Rock Island Argus., 1911-03-29
MINES CLOSING;
10000 ARE IDLE
Operators Say Adverse Legs
lation and No Demand Is
the Cause.
WORKERS BLAME WEATHER
Duncan Mcdonald, State Secretary
of Cnfon. Comments on the
Situation.

Springfield. III. March 29.-More
than 10000 Illinois miners are without
employment The present situation Is
not unlike that during the Illinois
strike. last summer, when 10000 min
ers were without work and their fam
lilies. in many instances. actually sur
fered for want of the necessaries OF
The most meagre existence.
Illinois miners are without work be-
cause mines OF the state are partly or
entirely closed and the miners are
working only part of the time or not at
all because there is little or no demand
for coal The demand for coal has
been unusually light this winter be
cause the weather has been mild
ADOPTING OTHER WORK
Unemployed miners daily are seek
ing and finding employment in other
lines of work Men who have done
nothing but work in coal mines all
their lives until their work has become
with them a profession, are beginning
life anew and are serving apprentice
ships in other lines of work in order
that their families and themselves may
! uDI Guile 10 W dul
The Industrious coal miner has been
making an average daily wage of $3.50
when he worked full time Because of
frequent and prolonged intervals of
idleness forced upon him. the average
yearly salary of a coal miner has been
$500. Now he is able to earn pracic-
ally nothing and no signs of relief are
in sight.
Despite the fact that the recent shut
down" is unusual, the changes in coal
mining conditions have come gradu-
ally.
LOCAL SITUATION BAD.
For the last 10 years mining wages
have been steadily increasing and the
number of days in the year in which
the company can use the men rapidly
decreasing. There is hardly a mine
in the state which now is working a
full six day shift. The majority of
them, that have not shut down com
pletely, are running only two or three
days a week. BY putting on their
whole force these two or three days
the company can operate with less ex-
pense than If il would cut down the
working force and run every day in
the week.
The situation near Springfield is
said to be becoming deplorable More
than 1,400 miners in and near the city
have been idle for the last three
weeks. Out of the IS mines in Spring
field and vicinity only 10 are running
The mines which are running work on
ly two and three days a week and the
wages which the miners who are for
tunate enough to have any work at
all get, is barely living one.
HALF UNEMPLOYED.
OF the 1,200 men who usually are
employed by the Springfield Mining
only 600 are now at work
if conditions do not improve within
the next few weeks. according to
a statement made by W. B. Jess, sec !
retary Of the company.
We simply cannot compete with !
the other mines said Mr.. Jess today. /
Our cost of production is greater /
than the mines in the lower part of .
the state and we cannot meet their I.
prices.
Adverse legislation is attributed as
one OF the causes of the present con-
diions. We are compelled to furnish
safety appliances, which are not in
use in other states, and they can con-
sequently produce their coal at a less
cost"
At the Illinois Collieries company,
where 1900 miners are employed, the
men are working only two days in
he week with the prospect of another
Tut before many weeks.
At the Jefferson Coal Mining com
oany, where 225 men are employed
usually. only 200 men are at work now,
md these work only three days in the
week
The officers of the company would
lot discuss the causes of the present
conditions, but stated that there seem
d 70 be no chance for any improve
nent for some time 10 come
MDONALD GIVES REASON,
Duncan Mcdonald. state secretary
4 the United Mine Workers of Ameri-
a, differs with the officials of the
ompany as 10 the cause Of the pres
Mt slump IN the demand for Illinois
oal
Adverse Legislation has nothing 10
o with the coal situation" he said.
for the conditions exist in nearly ev-
~ coal field in the country and is
ue principally TO economic condi
ons.
Mines where the use Of safety ap-
liances is not compelled by the law
re selling no more coal than are the
lines here. which refutes the argu-
lent Of the officials here. In fact
lere are very few regulations of the
1al mines by law In Illinois anyhow.
One Of the reasons which might
= advanced 10 account for the trou-
e is the fact that the railroads ali !
-er the country now are mining their
En coal. where they formerly were :
,nsumers.
The real reason for the lack of de :
and is a question which viii be hard {
answer Every miner and operator :