The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-02-12
Bill introduced In the Sen.
ate Would Require This
Of Operators.
ELOQUENT PLEA Is MADE FOR
THE MEASURE BY. HON.
SAM B. MONTGOMERY.

CHARLESTON, w. Va, Feb. 12-
ssLoading or mining coal by the a is
morally and commercially wrong"
declared former Senator Sam B.
Montgomery, legal representative Of
the United Mine Workers OF America,
In appearing before the joint meeting
OF miners and mining committees of
the House and Senate last night, in the
interests Of the bill which has been
introducedin,the Legislature, providing
for the weighing of all coal in quaint.
ties In the State.
II Is morally wrong, according to
Senator Montgomery, because unscru-
ulous operators take the advantage
Of the miners in the matter OF meas
uring the coal weighed. 1t is COM
mercially wrong, he says, because the
operator losesiin the end through the
competition of the two systems of
measuring the coal.
He points out that West Virginia Is
the only great coal producing state in
the Union which doesn't already have
such O law. tContradicting the state
ments Of operators, he declares the
cost OF Installing scales is not prohib.
tive, and gives figures, showing that
every mine inSthe state not already
equipped with scales, can have them
installed at a total cost Of 146,250.
CaThis wrong method OF paying the
miner by thefcar has been solely es-
tablished blythe coal operators; it has
been perpetuated by them. the miners
having no voice, part or lot In the mat
ter, "heEdeclared when before the com.
mfttees.
MI. Montgomery said in part:
Morally Wrong.
First, coal OF the same mine and
vein viii in itself vary in weight, en-
try and room coal will invariably
weigh heavier than pillar and stump
coal, and requires more manual labor
to produce 1t. Apart from this, the
physical condition Of the mine will
many times cause entry and room coal
driving in opposite directions to con-
siderably vary in weight. This Is
self.eytdent when In making a contract
between the miners and the Operators
manyofSthei accompanies insist on paying
O less mining rate for pillar coal and
stump icoa1Ethan they do for entry and
room coal. This will not be disputed
BY ;practica1smen On either side of this
controversy.
Second. The absolute impossibility
toscorrectly give the number Of pounds
each mine car holds, the state law re-
curing the operator to mark in plain
numerals the amount of coal each car
holds being almost invariably violated.
Many Of the companies who comply
withSt this law stamp the numerals on
the bottom OF the car. The result is
that when times are good miners are
accused Of undertaking, but good or
bad, the operators insist upon over.
loading; one Is against the employer,
the other nginst the employee, both
equally wrong.
Third, Cars are continuously wear
ing out, breaking down and undergoing
repairs, which In all cases changes the
holding capacity of the car, Of which
we contend the miner justly claims is
against hin, but whether against en-
ployer or employee Is equally wrong.
Fourth. Coal companies are contin-
nously introducing larger cars without
changingthe mining rate per a This
practice has created great bitterness
among the miners. especially so
because in majority Of cases they
have neither voice nor opportunity to
ascertain the true capacity of the va
rfous sized cars. Upon investigation
we have found that these different
sized cars have been branded to hold
the same amount Of coal.
9Th. It Us morally wrong to the OPP
orator because these unequal condi-
lions brought about through compe-
tition OF the operators In the fields
where coalfts mined by weight, drives
the WestsVirginia operators to the ex-
tremity OF competing against one an
other instead of standing together and
competing against the operators Of
Pennsylvania, Ohio and competitive
states. The result Is that the selling
Of West Virginia coal has become a