The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-04-16
Give Their Version Of the Present Condition Of Affairs and
the Causes Therefor.
HEARING PROVED AFAILURE
This the Opinion Generally Expressed Those
of the Proceeded to Ma
hanOy City in Carriages Stopping the Enangowan
coliery the Way-rany witnesses
Subpoenaed to Appear.

The Miners Investigating Committee ar.
rived here this morning, and resumed it;
work in the Ferguson House parlors. The
hour set for the hearing, 9 o'clock, found
very few around the corridors of the hotel,
and stranger would never have suspected
that an investigation of such Importance was
under way. The committee was slow in
getting down to business and it was $3.50
before they called the witnesses and repre-
sentatives of the press into their quarters,
and began the work of probing into the con
dition Of the mine workers of Shenandoah
and vicinity.
A member of the Commission is authority
for the statement that they will hold another
short session in Mahanoy City tomorrow
morning, for the purpose Of giving those
witnesses who were subpoenaed, but failed to
appear before the committee, another oppor-
tunity to give the commission the benefit of
their knowledge as to the present condition
of things in this part Of the coal region. The
committee expects to conclude its investiga-
tioD in time to submit its report to the Legis
lature by the 18th of May, as provided by a
resolution passed by the Legislature, The
resolution as passed originally. creating the
commission, fixed April 18th as the date on
which a report should be made, but this has
been subsequently changed to the former
date-May 18TH.
Senator Coyle accompanied the committee
to this town and during the hearing pro
pounded questions to the witnesses, mostly
bearing upon the cost of putting a ton of
coal in the cars, and the Senator requested
that General Manager R. c. Luther, of Potts
vile, be subpoenaed to furnish this informa-
ton.
Justice NJ, J. Lawlor gave the committee
an intelligent view of the situation and the
causes, but failed to see what the committee
could do to relieve the distressed condition of
the miners.
The session was a short one and failed to
develop anything in addition to what the
committee had learned at MahanOy City. In
a sense it may be termed failure, as one of
the chief objects was to get from District
SuperinteAdents Broughall and Badigan the
cost Of putting coal into the cars under the
breaker The object of this line of examina-
tiOn was to compare the figures with the cost
of bituminous, and, after comparison Of
both with the figures Of sales agents, show
the profits made by the carriers. Messrs.
Broughall and Bradigan failed to give
this information, and no other new mat
ter was brought out. The results of the
session emphasized the opinion already gem
orally expressed, that the investigating COM
mittee can do nothing that will better the
situation,
At 1880 this morning, after the committee
had been in session about two hoprs, the list
of witnesses subpoonaed was exhausted and
Chairman Meredith declared an adjourn
ment.
Duringa subsequent social intercourse the
committee accepted the invitation of District
Superintendent Broughall to visit the work
ings Of the Ellangowan colliery and after the
committee dined at the Ferguson House
carriages were ordered to the hotel and the
committee started for the colliery.
Before leaving Chairman Meredith stated
that the COMMITTEES had concluded It's labors
here and would prooesd in the carriages from
EllangoWan to Mahanoy City and remain at
the latter place tonight At nine o'clock to-
morrow morning the committee viii open the
final session at Mahanoy City for the purpose
Of taking the testimony of clerks and super
intendents to try and get the information
that was sought Of supeFintendents BFough-
all and Bradigan. It is expected that the
attempts will be as fruitless as those made
here
1t is impossible at this time to state what
part Of the region the committee will next
visit The members will START for their
homes tomorrow, at about noon.
Many Of the witnesses subpoenaed by the
Sergeant-at-Arms, failed to put in an appear
ance.
REV. C. w. VAN FOssEN,
Pastor All Saints church, the first witness
called, testified that there was much destitu-
ton and want in the town. More this year
than last year. lattrihute tho condition to
slack work,
REV. ROBERT o'B0YLE, o
Pastor of the Trinity Reformed church, was
the second witness and also gave testimony
similar to that given by the preceding wit
ness. The destitutiOn, he said is greater now
than at any time during his residence of six
years in tho town. The people are willing to
work, but can't get it.
REV. T. MAXWELL MORRISON,
pastor Of the First Presbyterian church, was
next called and gave evidence Of the distress
in the borough. / attribute the condition to
a lack Of work.
PATRICK COMFY,
Health officer, called. Testified 10 the des-
tituton and want he came in contact with as
Health Officer and member Of the relief com
mittee which assisted about 700 people. /
attribute the condition of affairs to lack Of
work have no idea as to what the Legis-
lature could do to relieve the state Of affairs,