Our coal problem - Salient features of U.S. Coal Commission's Report - 132 - Consulting Engineer - Columbus, Ohio - October 22, 1926

Sep 21, 2026

Our coal problem - Salient features of U.S. Coal Commission's Report compiles key fundamentals behind the United States coal crisis, using the Coal Commission’s extensive 2,719-page findings as its primary source. The work frames coal as essential to civilization, then details unavoidable and avoidable losses across production, mining, labor conditions, safety, wages, productivity, and transportation. It also analyzes consumer waste and transit losses, concluding with policy options to protect the public interest and address future deterioration.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

PART I

Public's Vital Interest

INTRODUCTION

PART II

Labor Situation

PART III

Cost Situation

PART IV

The Future

ILLUSTRATIONS

97-84137-25Wyer,Samuel S. Our coal problem Columbus,O. 1927 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIESPRESERVATION DIVISIONBIBLIOGRAPHIC MICROFORM TARGET ORIGINAL MATERIAL AS FILMED-EXISTING BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD 309 Z Wyer,Samuel S 1879- Box 245 Our coal problem;salient fentures of U.S.Coal commis-sion's Report,by Samuel S.Wyer…Columbus,O.,OhioChamber of commerce,1920.1927. 1 p.1.,2-30 p.illus.(map)diagrs.23m. 1.Coal trnde—U.8.1.U.s.Coal commission.Report ...1925.Ir.Titie. 27-7815 HD9546.A41925 b Library of Congress ONLyED (21 Reproductions may not be made without permission from Columbia University Libraries. RESTRICTIONS ON USE: TECHNICAL MICROFORM DATA FILM SIZE: 35mmREDUCTION RATIO: 10:/ IB IB IMAGE PLACEMENT:IA DATE FILMED: 7-8-97INITIALS: PB TRACKING\#: 25895 FILMED BY PRESERVATION RESOURCES,BETHLEHEM,PA. 队 308 Z OUR COAL PROBLEM SALIENT FEATURES OF U.s.COAL COMMISSION's REPORT 132 BY SAMUEL s.WYERCoNSULTING ENGINEERCoLUMBUs,OH1O PUBLISHED AND DI9TRIBUTEDBY OHIO CHAMBER OF CoMERCE145 EAST STATE STREETCoLUMBus,OHIO OCTOBER 22,1926REPRINTED JANUARY,6,1927 Dee 2o(b21A(mec TABLE OF CONTENTS # PART I PUBLIC's VITAL INTEREST 10 Avoidable and unavoidable losses 1 Civilization is built on eoal 11 Waste in anthracite mining 2 Insignifieance of substitutes for coal3 Definition of coal 12 Waste in bituminous mining 4 Growth of coal industry in theUnited States. 5 Who has available supply of world's coal 6 Coal production by states7 Where our eoal goes 8 Concentrated control of coal produc- tion 9 Mine workers'strategie poeition 13 Coal recovered and lost in mining Coal wasted by consumers15 Publie's interest 14 16 What the publie demands 17 Undesirability of strikes 18 Lack of publie confidenee 19 First step to protect publie interest 20 Outstanding ills of the coal industry # INTRODUCTION This is not a solution.It is prepared to give the laymenthe big fundamentals of our coal problem.The U.S.CoalCommission's 2,719 page report—the preparation of which costmore than a million dollars and copy of which may be obtainedby application to a Member of Congress—is the main source;page numbers cited thus:261 Panacea vendors are not needed now.What is needed isnot more fact digging but evaluation and diffusion of the factsthat are now available and the motivation of these into ournational-coal-problem-thinking. ……eufn Consulting Engineer Hartman Building Columbus,Ohio # PART II LABOR SITUATION Labor the major problem 2122232425262728 Characteristics of coal miners Age of mine workers Foreign born mine workers Literacy Naturalization of mine workers Number of mine workers Family status of mine workers Anthracite mine workers'living con- ditions 30 Bituminous mine workers'living con- ditions 31323334 Summary of miner's house leasesHome ownership and stability Company storesOceupational diseases 35 Hazards in anthracite miningHazards in bituminous mining 36 37 Coal mining fatality rates in various countries38 Safety education39 Labor turnover 40 Strength of unionism in various coalareas—May,1923 41 Working days in union and non-union states 42 Produetion per man per day by meth-od of mining in 192i 43 Productivity per man per day in-ereases with size of mine 44 Mining labor in the United Statescompared with foreign 45 Mining machines46 Mechanical loaders 47 Change in efficieney 48 Factors tending to decrease anthra-cite produetion per man 49 Unskiled labor limiting factor in an-thracite production 50 Future reduction in men needed forbituminous coal 51Better efficiency of labor needed52 Decline in hours worked by anthra-eite men 53 Men working more than eight hoursa day 54Labor conditions co

FAQs

What is the main source and purpose of the publication?

It uses the U.S. Coal Commission’s 2,719-page report as the main source. The purpose is to evaluate and disseminate available facts about the national coal problem rather than to produce a final solution.

What topics are covered in the labor situation section?

The section reviews coal miners’ characteristics, living conditions, hazards and fatality rates, safety education, labor turnover, union strength, working days, and productivity factors affecting anthracite and bituminous production.

How does the report approach future measures and government action?

It discusses how certain improvements may worsen the coal situation and outlines what government can do, including limits on new railroad connections, controlling car distribution, and addressing nationalization concerns and continuous fact-finding.

Sep 21, 2026

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