Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-02-25
"A REPRESENTATIVE LIAR
EMPHATIC TESTIMONY BEFORE THE
COAL STRIKE INVESTIGATORS

Two Operators Express Themselves Very
FoTo.bIy Regarding Hon. Legislator Ev-
ans-A Strike Imminent ON the c. u. q
q. by the Locomotive brotherhood.
HAzLEToN, Pa, Feb - The congression-
al committee inquiry was resumed Friday
morning. The first witness on the stand was
Thomas Campbell, of Freeland. His evil
dence related to the company store charges
for general merchandise He stated that the
company's store profits were 100 per cent
higher than that of cash stores in 1880. In
vestiyation showed profits in 1887 10 be from
20 to u per cent higher Later on he was
unable to give a positive rate OF profits. lie
was followed by Thomas A. Buckley, Of
FreelanI, who stated that he had followed
the occupation Of mining all his life. He
thought the corporations could pay better
wages. The average pay had dropped since
1881 to the present time from 50 81 per day
to about So per month, or about one-half
while mine supplies had been reduced less
than one-third.
A. FnTIep of the firm OF A. Pariee 81 Co.
was mex ON the stand. After ans wering a
number of unimportant qestions as to age,
length of time in business, etc, Mr.. Pardee
was requested to state the cause of the strike
in this region He believed tue strike TO have
been caused by agitators who had led the
men astray He stated that he had always
listened TO any grievance presented to him
by his own workmen, but would not pay at
tenton to leaders of organized labor. He
said elnphatically: ave do not recognize and
never will recognize these associations.
look upon the leaders as mischievous rascals
If our workmen by committee or person
ally came to us we would listen to
any grievance they might present,
but as a committee representing their
organization we would have nothing to do
with them" Pardre, just before closing his
testimony, called attention to the testimony
of Hon. ID. NJ. Evans, and branded it as
false aud misleading, pointing out the UNI
truths, and explaining the same for the BEN
eft OF the committee. The average rent
charged miners was So. Is per month, instead
of s. -, as stated by Evans.
Pardee said that the yearly pay during
1856 was SO" 5O0 in cash, besides what was
deducted from the miners pay for merchan-
disc, rent, etc. The cost of mining a ton of
coal is over 81. During July and August
last the average pay for miners was 81; COM
pany miners, Sll.5D per week; laborers,
from 50 | | to 80 "a per week; outside labor
ers, from 81 to ST. per day 9TH strike
was due, | suppose, to the fact that we
would not recognize the Knights of Labor
and Amalgamated association | have no
more objection to my employees joining labor
organizations than | have to them joining
the Methodist church"
Calvin Pardee was next called and was ex-
amined 10y Judge Parker. His testimony
was similar to that of his father, and in
some instances more direct to the point re-
garding Hon. D. NJ. Evans testimony. He
took occasion to state that although Evans
is tho representative from this region, he is
also the representative liar of the region"
A. B. McClelland of Drifton, one of the
managers of the Cross Creek Coal company,
and Mine Inspector Roderck, was called
upon. Their testimony was similar to that
Of the Pardees, and closed the evidence at
this place. The committee left here for
Mauch Chunk at 4:OS p m. Friday.
Evans testimony which was so emphatic
ally referred to by the above witnesses, was
in substance that the condition of the men in
the region was pitiable; they could not,
under the store system and the rates paid,
get enough to eat and wear. Some of the
miners never saw dollar in cash. The men
who lived right at the mines We're charged
81 10 ton for stove coal and were compelled
to pay for so much year whether they used
it or not. The company stores charged from
10 to Is per cent. more than the individual
stores, and many of the miners were practic-
ally compelled by necessity to buy their sup
plies at these stores.