Reports of the Inspectors of Mines of the anthracite coal regions of ...

63 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
Basis of Wages in the Mines for 1875.
The average wages for miners and mine labor upon tlie average price of
coal per ton at Port Carbon during the year, taken as a general standard
for Schuylkill county, the average number of days worked by the miners
is estimated at 28 weeks during the year, the basis being fixed at $2 50 per
ton, giving the miner per week, $ ; the laborer in the mine, $ ;
and tlie outside laborer, $ per week. The average price of coal for the
year round is based at per ton.
To a miner per week, $ ; he earns for the year round $
To a laborer per week, $ ; he earns for the year round
Outside labor per week, $ ; he earns for the year round
Gross earnings for the miner the whole 3'ear, estimated $
Average expenses for the same, estimated
Net balance to his account for the year, estimated
Gross earnings for a laborer for the year, estimated ,
"
Average expenses for the same, estimated
Net balance to his account for the year, estimated
$
Gross earnings of outside laborer for the year, estimated $
Average expenses for the same, estimated .,
Net balance to his account for the year, estimated
Net balance to a miner for a full year's work would be
Net balance to a mine laborer for a full year's work would be. . . .
$
Net balance to outside laborer for a full year's work would be. .
.
.
The loss, by the condition of the coal trade, to the laboring classes is
very great.
The colliery is now in active operation, the yield is large in quantity and
excellent in quality, and the territory very extensive. The J) or Skidmore
and Lykens Valley veins are not yet penetrated, they underly the E or
Mammoth vein.
The State of the Coal Trade.
The coal shipments from Dauphin, Columbia and Northumberland collieries
continued steacjy all through the season without any hindrance from
strikes and consequently commanded a large custom at home and abroad at
a reasonable profit, while the collieries of Schuylkill county were practically
idle until the 23d of June. Neither repairs or dead work had been permitted
during this time, the miners holding out a hope that as the season
advanced the trade of a necessity would demand a resumption, but in this
they were disappointed, and not until the force of necessity overruled the
case did resumption take place. The Philadelphia and Reading Coal and
Iron Company taking the matter of a general resumption in their own hands,
and at their own terms did it come to an end. The miners had been evidently
discouraged, accepted the operators terms with a becoming dignity,
but were well nigh exhausted.
The mines were at once manned for work, and in doing so the conditions
of the mines in many respects were not as safe as should be. The anxiety
of the men to resume work and make amends for lost time was very apparent,
and consequently they were not so circumspect about their safety as
should be. While many of the miners were absent at work elsewhere their
places were supplied by unskilled or new men. A careful review of the
lists of casualties will warrant this view of the case, as the accidents are
nearly iourfold greater in the latter months of the year, even in the counties
where the work had been continued, as will be seen by the followingstatement
: