1900 - Coalmininghistorypa.org

No. 11. BUREAU OF MINES. xxv
By referring to Table D, it will be seen that during the year 1881,
the total number of employes inside the Anthracite mines was 45,619,
of which 39,535, or 86.66 per cent, were miners and miners' laborers.
The same table shows that by 1890 the total number of employes
inside the mines had increased to 76,613. Of this number 47,550, or
02.07 per cent, were miners and miners' laborers.
The same table also shows that during the year 1900 there were
84,140 employes inside the mines. Of this number there were 61,445,
or 73.05 per cent, miners and their laborers.
The average number of inside employes for each year from 1881 to
L890 was 63,510, of which 44,906, or 70.71 per cent, were miners and
miners' laborers. The average number of inside employes for the
decade 1891 to 19(10 was 88,019, of which 58,206, or 00.13 per cent,
were miners and miners' laborers.
The increase in the number of inside employes from 1891 to 1900,
over that from 1SS1 to L890 was 21. 500, or 38.59 per cent. It will be
seen that the increase in
the number of miners and miners' laborers
has not kept pace proportionately with the increase of other inside
employes, as if it had, the average number of miners and miners'
laborers for the years from 189,1 to 1900 would have been 62,238 instead
of 58,206, which shows a loss of 1,032. This decrease in miners
and miners laborers, the actual producers of coal, indicates that the
4,032 have been added to the army of men who perform what is
termed "dead work."
Table D also shows that the average number of tons of coal produced
per life lost inside the mines for the year 1890 was 125,907,
while the average number of tons produced per life lost inside during
1900 was 139,246, an average increase of 13,339 tons per life lost
inside. This increased production per life lost inside the mines is a
better indication than anything I can say, as any person connected
with tin mining 1 of coal is aware, that the dangers pertaining to that
work are increasing each year.
By referring to Table D it will also be seen that the production of
anthracite coal
per average number of days worked by the breakers,
varied from L34,696 in 1881 to 312,219 tons for 1898, which year
shows the largest production per day of any year to date. The average
daily production by breakers for the ten years ending December
31, 1890 was 169,394 tons, while the average production per day for
the ten years ending December .".1, L900, was 269,960 tons, an average
increase of 100,500 tons per day worked in
the last decade.
This groat increase in the production of coal per day worked by
breakers is phenomenal, but it can be explained by the concentration
in the methods of preparation, improved machinery, (loser supervision
and inspection in the method of preparation, the economical
handling of coal while in process of preparation, and the great reduction
in the percentage of coal which formerly went to the dirt