The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-04-30


@: What was paid out from Dec 1, 1895, tc
/ April T. 1892
A. In 1896 s8Ois.oi7.ss for the first foui
months beginning Dec ist.
@. Can you give this committee the
April l. 1872
A. 81. .490 OBS, 90
Q A falling OIL of how much
a. falling of of S522 600
/ O. Do you know whether the individual
companies have had "a falling oTY
A. l imagine they have.
Senator Haines: Can you give the proper
tionate number Of each nationality employed
by your company
A. Yes to the end of the year s96 we had
2s360 employees 5.s3s Americans, 1,700
English, COPS Irish, 3.207 Germans 16s
Scotch, ,O37 Welsh, g sos Poles g, 1sO Huns.
I2ll Italians, of which 12.0OO were foreign
born. In 1892 there were Is per cent. Amer
leans. In 1890 there were % per cent, while
the English, Irish and Germans have fallen
off,
Senator Meredith Can you give the aver
age earnings of contract miners per month
A. Last year, about $40 was the average
2. Can You give us the price paid on CON
tract work per wagon or yard
a. No. sir Mr.. Veith will give that
q When you say the cost is 81 D5 O. 10 per
ton, do You mean any particular size?
A. | mean every ton We average it by
the total cost Of mining for the year with
the total number of tons shipped
@. Would the price of stove coal show
larger amount
A. Yes, sir very much.
@. How is the coal in the anthracite region
miued-by a combination?
A. | don't understand you?
Q. Is the output of coal controlled
A. ] can't tell you; know nothing further
than my own end Of the business
O. Is 1t not under combination?
A. don't know Of any combination
q. Isn't there an arrangement for an
allotment?
A. Yes
Q. Do you regard that allotment benefit
to the company, or miners2
A. To both. If it were removed and
everybody should start in to-day we would
have to shut down entirely within ten days.
Q. IL has been alleged that if coal was sold
at tidewater at 81 per ton less there would be
a greater consumption
A. That would affect the miners and the
company to a greater extent.
Mr., Luther said he did not think bitumin-
Gus coal competed seriously with anthracite
n other sizes than steamboat, but he professed
very little knowledge ON the subject of btu
minOus coal.
Q. Have you fund for the benefit of
widows and injured miners?
A. Yes. Referring to papers) Our fund
was started many years ago by the company
contributing $4,000 in bonds, the interest
from which was applied to the fund Contri-
buttons were then made by each of the
Workmen. Last year. 1896. that fund owed
the company for advances 81, PIP, which had
been paid out in excess to amounts received
he disbursements for the year amounted to
about Sll5,2l4 and the receipts to about
Sl2b,OOO, and the balance reduced the amount
due the company for advances to about S125.-
600. The men are not compelled to contribute
to the fund, but they generally do it, They
pay 80 cents per month.
J.. c. M'GINNGss.
of Frackville, superintendent of Cambridge
cOlliery, Shenandoah was called and said the .
colliery produced about 10000 tons of coal
last year, but during the last three months
had shipped only between 1000 and 5000
tons. He said he was only subpOeuaed last
night and had no time to prepare but prom
ised to forward the committee a written
statement showing rates of wages, cost of
producing ton Of coal, cost Of supplies etc
W. o. DAVIS,
POttsville, agent for the Lehigh Valley Coal
Company, was on the stand but a few min
utes because he could give no information as
to the condition of the mines, cost Of mining
coal, etc.
JOHN vETTH,
mining superintendent for the p. ar. C. 81. /
GNst l1olAtlNh llltl nc udo nupCIN l5lUn Oh all
the mining done by the company at all the |.
collieries, Of which As are running He said |
Mr. Luther had given all the information
that could be given, correct and fully.
Q, What is the average price paid by con
tract per wagon or yard
A. The average Is rs to so cents. In some
places from 80 up TO SIPS per wagon and /.
about the same per yard. In some places the /
price is 50 to Sll per yard, according to the
work and condition Of the vein
Q Are the wages paid now by the COM
pany the same as paid the men years ago
A. The same to my knowledge as for the
last % years. Asa rule there has been no
reduction or advance.
JOHN INQUIRE,
Pottsyile, mine inspector for the p. & r. @.
& |. Co., said the condition of the mines in
his district was favorable and said mine in
spection was a benefit to the owners and
miners.
Al this point Representative Orme asked
permission to address questions to the wit
ness, but was directed 10 put his questions in
writing. He was evidently displeased with the
ruling and left the room after being allowed
to put two questions verbally. They called
forth this answer from Inspector Mcclure
The highest price paid outside labor at the
mines is $50 OF $40 per month and the lowest
s. or 50 per week,
A. W. sHAEFFER,
LOUISVILLE mining engineer IN charge OF the
Lawrence colliery, Frackville said the rate
Of wages paid there are the same as paid by
the p. & r. c. & !. Co. and for the last two
weeks of March S. 72O16 was distributed
among about 400 men.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
James Archibald, Of Minersville connected
with the Albright Coal Co., was the first wit
ness. Had no company store charged So per
month for double house cost S140O to build
IL knew Of no destitutiou.
Poor Director Middleton testified that out
door relief was increased 25 per cent. in the
last four months. Paid out Sll, 600 since
January first, mostly in the coal region. I'm
his district the farmers only received $50 Of
the $4,000 and over paid out, the balance was
paid to miners. Clerk John Gressang cor
roborated this testimony and said S36, 600
had been paid out as relief last year
Michael Develin of st. Clair, district
superintendent, and William Sauerbury. of
St. Nicholas, testified as to wages paid
Joseph Knapp, of Yatesvlle, outside fore
man at Knickerbocker colliery, merely cor
roborated part of Mr.. Luthefs testimony.
superintendent w. II. Lewis, of the VIM.