. Conditions vary
in the different coal districts and af-
feet materially the wages paid, but all
things considered the pay of the Mas
sillon district miners is equal to that
in other fields.
Measuring up the amount of labor
performed, that Is, taking into account
the shorter hours of labor and other
advantages resulting from organization
and legislation, the wages OF the min
ers to-day" says Mr.. Ratchford, will
compare very favorably with those for
any period during the past 30 years,
despite the fact that screens are now
in use which curtail to certain ex-
tent the compensation Of the miner.
In early days mines were unequipped
with modern ventilatiug apparatus and
safety appliances and the presence of
bad air in the mines meant
DAYS OF IDLENESS
sometimes to the men. The introduc-
ton of latter-day methods has appre-
ciably overcome these conditions and
has reduced to a minimum the obstacles
met by the miner. The company store
and company house evils, accessories
of so many mining communities, have
never existed in the Massillon field
|
that territory where the mines were
opened was settled at the time and the
miners were not obliged to depend on
their employers for house to live In
and other accessories of life
Mr.. Ratchford believes the Massillon
field has reached the height of it's pro-
duction. There is. it is believed, prac-
tically no available territory within its
boundry limits undeveloped. How
ever, he Is not apprehensive Of
AN EARLY DECLINE
Of the mines in Stark county, but in
clines to the belief that they will yield
bountifully for an indeterminate per-
iod of years. He alluded to time ip
the history of the field, some rs years
ago, when competition was not as keen
as now. Since then the great coal
fields OF West Virginia have been open,
ed up and have absorbed much of the
trade. The Nova Scotia mines cut Mas.
sillon operators out Of the bulk of the
Canadian trade Electrical machinery
which displaces men, has not been in.
stalled in the mines of the Massillon
district, although In operation in many
other parts of the state.
The Massillon miners have always
been allied with labor organizations ant
have taken part in some protracted ant
hard fought strikes. Mr.. RatchforC
spoke about the Shenango and Mahon'
Ing Valley mines which at one time
produced considerable coal and are now
extinct. ~