The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-16

Editor Evening News: Having been
practical miner In the Pennsylvania coal
regions. and with a full knowledge
whereof l speak. send you the follow
ing story of the different stages of
miners life, almost from the cradle 20 the
grave:
First: At the age OF eight or ten he
enters the coal breakers as a slate picker
What Is meant by slate p!ckers Is that
OF picking the impurities from the coal
as IL passes down a chute into large
pockets from which 1t is loaded on TO
cars by means OF a siuioe and ready Tor
shipment. For his labor the slate picker
received from 80 TO 20 cents per day of ten
hours.
Second: At the age OF ten TO IA he en-
ters the mines as a door boy. "a door
boys duty is 10 be ever on the alert and
see TO II that HIS doors are always closed
10 insure perfect circulation OF the air
currents throughout his section of the
mine. BY neglecting his duty and leaving
a door open too long causes an accumula-
tion OF gas which coming in contact with
q naked light, causes those terrible explo-
sions and great loss OF life occasionally
reported In the daily press. There is
great responsibility resting upon the
smal door boy who receives 60 centS per
day.
Third: At the age of IA to IS he enters
the mines a mule driver. The mule
driver reports at $50. goes 10 the mule
barn. cleans and puts the harness on the
mule, and must be ready when the mule
whistle blows at Gas. and down In the
mines ready to begin work at sharp
His duty Is that OF hauling the empty
cars TO the mines TO be loaded and after
wards hauling them back again, a very
dangerous task especially IL the mule Is
inclined 10 be vicious. and there Is many
1T x.-ln n
the scars received frcm the kick Of a
mule.
VERY SMALL WAGES.
For this work he receives sl.so per day
Fourth: At the age OF is TO 22 he enters
the mine as ruaner. This is very i'm
portant position and In order 10 thorough
1y understand the duties OF a runner IL
will be necessary 20 explain why he Is
called a runner ln mining coal there
are gangways and aiyways cut through
the vein Of coal parallel each other ieav-
ing a pillar Of coal of sufficient thickness
10 support the root. The minor starts
his chamber from the gangway. follow
ing the formation OF the vein, which re-
sembles a country road going up hill.
The cars are fitted with four wheels.
Each wheel contains from four TO eight
spokes. IL is the duty of the runner to
take the loaded car from the face OF the
miners chamber TO the gangway at
normal speed, To prevent the car jumping
the track. In order TO do so he must
be an expert I'm handling sprays. A
sprag Is a piece of hard wood is inches
In length, pointed at either end, which
he places between the spokes OF the wheel
while the car Ia in motion. thereby
checking the momentum. To become an
expert In this line OF work II requires
years OF practice and experience.
Fifth; At the age of p to Is he is ad-
vanced TO laborer. A laborer Is a missrs !
mate His duty Is that of loading coal
into the cars He must be careful and
see that the coal is clean. He must take
his pick and remove all slate and sui
phur from the coal
MOST JABoRIoUs WORK
His work is conceded by all TO be the
most laboriops of any In the mines. He is
paid p cents by the miner for every car
he loads. seven cars being days work
The miner pays him two dollars and fur
nishes him with oil, wick and tools. In
this position he learns the art OF mining
coal and after two years experience he
applies for miners certificate. After n
thorough examination before a compe-
tent board OF mining experts he receives
AZ. II competent.
Sixth: At the age OF 2S 10 50 he becomes
a miner. He rises In the morning al 5
o'clock, goes TO the powder house. gets
per keg previous investigation reveal
ed the fact that the company could sell
the powder at si.25 per keg at reason
able proht He next goes TO the black
smith shop and gets his drills and picks
which he carried there the night before 10
be sharpened. He also pays dearly for
his smlthing He carries this heavy load
consisting OF twder. drills. picks. etc.
down into the bowels Of the earth
through dark. dirty. dangerous PASSAGE
ways. He arrives at the face OF his cham
ber. drills a hole In the coal. puts In his
charge OF powder and fires IT, II the coal
is free from sulphur and rock streaks II
f. possible to blast from one to FIVE cars
with a ten or twelve-inch charge OF pow
der. This will depend upon the formation
of The vein In which he Is working. for
many and many a miner has burned UP a
keg OF powder to produce seven cars OF
coal
THE DOCKING BOSS.
He is paid 81 cents per car OF 3x tons.
He must see that his car when IL leaves
him carries is inches OF topping above
water level When his car reaches the
head of the shaft II Is Inspected by
docking boss and II the coal is not In per-
feet condition. or contains the least rock
or slate nc docks the miner from 4. of a
car 10 y a car, and sometimes a whole
car. The car in It's long Journey over
rickety roads II sometimes derailed. the
coal shaken down and the topping In
knocked of through no fault OF the mi
ner Still he r. docked. and those unjust
methods are the cause OF the present
strike. The miner wants his coal weighed
he wants a representative 20 inspect his
car OF coal the same az the docking boss
and allow what Is coming 10 him. He
wants 10 be paid by the ton pro rata. N
he sends out three tons OF coal In one car
he wants 20 be paid for three tons and
not one ton. He IL also compsIled 20 cut
his own timber TO prop up the roof over
his head, load IL In car and when II
reaches him unload II and put ~ up. and
also the same with his rails and ties. He
must lay his own track. lie must also
blast rock. n necessary, 10 lay his road
for which he 10 seldom paid cent. There
ere Thousands OF abuses 20 which the mi
ner n compelled 20 submit.
His work n hazardous and he 81 con-
stantly IN danger OF falling coal and
rock And last but not least the deadly
sss. lie n satisfied with his lot. Just
w<fahf his coal and give him what is