The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1910-08-18
FL Frs DIG
BLACK DIAMONDS
Are Rapidly Taking the Place
of Native Whites and
Negro Miners.

~
WASHINGTON D. G., Aug. IL
That the native white and negro
miners OF West Virginia are rapidly
being replaced by miners OF foreign
birth or their sons Is Indicated by a
report completed today By the Imml-
grafton Commission. The report, pre-
sents thorough study of the imml-
grafton situation in the bitumlnous
mining regions of West Virginia
Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and
Alabama, completes the commissions
study of conditions in bltuminous coal
mining.
According to the report, the miners
employed in the northern part of
West Virginia, including Monongalla,
Marion, Harrison, Barbour, Preston,
Taylor, Tucker, Grant and Mineral
counties, are classified as to. race as
follows: American. white, 52.5 per
cent: American, negro. "a per cent;
Italian 1876 per cent; Magyar. 6,5 per
cent; Poles 5.5 per cent; Slovak, 6,5
per cent; Creation, per cent; Eng
lish speaking and Germans, 9 per
cent; other races of southeastern Eu-
rope, 8 per cent. In Harrison and
Marion counties, where most of the
are found, the percentage
of white Americans is but 46.7 per
cent, while the Italians reach 21.6
per cent
Fewer foreigners are employed I'M
the counties of Fayette. Kanawha
and Raleigh than in the northern part
of the state. In these three counties
the percentages are given as follows:
American, white, 57.4 per cent; Amer
lean, negro, 81 per cent; Italian, Ga
per cent; Magyar, "a per cent; Polish
"a per cent; English 1.6 per cent;
Slovak and German, each 1.5 per cent;
others, all less than per cent.
Kanawha county shows the smallest
percentage of foreign miners in the
southern part of the state, with 1875
per cent of American, white, miners
and IL per cent of American, negro.
miners, leaving but 1876 per cent for
all kinds OF foreigners, combined.
Fayette employs 47.2 of American,
white miners and 2Sy2 per cent Of!
negro, miners, leaving 24.6
per cent for all foreigners.
Scarcity of other labor is the cause
assigned in the report for the en-
ployment of foreigners. the Scentage
Of whom is shown to have increased
more rapidly in later years than for-I
merly. One former Superintendent
of West Virginia mine is quoted asI
saying that the entire visible supply
of native American labor could not
mine onc-tenth of the coal produced
in the state. Tho Fairmont Coal
Company alone Is said to employ as
many miners now as were employed
in the entire industry in the state a
few years ago And Falrmont mani
is quoted as saying II the coal min
ing industry in that section increases
at its present rate of development for
the next twenty years that place will
become great foreign center.
White Americans, instead of being
driven out of the mines by the for
eign help are merely driven into the
positions of greater responsibility, ac-
cording to the report. Position re-
curing executive ability, such as fore
men, bosses, etc, are practically all
filled by white Americans, while the
foreign laborers do the actual work
of mining and occupy more laborlous
positions,
OF the foreigners the general pref
erence is given to the Italian, espec-
tally those from northern Italy. The
Italians are said to be better miners,
more generally sober than other for
eisners, but less adaptable to condl-
tons.
In the southern part of the state
the advancement Of the foreigner haa
been slow. 1t is given as an almost
unbroken rule that foreigners are not
moving upward in the scale OF occu-
patton. 1.-THE only Indication of prog
rcss on the part OF immigrants resid-
ing in the southern West Virginia coal
fields" says the report. is in the at
tendance OF their children al schools
and in the interest manifested by the
parents in school work.