New-York tribune., 1902-02-25

Dr. Peter Roberts has written in The An
tnracite Coal Industry: A Study Of the Eco
nomc Conditions ano Relations of the Co-opera-
tive Forces in It's Development" CThe Macmillan
Company a volume which cordially
commend to students of this interesting sub
ject. The hard coal industry of the United States
is a natural monopoly. 1t is limited to small re-
gion in Northeastern Pennsylvania. whereas
good bitumnous coal is found in six or eight
States east OF the Mississippi River. At present
the output of hard coal IS nearly 55,O0O.00O tons
a year. while that OF soft coal is four times as
large Generally speaking. the former is valued
at over 81 30 ton at the mouth OF the mine,
while the latter is worth scarcely more than 81.
Owing to the wasteful methods Of mining
in vogue. three tons OF coal are removed from
the earth for every sent to market. Unless
there is Improvement in this respect, the
anthracite deposits will last scarcely more than
sixty or seventy years. IT. though. one ton
could be saved out OF every two which are
mined, and If the production could be kept
down to GOOO0OOO or 7OOO0OOO tons annually
the supply might not give out for a century.
The depth to which shafts go down in the
coal measures varies from 200 to 1000 feet A
fair average is about 400 Different methods
of timbering and working the mines prevail in
different districts. Generally, the operator or
lessee of the property maintains the railway
tmbering and ventilation, and bears the ex-
pense of hoisting. He deals with the skilled
miner, who usually has two unskilled laborers
for helpers. The miner when busy, can get
from $15 to S100 month. The laborer rarely
| earns over 50 a day. But mining does not go
continuously, and a man may be employed
not more than hundred or two hundred
days out of the 800. 1t has been estimated that
the railroad companies get about 37h per cent
of the money which the coal brings. labor 22k.
the operator (or empoyer) % and 10 per cent
is consumed by insurance and royalties.
DR.. Roberts is convinced that. while abuses
exist under the present system of ownership
the condition of the wOrkmen would be worse
If the State controlled the property. The com
pany store, at which the laborer is often Obliged
OF pay considerably more for food and clothing
than he would elsewhere, nevertheless has its
advantages. wife can thereby get the benefit
! OF her husbands earnings If he is a drunken
fellow and is likely to squander his wages
recklessly. STILL DR.. Roberts pronounces this in
stitution un-Amercan, and points out that the
agitator finds in it a powerful weapon Both
the advantages and disadvantages of unionism
in the anthracite coal region are considered
The grievances of the miners are indicated but
II is also shown that the temperate and sensible
Anglo-SaXon element is often overwhelmed by
the reckless Slavic miners who in some dis
tricts are in the large majority. Moreover the
miner does not always remember the interests
of the consumer he should In conclusion
DR.. Roberts INDUCES in reflections on the
righteousness of trusts. He believes that the
syndicate controlling the hard coal mines
will introduce improvements which will be ad-
vantageous to the mine workers, and yet give
capital better return. He insists, however
that a combination cannot long prosper In
America unless its ambitions are tempered by
the Teutonic spirit of fair play.
Mr. Thomas d. Vests "Metallurgy of Cas-.
Iron cleveland: The Cleveland Printing and
Publishing Company. of which a third edition
is now offered to the public, made its first an
pearance in 1897 While it aimed TO serve the
engineer, the chemist, the pattern maker and
the college specialist, it designed primarily
Tor the foundryman. Little reference is made
mere to the operations OF casting. That subject
Is covered by Mr.. Vests "Moulders Text
Book What he has sought TO do in this
Foiufne is TO tell what cast iron is and should
De- fully one-thrd of the book is devoted to
the process of making pig iron. Having lived
IN the Immediate vicinity of several blast fur
naces since lS92, the author is well qualified To
deal with this phase of the subject. AS an IL
iustration OF his thoroughness II may be re-
! marked that he begins far enough back to de-