The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-05-14


and Their Causes. Difference Be-
tween "Discipline' and "Griev-
ance."
Appended is a statement of the oper-
ators side of the controversy engend-
cred by the demands of the Shamokin
convention. 1t is substantially the line
or argument followed by the operators
IN the New York conferences. IT was
compiled by a prominent coal opera tor
IN response to request by the Scran-
ton Tribune for an outline of the red
sons the operators gave for refusing to
grant the concessions asked for them
by the miners:
The adoption OF the eiglt.hour day would in
no way benefit the miner or miners laborcr On
the other hand. it would tend to work TO his dis
advantage, as lie is contractor, working on his
own time. \ company pays its miners for the
number of cars OF cubic feet OF coal mined re-
gardlcss of the hours worked by the breaker. and
ehdeavors to employ miners enough to keep the
breakers supplied with coal. If tic miners adopt
any rules TO limit the amount of coal they alc
to send out which they have done in some cases
we are forced to employ additional miners and
open up more chambers. This is expensive. as
we are compelled, in turn to employ additional
drivers and runners purchase more cars and
mules TO wait on these men, with no apprcciab.e
benefit in the way Of tonnage.
one company recently adopted the plan q
checking miners in and out OF the mines and we
find they actually remain under ground only
about onc.half breaker time In other words,
when the breaker is scheduled to work eight
ipIrsp fr., G., 10 h,,,,
under ground, including the time it takes them
TO go to and from their chambers. or places Of
work, waiting to get up the siaft, etc.
Selected at Random.
Another company selected at random. tic
names of few miners employed at different
mines the last half of ,anuary, 1902 and pre-
pared statement showing their earnings per
hour for actual time inside, taking their total
earnings, dcducting supplies. and allowing one
third OF their total earnings for ibolcr. which,
according to established ruic is supposed TO be-
about what miners pay their iaborcrs, and fcurd
the men are earning all the way from SOC an
hour to SOC per hour according TO their skill and
ambition. In one district, the average was 4jc
per hour, and in another, Soc.
You will therefore note that these men are
earning, in some instances, more than twice as
much per hour as our railroad locomotive tngi.
ncers working around the breakers in the mine
service, who receive $3.2J per day of twelve
hours, or only q LIE per hour. In fact, miners
in many instances, by working four and five
hours. earn much more than locomotive engi.
necrs. working twelve hours. For the hours lie
labors. he is the best paid artisan in the state
today. Where can we find Skilled mechanic,
carpenter, moulder, plumber, blacksmith, cngi-
ncer, either railroad or stationary, who can COM
mand the sum OF SOC per hour for his labor? Yet
This is low figure, in great many instances,
~ St-,.,
per hour for their labor. In other trades, it is
customary for men TO serve an apprcnticcship
both long and arluous, procure tools, expensive
i'll character, and then receive in this vicinity.
the following rates of wages:
Per Hour.
Carpenter Observation-Disclosures. 80
ii"',ncr ''''''''''''. .'..,''''............ ."1la
MouileT .................... .21l2
Blacksmith ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 20
1t may he said that on account OF the risk the
miner runs he ought to receive additional COM
pensation. The risks thar are pornc by the MINER
while hazardous, are no greater than in many
occupations. He is surrounded by all the safety
devices modern science can devise for his protcc
tion. In the Wyoming region, the mines are we'll
ventilated, and ii he obcys instructions and the
law, he is as safe under ground us any man en-
gagged in any kind OF manual labor on railroad,
in shop, mill or factory. Ii Is safe 10 say that
ninctynne per cent. Of the men injured inside
the mines are injured through their own careless
ness.
Actual Conditions.
These are the actual conditions of the antna.
cite miner in this region; the same man who has
been pictured by many writers, recently, Oyho
know nothing OF the lncts) rs the person Who,
before the sun rises, must be deep down in the
cnverns OF the earth. breathing noXious gasea
laborng under the most dangerous conditions it
Is pos sible to conceive remaining there until the
evening shades have long since ceased to fall, ,
before he could return to his home. etc, etc
To my mind the work OF the anthracite miner
is not to be compared with that of the btumu.
Gus miner. The former, IN the majority OF cases.
drills his coal, blows ii down, and leaves his
laborer 10 clean and load it. To do this. as has
been shown above taxes him but a few hours
The bituminouS miner, on the other hand, has
in most cases. 10 work in thinner veins, and, ii
working at 'picll.mining," has to lie on his back
or side and undclcut his coal, after which lie
drills and blows il down, and then picks up his
shovel and cleans and loads ii. lie spends much
more of his time inside and works much harder
Tho men who would be affected by the eight
hour day and ten hours pay are those known as
| company men. Anticipating this cight'hour agi
tation, some companies adopted some months
ago, the plan OF hiring all men and boys by the
hour. All payments, blanks, etc, are now made
on that basis.
iHc lHlNVo VI pHc VI tHc blbstsi NoiHpaupS III
this region worked 1855 houls during the year
1901. which is equivalent 10 l0sla ten'hour days.
~ 2iS eight'hour days. by taking the days the
mines actually started up and averaging the
hours worked on those days, we find they aver
aged but S3'l0O hours per day curing the year.
This dsposes oi the 'ong g-hour' argument
and leaves the eight'hour day only an excuse for
| an increase OF % per cent in pay, which is un
warranted, can be shown by Il comparison of
rates paid workmen in and about the mines with
those OF other calling, who bring into play the
! same amount OF skin and who mc called upon to
share q like amount of risk
Outside, We have the ash men, fuel men, eum
bumpers oilers, oeders. aborcrs, etc. who re-
cciye lGc an hour The work performed by these
men, in my judgment, is nowhere near as hard
as the work OF the railroad trackman, working
under the constant eye vi boss, and who re-
ceives but l2lac per hour.
Outside men not only have an opportunity to
work breaker time, but frequently are employed
after the breaker shuts down, for which they are
compensated for the hours they work. Assuming
however, that they work but eight hous Il Gay,
they are then earning more than the trackmen
are earning in ten hours, working ON the rail.
road, alongside of breakers, dodging trains, etc.
Breaker boys receive irom &c to Toe an hour;
the majority OF them about Sc am hour. These
boys are from - to Is Years old CompaIe these