The foregoing table is subdivided so as to show the occupations
engaged in by persons native-born of native father; by persons native-
born of foreign father, classified by country of birth of father; and by
foreign-born persons, classified by race. The totals of the table show
that information concerning their occupation in the coal and coke
industry of the Middle West was secured from 761 persons who were
under 18 years of age. Of the total number reporting, 370 are coal
miners, 204 are trappers, 32 are mine laborers, 28 are pick miners, and
the rest are engaged in smaller numbers in the various occupations
around the mines. The division according to age is as follows: Ten
were 14, 48 were 15, 265 were 16, and 438 were 17 years of age, show-
ing that the number of very young boys working in the mines is small,
58 reporting their age to be 14 or 15, as compared with 703 who were
16 or 17 years old. Of the 10 who reported their age as 14, 6 are
native-born of native father, 2 are native-born of English father, 1
native-born of Welsh father, and 1 is native-born of German father.
The 48 reporting their age as 15 years are also native-born. A list
of the occupations entered shows that 743 individuals out of the num-
ber reporting are engaged in underground work, as compared with 18
who are employed on top or outside the mine; 413 are pieceworkers,
being paid according to the amount of coal produced, and 348 receive
a specified daily wage.
It may be well to explain the four occupations which the greatest
number of persons shown in the above table have entered. In coal
mining it is the universal custom for two miners to occupy one room
or working place. Often a father or older brother will take some
younger member of the family as a working mate to do the loading
and such work as requires no particular skill. This accounts for the
large number in the above table shown as coal miners. In order to
insure perfect ventilation in the mines, certain doors are necessary in
the entries and haulage ways to control the currents of air. The
duties of a trapper are to open these doors to allow mules or motor
trips to pass, and to see that they are properly closed. This work is
very light and, in consequence, the position is nearly always given to
a boy, as the wage paid for this work is not sufficient to attract older
men. Those shown in the table as mine laborers are general laborers
having no designated occupation, and are moved from one piece of
work to another as their services may be required. It will be observed
that of the 32 engaged in this occupation, 24 are 17 years old, and 8
are 16. This work is harder than that of a trapper and, in conse-
quence, no very young boys are employed. In the majority of mines
in the Middle West, the coal is mined by machinery, but in certain
mines, on account of adverse conditions, it is impossible to use mining
machinery, and consequently mining has to be done by pick work.
A pick miner receives a higher rate of pay than one who shoots and
loads after a machine, as the position demands a higher degree of skill.
For this reason many of the older miners take their younger sons
into the mine to act as assistants or apprentices, which accounts for
the number of young men and boys found in this occupation.