The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-04-17
CLOSE OF THE
INVESTIGATION.
Legislative Committee Work Finished In
Shenandoah and Mahanoy City.
THE MEMBERS GO TO THEIR HOMES
This Mornings Session in Mahanoy City
Was a short and Unimportant One.
shamokin VIII Probably be
the Next Point For In
vestigaHon

Shenandoah and Mahanoy City and the inn
mediate vicinities and the members Of the
commission have departed for their homes.
No announcement has been made AS to what
the next program will be- Chairman Mere
dith was under the impression chat the next
place to be visited would be shamokin, but
after hearing that Ashland was a mining town
in which none, or very few, Of the Polish,
Lithuanian and Hungarian people are em-
ployed, he said it was possible the committee
would extend its investigation to that point
It is believed that the committee has per-
formed most of the work it is called upon to
perform under its appointment The chair
man says he cannot devote more than ten
days more to it, as he has important home
business to look after, so that tits quite likely
that the committee will visit Shamokin dur
ing the latter part Of next week and tLen
proceed to make up its report
In conversation yesterday some Of the
commission stated that they believed some
thing Of benefit would result from their in-
vestigation, but they were not prepared to
say just what they had In view subse.
quently one Of them dropped few remarks,
however, that leads to the conclusion that
the benefit referred to will be a recommends
tion by the commission to the State Senate
that Congress bo urged o provide means for
a greater restriction ON immigration. This
the member conceded is not such measure
as will bring immediate relief, but it is about
all the commission sees thus far within its
scope of authority
After concluding its work here yesterday
four members Of the commission went to the
Elangowan mines as the guests Of District
Superintendent william Broughall The fifth
mem ber Representative Roberts, went to
Tamaqua to visit his father The trip
through the Ellangowan workings proved
very interesting to the commission Super
intendent Broughall furnished the party
with rubber coats and boots and mining
caps, and at the head of the Shaft ex-Repre-
sentative Brennan handed each visitor a
mining lamp. He called each Senator and
Representative by name as he handed the
lamps and they were at lose to know how
ne knew each one so well, as they failed to
recognize their ex-colleague in mining clothes
and with blackened face. When they learned
it was Brennan there was a cordial exchange
of greetings. The party decended the shaft
and Travelled 20 the new underground
slope, when they descended to the bottom
lift in car They then travelled through
tumouts, tunnels and gangways until chute
r in which a miner aud laborer were at work,
and the face of gaugway were reached The
operations were explained and after the latter
place had been examined before and after
firing a shot the party returned to the sur
face. After a short rest at Superintendent
Broughall's comfortable home the party re-
sumed the journey to Mahanoy City in the
carriages in waiting
MAHANoY CITY, April, 1.-THE Miners
Investigation Committee opened the session
this morning, at O'clock in the parlor of
the Mansion House. The witnesses, mine
officials and company clerks, gave evidence
of an Unsatisfactory character. Little, OF
nothing, was learned in addition to what has
already been given. The session lasted half
an hour and was followed by short execu-
tive session, which closed the work Of the
committee in town.
CHARLES e. BUTLER,
Bookkeeper at Lentz, Lilly Co.'s Park
Place collieries, was the first witness He
failed to bring book aud papers, rs directed
by the committee. saying they were not his
property and the manager who has charge Of
them is out Of town. The miners under his
company earn from $40 to $50 every two
weeks.
EDWARD REESE
Park Place, superintendent of the Park
Place and Springdale collieries, said he didn't
have control of the books and papers and
couldn't bring them. He could not say what
it cost to place ton of coal in the car under
the breaker The miners in his district earn
from $40 TO $50 every two weeks
Rees Tasker, superintendent of the Maha-
noy City division for the p & r. c. & 1. Co.
also failed to bring books and papers He
had knowledge of the cost Of putting car of
coal under the breaker but was otat liberty
to state it.
The committee at this point decided that it
was useless to ask the local superintendents
this question. Chairman stated that the OBJ
iect of tho committee in subpoenaing these
officials was to ascertain the cost Of ton of
coal under the breaker, but was denied this
information aud the only hope Of getting 10
was 10 subpoena The higher officials, which
will be done
GustaVus n. Blew, clerk IN the Office of
Division Superintendent Tasker, testified
that coal is sold to local individuals at the
following prices Broken, 81 so per ton egg,
81 stove So chestnut, s. 80 pea, sl.30
buekwheat, s5 cents; rice, 50 cents. Minors
get coal somewhat cheaper
WILLIAM LATTI1fORE,
Bookkeeper for the Mill Creek Coal Com
pany, failed to respond to the call Of hi.
name.
WILLIAM II. RICHARDS,
superintendent of the p. & X. collienes in
the Mahanoy district, had nothing new t,
impart.
JOHN SHEATH
Stated that he was formerly r. & r. division
superintendent, but is now employed as
general laborer. He said he had no definit,
information of destitution and want existing
in Mahanoy City, but judged there are be
tween 700 and 800 people in very poor cir
cumsances He gave the rate Of wages foi
inside aud outside labor.
ELMER EVANS,
OF Hazleton, superintendent at the Morei
colliery, said he couldn't give the cost o
putting q ton Of coal under the breaker III,
didn't have the books o. papers of the col
liery with him. They are not his property