The Washington times., 1919-11-13
DENIES MINER s
ARE UNDERPA|D
J. W. Dawson, Head of Coal
Shippers Association,
Gives Statistics.
Copyright, 1879,
by the Tribune
Association A

J. W. Dawson. OF Charleston. W.
Va. president OF the Kanawha AMI
Michigan Railway Coal shippers As
sociation of West Virginia. which
operates approximately thirty mines
in the kanawha field, made public
the following statement today:
THE public has been misled often
during the past two weeks by state
ments purporting to show the coal
miner as underpaid and engaged in a
grinding battle with poverty. Such is
not the case certainly in the coal field
with whose conditions 1 am familiar.
Figures showing actual earnings
refute any such statement.
I'm the Kanawha field of West Vir-
ginia, there are approximately 100
mines, giving employment to about
1900 men. These men are union
men. They obeyed the strike order Of
the United Mine Workers of America,
although the wage increase and o.n-
er questions in controversy had not
been under negotiation between min
ers and operators in that district.
Divided Into Two Glasses.
"ln>the Ksnawha field. as In other
coal fields, the mine employees are
divided into two classes. The pick
miners. machine cutters and leaders.
1 all MINERS are ps lIS
ton. The more coal they mine or load.
the greater their income. The other
employees - motor runners, drivers,
track layers. cagers, tipple men, etc :,
are, from the nature of their work,
paid by the day. The more days they
work. the greater their income.
The normal work day is eight
hours.
"The highest paid employees are the
machine cutters, leaders and pick
, miners; the lowest paid are the trap
pers, couplers, and greasers-boys
from sixteen to eighteen years of age.
Pay rolls of twenty-five mines -
one-fourth OF the total number OPERA
ing-have been examined to determine
the actual earnings of cutters, load
ers, and pick miners. The earnings
OF 300 men of this class who worked
every day the mines operate putting
in full time, have been selected as
typical.
Up To SO Day.
These 800 men earned on an aver
age of from S6.1S per day. the lowest
up to S19.l4 day. The lowest-paId
employe of this class working full
time. earned S166S5 for twenty-seven
days work; the highest earned S21O.G3
for eleven days work. other earn
ings, typical of the entire 300 mems
pay, were S251.39 for twenty-five
days work; S26560 for twenty-si X
days work; S239.TS for twenty-five
days work; s21O.59 for twenty four
days work; S249.02 for twenty-three
days work; S21642 for twenty-five
days work; Sl55.43 for twenty-thrat
days work, and S335.32 for twenty
six days work
mo attempt is made in presenting
these figures to cite extreme cases.
Some OF the men earned up to S40O
for twenty-siN days work,
The figures cover a period OF siv
months. They show that the average
earnings of cutters. leaders and pick
miners working fun time range from
S166 to $3.50 per month. The aver
age cutter. loader or pick miner, can
earn from $1,000 to $4,000 a year, in
my field. depending upon his ability,
If he works every day he has an
opportunity to work. Specially skilled
miners, cutters, and leaders can earn
up 20 S4.S0O a year.
Average Twenty Days Month.
1.-THE other class of mine employees.
the so-called day men. working for
days wages, earn from S425 to 81
per day. If they were to work every
day they could work, theH would earn
from sS5 to s154 per month.
1T is said that the mines do not
operate regularly. Following is the
actual record of mine operation at
five large mines employing $500 men
I'm May, 25H days; in June, % DAYS:
in July, August, and September "a
period of acute car shortage), 1871
16h, and II days, respectively; in
October, % days. The average work.
ing time at these mines for tho six
month period ending with 0rtossr
was 20h days per month"