The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-04-05


INDIANAPOLIS. April 5.-over
100, 600 soft coal miners are striking N
the central states TO get an increase In
wages OF from 10 10 per cent.
They are asking the increase in
wages because they know that when
they are selling their labor they are
selling their lives as well, and they
feel that they are not getting fair re-
turn for their time and effort.
Witness the horrible mine disasters
in tLis country OF recent years-4,0OO
were killed and 1000 were injured last
,ear.
For every 100000 tons of coal that
are mined for us a miner gives his
life and five OF these heroes OF indus
try are MANNED for life.
In 1907. the year OF the greatest
prosperity. OF every 1000 men who
went down into the mines nearly five
we're killed. In II years. 22.S40 men
have been killed. aud twice as many
have been injured.
Coal production, says Robt. Watch
orn. has cost us more life than the
civil war So the soldiers OF peace are
asking their employers TO reward them
fairly for their roll and risk OF iRe
and limb.
Often the sun has NOT risen when
the miner leaves mis- black, implanted
home usually the company's) behind
him. 10 go down into the inky depths.
Little OF daylight does he see.
The car goes creaking down the
shaft. The miner looks up 10 the
patch OF sky overhead and plunges
down the passageway 10 mis- room.
Then it's Gig. dig. dig. in the foul air
and the darkness OF night.
He must bend mis- back as he walks
down the passageway-and work
stooped-that is why you see the old
miner walk with shoulders Dent for
ward. His face grows pale in the sun
/ less depths. He may get miners
consumption" II the air is too dry and
dusty. and his blood gets thin.
He drills the hole in the rock ana
s'uffs in the powder. Often these men
are killed or hurt in premature explo-
sions. And there are no pensions for
the soldiers who die in peace.
| Perhaps the new-fangled electric
wires OF the safety lamps that don't
save may explode the firedamp.
Poor ventilating machines may fai!
10 sweep out the gases.
! The rotting timbers In an abandon
81 room may fall, and force gaseous
air out into the passage. Poof! the
gas swells 10 II times its volume, and
the whole mine is aflame. IL Is FUR
mace OF human Goals.
Life holds little enough for the
miner, II he does emerge safe and
sound from the mine each night. His
home, usually owned by the company
3 probably a cheap shack. There is
Iuo porcelain bathtub. There Is nc
dressing gown and slippers, no shaded
lamp for the moner
The mining town presents dull
scene. Usually they are more like
camps than towus. and squat on tho
black hills, as cold and ugly and SOM
Der as a pauper's graveyard.
The miner, "stoid and stunned
crle1es not and never hopes
He cannot rise. says John Mitchell
and he would not II ne could. The only
Iuositions above him in the mining IN
Idustry are foreman and supertnten
dent. Only one in 500 can get such
Job Few want il, for in that position
he must Cypress his brothers 10 pro
Iduce cheap coal for the boss.
Then he must take his son out o.
lschool and into the mine when nf
reaches The age OF "A. The boy Is
, driver, perhaps He drives the cars
from the mine where the temperature
IS so degrees onto the outside air
where IL is zero. Or he sits In the
dark. mouotonously pulling a rope e
raise and lower q door
These men want Just cents mor'
'or each ton OF coal they produce. The
operators do not deny general prosper
l!ty. but. of course. they say they can
afford TO take their men In on thciI
STARE OF prosperity.
The average daily wage OF miner'
is between 81 and SO a day. A few
rave earned 81; in poorly organized
districts wages being as low as Sl.25
day.
But miners are idle third OF the
wear, as there are 10000 more miners
Than are needed TO supply the demand
So the average yearly wage Is low.