Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1902-11-17
.M|ICHELL'S ARGUMENTS.
He Closely Analyses Every Phase
of the Controversy From the
Standpoint of the Men.
Anthracite Mining is Shown to be the
Most Hazardous Occupation
t- in the World.
A Synopsis Of the Demands, Made by
the Men in the Anthracite
Region.

Mr.. Mitchell prefaced his statement
with the hope that the commission
would succeed in establishing a rela-
tionship between the operators and
miners that will insure peace and sta
bility in the industry for an indefinite
period After reciting the demands
for increased pay for the miner, a
shorter work day for the laborer, the
weighing of the coal and an industrial
agreement, the refusal of all of which
led to the strike. Mr.. Mitchell spoke
as follows on the question of higher
wages. t...,s T.. .a.,,. 49,, 4..
"Of the $4,000 men and boys en-
ployed in and around the mines. strip
pings. washeries and breakers in the
anthracite coal fields, 64,072 or 43 per
cent are employed on contract or piece
work; the remaining $4,000 or 81 per
cent are employed by the hour, day,
week or month OF the 64,O72 contract
men, 37,s04 are miners and 26,268 are
miners laborers.
~ Work Is Hazardous.
"The work of miner and miners
laborer is extremely hazardous; in
fact it is more dangerous than employ
ment in any other important industry
in the world. The number of persons
killed and injured is greater than in
any other industry. Each day the an
thracite coal mines are in operation
2 6-10 persons lose their lives and three
times as many are MANNED, and yet
these men receive less wages an
nually than are received by men per-
forming precisely similar work in 9th
er fields under more favorable and less
hazardous conditions. The number of
years man can retain his health and
strength in this occupation is limited.
If he escapes death or injury by falls
of rock or coal, he cannot escape at
tacks Of miners asthma. There is
scarcely a mine worker who has not
contracted this malady. The miners
are compelled to work in powder
smoke, in foul air, many of them in
water and their work is difficult and
exhausting. Reputable insurance COM
panies will not issue policies to this
class of workmen, the risks are so
great that the premiums would be pro
hibitive to men whose earnings are so
low. The entire 20 per cent which they
demand as an increase in their wages
would not suffice to carry an insurance
of $1,000 g.,
Demand for Higher Wages Is Just.
1t seems but fair and just that wages
paid these classes of workmen should
be as high. if not higher than wages
paid to skilled artisans in other indus
tries. 1t is certainly not unjust to ask
that these miners should receive as
high wages as are paid to miners in
the bituminous coal fields. in the sill.
yer and gold mines or in the iron ore
and conner mines, all of which work
is less hazardous freer from liability
to disease. requiring less experience
and less skill, and is better paid than
labor in the anthracite coal fields"
In supporting the demand for the re-.
duction of the hours of the day labor.
ers, Mr.. Mitchell showed : that it
amounted practically to a demand for
20 per cent increase of compensation,
for $4,000 men, or 81 per cent of all
mine employees. Continuing, he said:
The eight-hour day is the standard
working. day in the mining industry
Eight hours constitute DAYS work
in the coal mines of Great Britain. in
all the silver, gold and copper mines
and in the bituminous coal mines in
the states of Arkansas. Kansas, Mis-
souri,, Iowa, Illinois. Indiana. Ohio
Michigan. Kentucky. Tennessee, ir
Western Pennsylvania and the Indian
Territory
Coal Output Increased.
The report of the United States
I'D, o&rr, ~ ~
more coal has been produced annually
since the inauguration of the eight
hour day than in any preceding year:
Each miner produced more coal per
working day in eight hours than he
formerly produced in ten hours, and
there is no reason why the same result
would not be obtained In the anthra-
cite field. The bituminous workers re-
ceive in many instances from 90 to 40
per cent higher wages for eight
hours work than are paid in the an.
thracite mines for ten hours work.
Defending the third demand that
coal shall be weighed and paid for by
weight and that 2,240 bounds shall con-
stitute a ton, Mr. Mitchell declared
that the present method of measuring
coal produced by the miners in the
lLackawanna. Wyoming ana Lehigh
regions has been the 5-8
Source Of More Discont.nt
than any other Of the niaa, in,ustices
imposed upon the miners. and there
can be no contentment among these
workers until an honest system has
been adopted, Paying for coal by the
ear or by ton Weighing from 2,740
ko q 40 nonnfls IA x f7acranf fni,,ct;n.