The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1918-04-18
OHIO INDUSTRIES
CONDEMN LIQUOR
Manufacturers and Coal OpHT-
atOrs Hit Drink.
LETTERS FROM BIG CONCERNS

Ohio Manufacturers Tell of Evils Of
Saloons Near Plants and Coal op'
orators Assert Drink Hampers Pro-
duction and Distribution Of Coal
Remarkable Series Of Letters Made
Public.
Columbus, Ohio.-Ohio manufac-
turers and coal operators condemn
drink. They 30 on record and testify
to the harm it does to their men and
their business. Coal operators assert
Liquor hampers the production and
distribution of coal and manufactur-
ers tell of the evils of saloons near
their plants. The evidence from these
Ohio firms was secured by Cora Fran
ces StOddard, secretary of the Scien-
tific Federation of Boston. Here are
extracts from some of the letters:
"In the absence of accurate data,
would say that the production of our
mines is reduced at least 33 per cent,
due to the use of alcoholic liquors.
BurtON Townsend Co., GAINESVILLE.
"Our production is curtailed seri-
ously after pay days and holidays by
over-indulgence on the part of our
employees in intoxicating liquor. Not
only is the time lost while they are
drinking and the production curtailed,
but for two or three days after their
return to work and until the effects of
the liquor is worn off, we suffer from
their inefficiency." Steubenville Coal
& Mining Co.
"The maximum quantity of coal
will never be mined and distributed
in this country until the country is
as dry as bone from one end to the
other Watson Cement and Coal
Company, Lima.
"We regard saloons in the neigh
borhOod of any plant, whether it be
engaged in the manufacture of muni-
tions or not, as a menace and dis
tinctly disadvantageous to the plant
or any employe. e."-Buckeye Rolling
Mill Co., Newark.
at is not wide of the mark to esti-
mate that without liquor available to
miners, the production of coal might
be increased 20 per cent."-Golf-
Kirby Coal Company, Cleveland.
GAS a result of ineffieiency and abb
sence from work of the miners from
one to two days following each pay
day, which occurs twice month here,
it is my judgment that the production
is reduced about 10 per cent in the
Goshen district. Akron Coal Com
pany, New Philadelphia.
"The volume Of output is always
cut down when crew of men go on
duty who are only partially under the
influence of liquor We also find that
accidents are more frequent on Mon
day or the day after holiday, which
in itself, proves conclusively that
some of the accidents at least are due
to the after effects of liquor" limited
Alloy Steel Corporation, Canton.
II should say, conservatively, that
the production of coal in the mining
districts of Ohio would be increased
Is to 20 per cent if there were nc
alcoholic liquors produced" - Ohio
and Pennsylvania Coal Co., Cleveland
"We regard saloons in the neigh
borhood of an industrial plant as a
nuisance and curse, and of no advan-
tage whatever to the establishment
or to the employees" ."-Auglaize Motor
Car Co., New Bremen.
at is our opinion that the only So
luton of the drink question is national
prohibition of alcoholic beverages
American Rolling Mill Co., Middle
town.
! eve do not think saloons are ad-
vantageous to an industrial plant.
We do believe they are decided dis
advantage e."-Chandler Motor Car Co..
Cleveland.
"Our production is at least one-fifth
less than it would be if our men could
not get liquor. If beer and whisky
were not made or sold, we could load
at all our mines at least 10000 tons
year more" Essex Coal Co., Co.
lumbus.
"We feel safe in saying that the
production has been curtailed from 6
to 25 per cent or even higher at times
We expect that the average would
reach from Is to 20 per cent for
monthly averages. We figure the loss
due absolutely to the drinking of in
toxicating liquors. Newton Coal &
Mining Co., Dennison.
"This company is connected with
the Morgan-Davis Coal Company Of
this place, whose production of coal
is reduced on an average of 20 per
cent at least by the drinking of alco-
holic beverages" = Oak Hill Fire
Brick & Coal Co., Oak Hill.