Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-05-19
Editors Letter Box
In Favor Of Soft Coal Operators
Bluedeid. west Virginia.
Nav Is. 1922.


But How Be Righted?" This arrcle
is SO full Of erroneous information
am sure you will be interested in
few facts from the coal fields.
Your statement that the consumers
Of soft coal have little ground Tor
complaint shows great lack OF
knowledge Of the actual conditions
surrounding the mixing of coal. Not
only the consumers, but many OF the
operators have many just complaints
against the miners union. The min
ers as class cannot be judged by
Down East Yankee Standards; they
are a race Of people unto themselves
many not even naturalized citizens
of this country. During the war every
pound of coal mined was life or death
for our boys. The miners were ex-
empt from the draft, but they were
expected to work to their limit. In
stead they worked as usual; only a
sufficient number of hours to get the
the amount of money they wished for
the week. This attitude is character
istic of miners. The operators had to
coax and urge in every known way
They even went so far as to have the
French and British governments send
over disabled soldiers to talk some pa
triotism into the miners. These talks
generally increased the output for the
next couple of days: seldom longer. /
have seen store full of miners during
the war-dressed in overalls and silk
shirts, loafng, drinking soda water
and eating ice cream. When asked
why they were not working, the stand
ard reply was that they had made
enough for that week
The money a miner could earn, dur
ing the war, was almost unlimited
Two hundred and fifty dollars every
two weeks was the Average pay check.
In those days a miner could work
seven days per week. if he so desired
Why then should he be dissatisfied
now that he has a chance to lay off
once in while?
Where did you get the idea the min
crs worked on their sides, sometimes
il. water. in a sitting atmosphere, in
three-foot seam? A mine is not con-
sldered a mine unless the seam is four
feet or more thick. and most of them
are thicker; some having seams as
thick as II and IA feet. Small mines,
so-called wagon mines, are worked to
some extent and the rate of pay is adj
Justed so that the miner can earn the
same as one in larger mine In none
of the regular mines is the pick used
The coal is cut during the night and
the miner has only to shoot the coal
and load it into the mine cars. A good
worker can load from IS to 90 tons per
day, at an average pay of so cents per
ton. The sitting atmosphere" is joke.
All mines are ventilated by large cleo
trio driven fans, and state laws compel
the company to have all men out Of
the mine within half an hour after the
IAN stops, a s result of electric cur
rent going off, ct cctcra. The air in a
r inc is as pure as in your own base
ment. In fact a mine has practically
an even temperature the year round.
All mines that are troubled with
water have large electric driven
pumps which keep the mines free from
water at all times. Electric power is
used extensively in the majority of
mines. The haulaGe system is handled
much like railroad. The loaded cars
arc collected from the rooms in the
mine by electric locomotives, and are
made up into trains at some central
point. A much larger locomotive
hauls the trains from the mine to the
tipple, a distance varying from a mile
to three or four, and in some instances
even greater distance.
So called great capital may not be
needed to open mine; but 1 would not
advise trying to do SO on shoe string.
One hundred thousand dollars is need
cd to open the most modest mine. and
operating expenses run up rapidly
from the start and increase from wear
to year.
Your idea Of coal production is the
best part of your editorial. You state
that the mines are capable of produc-
ing IS high as 100000 tons annually:
whereas they are only producing $780,
600 tons annually. The state of West
Virginia alone produces 70, 900 900 tons
annually. Last month the field served
by the Norfolk q Western Railroad
produced 2,S4S,400 tons of coal I !
am sending you some clippings show
ing tonnage figures. which may inter-
est YOU'D. You mention the fact that |
miner has to furnish his so-called
personal tools. Have you ever COM
planned because carpenter. a plumber
a bricklayer or a machinist furnished
his own tools? After the purchase Of
his tools he is equipped for work in
any mine for from five to 10 years, |
and the company does all of his smith
ing for him at actual cost. as well al
furnishes his powder for blasting at
actual cost
Living conditions at the mines are !
equal to- if not superior, to those of
the laboring classes in cities and |
towns. = am giving below a few racts |
obtained from one of the largest agen- |
cles in this section; they owning and |
operating seven large mines. Houses |
are furnished for all miners modern |
ones If desired, at the nominal sum of |
approximately $500 per room per
month. Each miner has his own gar
den plot, and prizes are offered for !
the best gardens and lawns. Electric |
lights are furnished on a fat rate. at |
cost. Coal is furnished the miners at |
the actual cost to deliver. Married |
men, families included, pay fiat rate |
of $l.5o. single men 75c per month for
medical attention-this including med
icine. Special cases are extra, ma
ternity cases for instance are $3.50.
Each operation has a graded school. |
High schools are centrally located. |