Evening journal., 1902-12-13
MINERS HOUSES
BUILT ON STUMPS
Testimony Before Commission
Showed That There Has
Been Extensive Docking
MITCHELL AGAIN ON THE STAND

CIIAnlOHt IAsr lJtis TO- AR CAN1NNt /
part of yesterdays sessions Of the an
thracite coal strike commission was
taken up In presenting cumulative tes-
timony on matters that have already !
been heard by the commission. This
testimony tended to show that there
has been excessive docking, that many |
men were Disseminated against be-
cause they went on strike. rather than
do the work of strikers, that they are
paid one price for mine cars of all
sizes. that they do not get paid for all
the coal mined, that they should have
the eight-hour day because the mines
are unhealthy and dangerous, and that
they ought to receive higher wages
Thomas Deemer, of Hazleton, for
merly employed as a clerk in the Of
fee of the Silver Brook Coal Com
pany, explained to the commission how
that company computed the miners
wages in giving him the 10 per cent in
crease in wages, granted as a result
of the 1900 strike. He testified that
2h per cent. was straight and the1
other IA per cent was represented in
the reduction of powder, but IL was
done in such a way that the men did
not actually get 10 per cent. increase,
and sometimes II they burned too much
powder were in debt to the company.
Two hod carriers, who were formerly
mine workers. were called to the stand
and gave the wages earned by them
selves and those earned by brlclSlayers
and stone masons Hod carriers in the
vicinity of Wilkesbarre, they said, re-
ceived 25 cents an hour, time and a
half for over time and double pay for
Sunday or holiday work. Bricklayers
received so cents an hour, time and a
half for over time and double pay for
Sunday or holiday work. Stone masons
received SO a day. They all worked
eight hours a day Both witnesses
thought the miners ought to get So a
day.
August Baker, a miner employed by
J. s. Wentz Company, at Hazlebrook,
near Hazleton. proved an interesting
witness. He said he lived in COM
pany house for which he paid s4.70 a
month. The houses are built on stumps.
and he built a cellar under his house,
for which the company allowed him
one months rent. He moved into an
other house and dug cellar under
that but the company would not give
him one months rent for the improve
ment he made, for the reason that he
should have stayed in the first house
He further testified that the houses are
very poorly built When il rains the
occupants are compelled to place tubs
and dish pans in the bedrooms on the
second floor to catch the water which
ran in from the roof On the first
floor the floor boards were so far apart
that every time the wind blew 1t lifted
the carpet in the houses built on the
stumps. He said there was no road in.
TO Hazlebrook, and that undertakers
refuse to 80 there, and tradesmen re
fuse to send goods into the town be-
cause there is no road. Some hav,
tried 1t and their vehicles broke down
The only way to get into the place Il
by railroad. He said that the super
intendent of the colliery told him tha
Al nt tANtAAtu hOUn WOIh ne must UOd
in the company store. Prices for mos
articles were double the price charges
in Hazleton. He named two articles
stove polish and shoe polish, that wer
high, and when Samuel Dickson. VIII
was cross-examining him. asked hir
what other articles, he said he "di
not interfere with women's business.
Further cross-examination brought ou
the statement from the witness tina
he owned a house which brought hir
SIS a month. Mr. Dickson read fror
the company's pay roll to show tina
last year he earned over $500, and tina
his two sons who We're also working a
the colliery increased these earning
to more than 81 500 for the year.
President Mitchell was the last vii
ness yesterday and occupied the stan
for an hour. He submitted figure
which showed that men paid by tn
day receive from 40 to so per cen
higher wages in the bituminous region
than they do in the anthracite field
His figures of the anthracite field
were gathered by his own officers. an
a hurried comparison with the fgur,
handed to the commission by the Del,
ware and Hudson Company he sal
showed they were generally higher. TT
Delaware and Hudsons statistics al
the only ones officially before the con
mission.
General Wilson, before Mr.. Mitche
left the stand. asked him what WI
the initial cause of the strike, and
replied that it originated with the me
because they thought they had grie
ances and that conventions were call,
by the district officers at their r
quest.
The attorneys for the miners do n
expect to close their case until d
early part of next week, probably ,
Tuesday. II is not known to the la-
yers for the companies whether th
will be able to Immediately proce
with their case, and It is possible th
they will ask for a short recess. ri
representatives Of the coal compani
4