Report of the Bureau of Mines of the Department of Internal Affairs of ...

xiv INTRODUCTORY TO Off. Doc.
something about the uumber of uative boiii
aud the number of foreign
born men employed in
the mines of this State, I inquired of the
several mine superintendents as to the number of men employed,
the number of uative born, the number of naturalized citizens and
the number of aliens, with the following result:
Number of employes in 150 anthracite mines from which
returns have been received, 59,823
Of these there were native born, 23,402
Naturalized citizens, 13,561
Aliens, 22,860
Returns from 400 Bituminous Mines Show:
Number of employes, 59,903
Native born, 23,675
Naturalized citizens, 14,691
Aliens, 21,537
It will be noticed from the above figures that according to the
number employed in the anthracite and bituminous regions, the number
of native born, naturalized citizens and aliens is nearer alike than
perhaps would have been believed, and while it is true that the demand
of the market could be supplied with many less men, it is also
true that the production of coal is largely dependent on the so-called
foreign element. Referring to the demand for coal it will be noticed
that the production of anthracite for 1897 has decreased 1,126,
!)?(> gross tons, (he cause of which I am not prepared to state, unlfss
it may be that the cheaper bituminous coal is superseding it, and
this is apparently true, for while the production of anthracite has decreased,
the production of bituminous has increased 4,400,016 net
tons, notwithstanding the prolonged strike in the western i>art of the
State. I do not know whether the tonnage would have been still
farther increased over those figures had there been no strike,
but T
do know that those engaged in the strike could not have been compensated
for the misery, trouble and hardships endured by themselves
and families during the [)eriod of its existence, even if it had
been successful in the end. It is fair to assume that the demand
for coal was fully supplied. It showed, as has already been stated,
that there were too many mines and too many men engaged in
business, and this perhaps is the greatest reason for the sutfering
and discontent amongst the miners in the State, and not because the
miner does not get enough for his work under existing conditions, bul
because he cannot get the work to do. It is difficult to prescribe a
remedy for these conditions. Greater minds than mine have tried
to solve it «nd failed. What is, and has always appeared (o me to
be a i)roper coui-sc (o pmsuc. is
ihe
for the ambitious man to rise above
those conditions. Tie sIkmiM not think that because he was born a
minci' he cannot do sonicMiiiig else. He should lake advantage of