i STEAM COAL - Clpdigital.org
i STEAM COAL - Clpdigital.org
i STEAM COAL - Clpdigital.org
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
ANTHRACITE MINERS DIVIDED<br />
ON THE EIGHT-HOUR QUESTION.<br />
There has been much discussion concerning the<br />
necessity of miners remaining with their laborers<br />
during the whole time that the latter are at work<br />
in the mines. This discussion was precipitated<br />
by the action of the officials of the Lehigh Valley<br />
Coal Co. at their Exeter colliery some time ago in<br />
attempting to enforce an order to this effect. It<br />
was contended by the company that the miners in<br />
coming out of the mine as soon as they have<br />
blasted sufficient coal to keep their laborer busy<br />
during the day, expose the laborers to danger, and<br />
the workings to great damage. This is explained<br />
by the fact that the laborers are generally foreigners,<br />
ignorant of the precaution that should be<br />
taken, and that as a result of their ignorance accidents<br />
ensue.<br />
Since the report has been started that an eighthour<br />
day is to be requested by the miners at the<br />
close of the present agreement between the operators<br />
and the miners of the anthracite coal regions,<br />
a report has also been circulated to the effect that<br />
some of the independent operators would be willing<br />
to grant an eight-hour day for next year,<br />
with the provision that all the miners stay in their<br />
chambers until their laborers have completed the<br />
work for the day.<br />
These reports combined have caused controversy<br />
concerning the merits of the propositions.<br />
The miners are divided over the probability of an<br />
acceptance of the eight-hour day with the conditions<br />
mentioned. By some it is contended that<br />
inasmuch as the miner is paid by the car and cannot<br />
secure sufficient cars in which to load all the<br />
coal which it is possible for him to blast in eight<br />
hours, it is simply useless to ask him to remain<br />
in the chamber during the whole of the time.<br />
From the miners' standpoint, then, it is immaterial<br />
whether an eight-hour day is granted, for<br />
he does not stay the full time anyway.<br />
By some the statement is made that there is<br />
no desire for an eight-hour day, the principal<br />
desire being for recognition of the union. Among<br />
others the opinion prevails that the miners are<br />
bound to make an eftort to secure an eight-hour<br />
day in accordance with action taken at the last<br />
national convention looking toward the uniform<br />
establishment of an eight hour day. Others take<br />
a still different view of the case, and say that the<br />
talk about the refusal of the men to remain in<br />
the chambers is nonsense, and that if the com<br />
panies so desire they can, by a simple request<br />
from a foreman, secure the presence of a miner<br />
during the whole of any working day when any<br />
good reason can be given for making such request.<br />
They claim that a miner is but an employe and<br />
that if the foreman thinks that the chamber is in<br />
THE <strong>COAL</strong> TRADE BULLETIN. 45<br />
a bad condition and requires the constant presence<br />
of an experienced man during the time when any<br />
one is working in the place, the foreman can<br />
order the miner to stay in the place and upon the<br />
refusal of the miner he may be discharged and<br />
have no redress.<br />
|| CONSTRUCTION and DEVELOPMENT. K<br />
A number of improvements are to be made at<br />
the Baggaley plant of the H. C. Frick Coke Co.<br />
They include a boiler house built of brick designed<br />
to accommodate at least seven boilers, each having<br />
a capacity of about 150-horse power. A new<br />
hoisting engine is also to be installed in a new<br />
engine room, the engine having a capacity of<br />
1,500-horse power. A new system of haulage will<br />
also be installed.<br />
The Norfolk & Western railroad has bought 25<br />
acres of land at Lambert's Point, near Norfolk.<br />
Va., for new coal piers to be the greatest in the<br />
world and from which the Berwind-White Coal<br />
Co. will ship upward of 1,000,000 tons of West<br />
Virginia Flat-Top coal a year. To haul this coal<br />
the Norfolk & Western has ordered 50 new freight<br />
engines and 6,000 new coal cars.<br />
Plans have been prepared for the enlargement<br />
of the coal washing plant of the Penn Gas Coal<br />
Co. at Marchands, Pa., to have a capacity of 400<br />
tons daily. Another part of the work will be<br />
the increasing of the coal conveying apparatus.<br />
It is the intention of the Penn company to build<br />
50 additional coke ovens in the near future.<br />
Among the new coke ovens to be built soon in<br />
Fayette county. Pa., is a block of 80 ovens to be<br />
added to the plant of the A. L. Keister Coke Co.<br />
at Waltersburg. The surveying is now being<br />
done for the new ovens.<br />
The Kaola Fuel Co. will erect a $40,000 plant at<br />
Everett, Wash., to manufacture coal briquettes.<br />
Big Coke Plant Changes Owners.<br />
The big coking plant of the United Coke & Gas<br />
Co.. at South Sharon, Pa., has been turned over<br />
to the Sharon Coke Co. The plant was erected<br />
by the American Coke & Gas Construction Co.,<br />
and cost $750,000. The Sharon Coke Co. has<br />
decided upon extensive improvements, which will<br />
include a new electric power house, a store house<br />
and a large engine room. The plant will be one<br />
of the most modern of the kind in the country.