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Review of Coal and Iron Trade 1876
Researched by John Lumsdon
The present year has been a period of anxiety to most persons engaged in the coal and iron trade; and none have escaped without much annoyance and in many cases suffering heavy and severe losses. The year commenced with a great depression in trade and in some parts of England heavy failures were reported; ironworks were stopped and pits closed, and thousands of iron workers and colliers were thrown out of employment and the poor men and their families had to suffer great privation in consequence. As might be expected under such circumstances many different opinions were expressed both from the platform and through the press. Some believed that our trade would take to itself wings and fly away, or go hence and be no more. Others said that if we intended to keep our trade or bring back that which we had lost, the workmen would have to work longer hours and produce a greater quantity of a commodity that could not be disposed of only at ruinous prices.
As time went on things changed a little for the better; buyers would clear out their stocks, and run themselves clear out of iron of all kinds; and having sold out, they must either renew their stocks or close their establishments, and a few orders would be given out, furnaces would be re-lighted, and willing hands set to work again; and a little money would be earned and hungry bellies would be filled. Iron manufacturers and iron merchants have had no confidence all this year. Iron makers would not sell large quantities of iron at low prises and merchants were continually expecting that they would be able to purchase iron upon easier terms; and things had gone on from hand to mouth for 12 months, and now it is believed on all hands that we have reached the bottom, and things are taking a turn for the better. Let us hope we will not be disappointed.
No. 3 pig iron has been sold in the Cleveland district at 41s 6p per ton during the present year; but it is a little higher at the present time, and the markets are said to be getting firmer. The coal trade has been unsettled and prices have been very unsteady; but every change has been a little against the producers. Competition has been keen, and prices have been run down to the lowest point. Order seekers are sent out to get orders, and they are expected to sell; and, when the markets are against them, they are tempered to reduce prices, and they yield to what they consider invertible; but the time comes when they must stop; and as we have just stated, they have, we think, touched the bottom at last, and the next alteration will be upward.
Trade Unionism
The present year has been atesting time for trade unions. Every alteration that has taken place in connection with miners’ wages has been a drop and nothing can be more annoying to a working man than a reduction of wages. Working men, at their best, have never anything to spare and when reductions are made in their wages they know that some necessity of life will have to be given up. The Sunday dinner must be less expensive and boots and other kinds of clothing must be worn longer, and patched a little more; in fact the poor man’s social position is made worse just in proportion as his wages are reduced; and to tell him that to give up a portion of his wages is a benefit to him and his family, is as unreasonable, in his opinion, as to try to make him believe that, the less he eats and the harder he works, the stronger he will be and the longer he will live.
The working man’s social position is far too low at the present time. It is our business to meet large numbers of miners’ several times a week in various parts of our district, and we can see the marked difference in their external appearance, their clothing is getting seedy and their faces are not so full and their countenances are not so cheerful as they were 3 years ago. Much has been said and written about the miners’ being no better off with high wages than they are with low wage, such twaddle will not do; it may be pleasing to the wage-payer to read such rot, but it is all bosh. Miners’ have to work hard and the old saying is, and it is as true today as it was when our grandfathers were babies, strength goes in at the mouth. We know that people will tell us that weakness goes it at the mouth also; but we are speaking about good food for the belly and plenty of clothing for the back and working men must have these necessaries, or else the time will come when hard work cannot be done.
Let the working colliers and iron-workers be well paid for the arduous and exhaustive toil and old England will hold its own against all foreign competition; but if wages are kept down, and food dear and rents high and taxes heavy, the constitution of our workmen will become weaker and their physical strength will decay and their muscular activity will be less active and our productive power decreased. Colliers are not well paid now but they are badly paid and their means of subsistence is too limited. Working men are not treated with that consideration and liberality which their position demands.
We know that seven out of every ten of the mining population have been coerced into the society of vegetarians. The last reduction of wages could not be avoided, but it was hard upon the colliers. All well regulated families had cut down their expenses to the very lowest point compatible with health and strength before the reduction of wages in May last, but when that last reduction came it upset their arrangements, it deprived thousands of poor, hard working men of their meat dinner and the consequences have been serious.
Wages at the commencement of this year were not to high and we had a fond hope that no alteration in the trade would bring down the wages of the colliers, as they were low enough and ought not to be reduced any lower; but the change did come and we were obliged to accept the inevitable. It was our opinion in May last and we have not seen any reason, that a reduction in miners’ wages would not relive the trade. It did not relive the trade; it no doubt averted a strike and we kept the little trade we had in our district; but the general reduction of wages last summer was a mistake, it did the employers no good and it was unfair to the miners’ every where. We think we are right in saying that the present year has been a trying time, many old establishments have gone down and a number of new-blown bubbles have burst and many persons have had to suffer.Reductions of wages and slackness in trade have had a withering influenceover the mining population and their societies have had to suffer in consequence.
Simple minded men have taken too much notice of what a many blind guides have had to say. Shallow headed and inexperienced persons found plenty to do a few months ago. The miners considered they were being imposed upon, and any person or persons who would pour out their declamations, and anathematise those persons who persuaded the colliers to act wisely, were looked up to with great respect and considered to be the miners’ best friends.
