The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-18

Choose TO Work Only Five Hours . Day
SCRANTON. Pa. Dec. 1.-THE mine
operators aud the non-union men began
to-day to develop their testimony before
the anthracite strike commission The
miners concluded their side of the car. this
morning.
The commissioners for themselves called
the different mine inspectors Of the anthra-
cite districts.
Edward Roderick, Mine Inspector Of the
First District. testified that he annually
makes from one to fifteen inspections Of
every mine in his district. He said that
out of 5484 miners in his district he was
-afe in saying that they do not work. on
an average. five hours day.
As to the question Of accidents he said
that there were a great many OF them that
were caused by the negligence Of the men
or their oNeranNiety to get home
Mr. Roderick referred to case in
which he had ordered the men not TO
20 into certain mine because IL
was dangerous The men went back in
spite Of the witness and he WAS forced TO
have them halted by an injunction from
the court.
This witness said that men who are al
WAYS saving that the companies do not
give them enough cars had complained
To lam that five cars for shift were enough.
Tic usual mine regulations allow them elk
Henry Pritherth, mine inspector OF the
second District, corroborated MIR. RoderiCk
When counsel for the miners made an effort
10 crOss-eXamine these witnesses the Court
intarfered and said that they must call
them H. their own witnesses if they wanted
10 do that
Al he afternoon session Inspectors f.. II
REYNOLDS Of the Fourth District, William
Davis Of the Fifth. William Stein Of the
Sixth and John Mcclure of the seventh
gave testimony corroborating the in
.pectors called to the stand during the
morning.
OPENING SPEECH FOR OPERATORS.
ton al o'clock opened the case for the
operators.
Mr. Wolverton said that 500, 900, 900 was
invested in the Pennsylvania anthracite
mines and that 10000 men were employed
in and about them. He said that the
mining conditions varied TO such an extent
hat special bargaining was necessary
between mine operators.
Mr. Wolverton said the mine workers
organization was chiefly composed Of
bituminous miners whose purpose was 10
secure a monopoly in coal mining. "a mo-
nopoly obviously dangerous to all industry
and contrary to sound public policy
He gave sketch of the anthracite strikes
# 1900 and 1901 and told how the calling out
II the steam men last spring endangered
me existence or the mines. lie ADDED:
The first question OF importance to be
lie ermined il. what questions were sub
united for its consideration and decision"
cit is powerleSs to consider OF take any
action upon any other questions. u has
been conceded during the progress Of this
nearing that the basis or foundation OF the
appointment Of the commission and its
powers rests upon the letter to the public
signed by the presidents OF the coal mining
companies, dated Oct. 10. 1902, and the ac-
ceptance OF the terms OF this letter by the
convention OF striking mine workers, and
that the powers of this commission are
confined 10 the questions affecting the rates
Of wages paid and the reduction OF the
hours of labor, and in no way involve the
question Of recognition. or the entering
into any agreement with that organization,
as proposed in the statements OF claims
fled by the compliments in this case
Under the reasons given by the mine
workers before this commission, In the
first him for an increase OF 20 per cent
upon the price paid during 1901 to employees
performing contract work. the respon-
dents will show that there Ia no similarity
between the mining Of bitumino "oal and
anthracite coal, so as to make ages
paid 10 the bituminous miners a &, ..dard
Tor the payment of wages to the miners of
anthracite coal; that mining OF coal in the
anthracite region Is not similar work to
he mining of bituminous coal and that the
rate of wages in the mines operated through
OUT inc d0tfudCUt TtklOu VI uOt ~ vi
per cent lower than is paid to miners in
The btuminous gion but Is actually higher:
that as a rule, contract miners in the an
thracite field earn $500 per annum or more,
and that many of them earn upward of
81 900 a year, and that all laborers are paid
higher wages than those employed in other
occupations Of equal skill and training;
that according to the most reliable Stats
tics taken from the reports OF the Bureau
Of Industrial Statistics OF Pennsylvania,
. 1tsl
United States, bulletins Of the Depart ment
~ Labor and from other sources, II will he
shown that the average earnings OF all en-
poyes Of manufacturing establishments,
covering over 800 different classes, skilled
and unskilled labor, are much below the
average wage of the miners; that by the
.ensus reports of the United States 1t APP
pears that the avera ge earnings, during the
last census year, OF employees OF manu-
featuring establishments are below the ave-
nrage earnings OF the miner N the anthra-
rite coal region.
From the report of the Department OF
labor the average wage Of farm labor in
PENNSYLVANIA is about one-half OF the
miners wage and much less than the wages
paid to labOrers about the mines.
From the annual reports OF industrial
-tati.tics Of Pennsylvania 1t will appear that
the average daily wages of all manufact-
uring industries in 1901 were 81 So per day
and the average annual earnings about
h4o.45.
From the reports OF the twelfth census
of the United States it appears that the
average earnings of wage workers Of all
manufacturing Industries in Pennsylvania,
in the counties Of Carbon, Columbia, Dau-
phin, Iackawanna, Luzerne. Northum-
berland, Schuylkill and Sullivan. are about
t,ss, Of all male employees from is years
Of age upward.
That the average earnings Of this class
of employees in LackAwanna county are
syo,; in Luzerne county, 3i93: in Northum-
berland county, s4Os; in Schuylkill county,
Sl52 These cover all manufacturing in
iustries.
From the report of the twelfth census
If the United States, the average earnings
Of wage workers in all manufacturing in
dustries in fifty-four cities and towns In
and near the anthracite region are below
$3.50, and that in but three towns do they
exceed $500.
From the twcn y-ninth annual report Of
the Bureau of Industrial Statistics of Penn
sylvania, covering lightweight manu-
featuring industries in Pennsylvania. re-
curing skilled labor Of higher character
than that required OF miners, it appears
that the average rate of wages paid to the
employees for the year 1901 is 3448.45.
Il he respondents will further show that
the average wages paid miners and laborers
in the bituminous coal field are not in ex-
cess of those paid to the anthracite miners,
under the same conditions, and will also