The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1902-12-20
AN UNWILLING WITNESS.
Mr.. Darrew Springs = Surprise ~
Callia1 IN Independent
Operator 10 Testify.


Scranton. Pa. Dec. 1.-THE repre-
sentatives of the miners during the
course of Thursdays proceedings be-
fore the anthracite coal strike COM
mission called one of the independ-
emit operators to the witness stand
to tell the exact price he received for
his coal, and the mine owner refused.
giving instead. after much question
ing, an average price he received.
The operator was L. N. Crawford,
president of the Peoples Coal COM
pany, which operates the Oxford col
liery, in Scranton. The request for
him to take the stand was a surprise.
The Oxford colliery, during the
strike, managed to get enough men
to operate the plant. and for one
month, according to Mr.. Crawford,
his company received $50 2 ton for it's
coal. Objection was raised to the
miners lawyers trying to get him to
tell what he received from the Della
ware, Lackawanna & Western COM
pany for its production, but the ex-
animation was permitted to proceed
for what it was worth, the commits
sion stating that the exceptional high
price of coal during the strike was
not pertinent to the present inquiry.
Mr.. Crawford, who has been attend
ing the sessions each day. was sur
prised to be called, and he remarked
as he took the stand:
This is newNturn of affairs"
"When did you ship coal last?" said
Mr.. barrow.
yesterday"
"What are you getting for it?"
81 don't know exactly" -
"Can you come near it?"
81 can if want to-"
Don't you want TOP"
"No, sir"
"You are a party to this commission
and went to New York to see the coal
presidents?"
"Yes, sir"
"Then you refuse to give this COM
mission that information?",
81 don't think l am compelled to
tell"
(Which road do you sell to?'
Delaware. Lackawanna & Western.'
"What do you get for it?
"About 65 per cent. of what the Della.
ware, Lackawanna & Western gets
for it,"
At this point attorneys for the op'
orators objected to the inquiry pro-
ceeding any further along the lines
of what company's profits were.
Mr.. barrow said he called the wit
ness to show that the coal companies
were able to pay advance IN wages
asked for. Wayne MacVeagh, in his
cross-examination of Mr.. Mitchell. he
said. intimated that the increase il
granted would ultimately be placed on
the 'bowed backs of the poor" and
he wanted to show that the companies
are well able to give the increase asked
for without putting 1t on the poor.
Mr.. barrow then continued the ex.
animation.
slow many tons do you produce a
day?"
"Nine hundred TO one thousand
tons"
"And you don't know how much you
get for ?"
81 can give an estimate"
"Well. what is ito"
"About $3.50 a ton"
On further examination Mr.. Craw-
ford said that during the latter part
of the strike his colliery was in opera.
ton and he got $50 ton for his coal.
Chairman Gray here stopped the eN-
animation, saying that the exception.
ally high prices during the strike were
not pertinent to the inquiry.
The miners announced that they
expected to close up their case on
Saturday, and thus gave notice to the
ether side to be ready to proceed
with their testimony. In reply the
companies attorneys announced that
they may have to ask for a short re-
cess in order to properly prepare
their case. Judge Gray, for the COM
mission, in reply said he hoped there
would be no interruption in the pro-
ceedings, and that the companies will
be able to proceed as soon as the
miners have concluded their case.