A general strike was considered to be the panacea for all the evils that the miners complained of; but the old leaders had seen that kind of thing tried upon many occasions, but instead of giving relief it inflicted greater pain and made fearful havoc amongst the miners’ and their families. For several weeks during the last summer small talkers and street babblers had grand times, they found a ready and quick sale for their wares, they soon sold out and it is likely they did not seek a fresh supply. The pills they offered were sugar coated, sweet at the outside but poisonous on the inside. They were the extract of henbone and nightshade and thousands were destroyed by the use of them. But a few who had strong constitutions recovered from the evil effects of those deadly poisons; and hundreds could not be persuaded to try them at all. It makes us laugh sometimes when we take a retrospective view, and cast our mind’s eye back to the time when so many orators took to the stump when sugar-cane was called aloes and aloes was called sugar-cane but the words of the immortal bard were true when he said:-
Call a flower by any other name, and it will smell as sweet.
Our association at the commencement of this year was in good condition; its trunk was thick, and its beautiful branches were spreading wide and its leaves were always green;
The fragrance of its blossom was delightful, and its fruit getting bigger and richer, more delicious and nutritious every month; but alas! The foxes found it out, but we have one thing to be thankful for, and that is this – the worms never touched its core. Its heart is now sound; and should the sun of prosperity favour it with its warming and refreshing influences, it will soon regain its old strength, and become a greater power for the good in the future than it ever was in the past.
Much as its productive power has been decreased, we have been able to meet the claims of our widows and fatherless children, nearly 60 poor women and nearly 100 children, who have been bereaved of their husbands and fathers, are now in receipt of a weekly allowance, varying from 4s to 9s per week, according to the number of children. Is not this a good institution? It is not worthy of being supported by every miner in North Staffordshire? No doubt, when the knife was so skilfully applied, it was done with the intention to prune the tree, but only shows how careful inexperience ought to be when they take upon themselves to try to improve a good thing. This good old tree has stood many a storm; its wide spreading branches have sheltered hundreds and have exposed none. Its fruit has made thousandsof meals for the widows and the orphans. It has smoothed many sorrows and wiped away many a widow’s tear. And surly all miners’ ought to be identified with the association.
Miners’ Affairs Generally
The miners’ are subject to many changes in their circumstances which make sudden and often great changes in their social position. Accidents in mines are taking place continually. Over 1.000 miners’ are killed annually and 12.000 are lamed every year. Our number of widows has increased since January last, which is a sure proof that some miners, who were amongst us this time last year, have been removed from us, never more to return, several whom we were well acquainted with have died, some from natural causes, and others have died prematurely through accidents in the mine. Old Christmas has come and gone once more. At many a cottage fire-side will be seen the “vacant chair,” and hundreds of tears of sorrow will have been shed by the widow and the fatherless; but all who have an interest in our association will have support according to rule, which will be a grand boon to them, and assist them to struggle on. All miners’ ought to join our association, there is nothing better. No society can do more for its members than our association has done for all those who are identified with it.
Accidents in Mines
In our district we have not had so many fatal accidents as we had for several years previous.
Up to this date we have not had many explosions, and when we take into consideration the great depth of many of our pits, and the large amount of gas that is being given off continually (but rendered harmless by good ventilation) we can only come to one conclusion, and that is our mines are well inspected and well managed. We do not hear so many complaints about bad ventilation as we did two or three years ago, which proves to us most conclusively that the ventilation is very much improved; and the powder smoke does not hang in the working places as it used to hang. We believe that we have a good staff of managers in North Staffordshire; and we trust that, with strict discipline on the part of the under-viewer and their firemen, as well as the increased intelligence and carefulness of their workmen, explosions will be numbered amongst the evils of the past. We thought we would get through this year without having one of those dreadful catastrophes which so often result in great loss in human life but we have not been able to do so.
On Monday the 18th inst, a dreadful explosion took place at Aberillery near Newport, Monmouthshire, and is expected to result in the loss of at leased 40 precious lives. Surely, this should act as a warning to everyone interested in mining operations – from the highest official to the lowest paid workman. Explosions can be prevented. We have seldom known an explosion that has from some neglect, over-site or negligence on the part of some person. We know that it is quite possible to become habituated to great danger, and no doubt, such a habit obtains in our district; but we think, nay, we are sure, that the habitual caution could be exercised by everyone that works underground that they would try acquiring the habit of a little forethought. And it is the imperative duty of all underground workmen to be as careful at all times and under all circumstances, for it is well known that the old dangers always exist and the least neglect or recklessness may result in a great sacrifice of human life.
Our Future Prospects
As far as we are able to judge, times are likely to improve, and the British workmen will soon have their social comforts increased. If the Eastern question can be amicably arranged without any more blood being shed, and the vexed questions as to who shall be the next Chief Magistrate of the United States of America get settled, we may expect a good trade. The improvement may be slow, but it is sure to come. We shall have more work, better wages, and cheaper beef and other kinds of butcher’s meat. Good beef is now being imported in large quantities and our markets have been affected already;and we trust the time is not too far distant when the colliers and all other working men will have plenty of work to do and good wages. We have had a whole year of complaining, but it is a long lane that has no turning.
Our association must be made stronger by every collier joining our union; if this is done, we shall be able to ask for and demand our fair share to the improvement in the state of trade. Five years ago we found that long contracts had been entered into at ruinous prices, but it is not so now, and the first advance in the price of coal will entitle the workmen to an advance in wages. All miners are in duty bound to be in union, and England expects every man to do his duty.
William Brown, miners’ agent December 28th 1876.