Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-02-17
A READING OFFICIAL
TELLS HOW THE COLLIERIBs ARB CON
QUOTED @
Manager Whitney Tssh6ss Before tha investigating
Conmttss-Hs Makes q Coed Case for
His Company An
nual Output

PHILADELPHIA, February 16.-The in.
quiry of the Congressional Committee ap-
pointed to investigate the strike on the
Reading Railroad and in the Schuylkill
aud Lehigh coal regions was resumed thin
morning With Gebersl Manager A. b
Whitney, Of the Reading coal and iron
company as the first witness. Mr.. Whit.
ney, in answer to vcrious inquiries entered
into statistical information in relation ID
the coal output of the Anthracite region,
said that the total production in 1885 was
81. 764, coo tons and in 1887 was over 81,
OOO, ,OO0 The increase has gradual'
ly increased to these figure
from $4,000, 900 tons in 1882
The output of the Schuylkill region was
10, 240, 600 tons in 1883 and 1881, ,407 in
1886. For 1887 it was about $500, 00C
tons. In quoting tons he meant 2,24C
pounds. He could not say how many
cabic feet of coal in the mines solid were
required to make ton of coal, but ap,
proximstely from 800 to ! 900 tons are got,
ten from. square acre foot thick.
When asked whether he could explain to
the committee how it was that the wagons
into which the coal is measured for the
miners were OF various sizes, and what
basis there is for the claim that the miners
are unfairly dealt with in this way, he re-
piled that there had been no such charges
made at the Reading Coal and Iron Com
pany's mines. The wagons or cars were Of
several sizes, but were uniform in measure,
and there was no foundation for such COM
plaint so far as his company is concerned.
Returning to figures, lie said that his
company operated forty-fve collieries,
eleven of which were leased. In 1887 the
output of the leased collieries was 1,169,-
600 tons, and Of those owned by the COM
pany, 5, 110, 161. The most productive by
the collieries were owned by the company,
one turning out 43i,C9 tons last year.
The best Of the leased collieries produced
10000 tons in the same year. He had
nothing TO do with selling the coal, and
knew nothing of it after it left the mines.
He did not know, Of his owu knowledge,
whether there had been a gradual it,
crease in the price of coal since Septem-
Der last. The witness did not think
that the Coal and Iron Company owned
any property outside its coal territory ex.
cept some iron ore beds in Cumberland
county and IN New York. He did not
think that they owned tie collieries which
conveyed the coal to various ports from
tide water. These, he understood, were
owned by the railroad company.
Whsk;Hr, H. H. -
the story of the miners strike. He said
that the first uneasiness Of the miners was
apparent when the trouble arose with the
railroad men, who were members of the
same or similar orders of labor oIganiza-
tions, principally the K. of L.
Manager Whitney then detailed at length
the story of the miners strike and its causes.
He said he advised them to continue at
work after January l, at which time the
agreement for the 8 per cent. advance ter
minated, as he believed that when the
company should be taken out of the bands
OF receivers the new management would do
the fair thing by them. The Reading
miners were receiving better pay than the
I.ehigh miners. In answer TO question
from Mr.. Anderson the witness said that
the reason the company did not wish to
continue the advance OF keep in force the
contract after January ! was that it was
proposed after that to change the entire
syttem, which was not considered good
one.
Mr.. Whitney continued "The coal
company owns the houses at the mines as
q general thing, but there haye been no
evictons. The houses rent from So q
month to $l2, Some of them cost $500,
Others $l,l0O. The latter rent for $l2.
The former for 49, The company has nc
store, does not collect from its miners for
orders, priests or taxes, or anything else. "
Witness said his company had not tried
to fill the strikers places, because it wanted
its old men shack. He believed their
necessities would force them to yield. In
making the allotments Of production, the
consumer Of coal was not considered.