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30 THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN.
Against which there
are the following obligations:—
First mortgage bonds.$25,000.000.00
Less—Cash in Sinking
Fund for retirement
of the same—not included
in net quick
assets 1.202,818.92
23,797,181.08
Bonds of subsidiary
companies 1,933,653.34
Car trust notes
Preferred and common
112,625.65
stock at par 58,134,800.00
83.978,260.07
If revaluation of the
properties were made
on the company's
books on the basis of
expert appraisals, surplus
would be $6,284,645.88
Ancient Labor Unions.
In the ancient Graeco-Roman world the relations
of the unions, both state and municipal, were far
more intimate than any that now exist. In antiquity
the classes concerned themselves with but
three pursuits—arms, politics and jurisprudence.
Every other industry was regarded by them as
mean and contemptible—the fitting occupation of
the servile masses. The trade unions were practically
self-sustaining, self-employing institutions.
All land transport was conducted by the Carriers'
union, and all the teams and wagons were the
property of the organized group. If grain were
transported by water, unions saw it conveyed to
the Eternal City. There it was turned over to the
United Millers, from whom it found its way to the
United Bakers, who converted it into bread. And
so with every product of field or mine. The
mines belonged to the state, which let them to
the Miners' union. These turned over the ore to
the Smelters' union, whose business it was to
supply the various unions of workers in iron, copper,
brass and bronze. The Cobblers' union furnished
the Roman troops with shoes, while the
Sutlers' union clothed and perhaps victualled
them. The interdependence or close federation of
the ancient unions and the magnitude of their
undertakings are without parallel in modern times.
Indeed, but for Rome's insatiable rage for conquest,
and the enslavement of captives resulting
therefrom, there is little doubt that her labor
unions were on the highway toward a true cooperative
commonwealth.
JAPAN'S ADVANTAGE IN PRODUCTION.
An official report on the coal production of Russia
and Japan for 1903 has just been issued. In
Russia the output in the Rostov and Don districts
was estimated at 13,580,000 tons, but notwithstanding
this a large quantity of both British and German
coal was brought to Odessa and Kieff. The
Russian collieries, owing to the low price charged
for coals, are mostly non-dividend payers, and as
the output for this year is expected to exceed the
consumption, it is believed that the coal market
in Russia will be depressed, and return to an unsatisfactory
condition. A few thousand tons of
coal have been exported from Russia to Greece,
Roumania, Turkey and Marseilles, but the coals
apparently did not find much favor with buyers,
as, with the sole exception of Constantinople, no
further orders have followed. Japan, on the other
hand, in addition to providing coal for her own
use, was able to export 3.433,459 tons, mostly to
China, Hong Kong and the Straits Settlements.
The amount of coal which had been imported during
the same year was 120,345 tons and this, coming
from Great Britain, was probably the smokeless
Welsh steam coal. The returns, however,
show clearly that though Welsh steam coal may be
greatly desired by the Japanese admiralty, the warships
of the nation will not, under any circumstances,
be stopped for want of necessary fuel.
BRITISH COAL MINE ACCIDENTS.
During 1904 there were 1,012 fatal accidents in
the coal mines of the British Isles, causing the
deaths of 1,049 persons, a decrease in the number
of accidents of 23 and of the deaths, 24. The
causes of the fatalities were as follows:
Firedamp explosions 22
Falls 511
Shaft accidents 82
Explosives 28
Miscellaneous 266
Total underground or inside 909
Outside, or on surface 140
Total 1,049
Total, 1903 1,072
Decrease 23
Falls were, as usual, the most prevalent cause of
death, accounting for 48.7 per cent. In the miscellaneous
list, the chief cause of death was from
injury by mine cars or trams. Under the British
classification, coal mines include all mines of coal,
fire-clay, stratified iron ore and shale. The return
does not give the number of persons employed,
hence no averages can be calculated.