The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-11-14
FIRST Session Of Board o.
Ar5lE1aEo1cs He'd III SH6e-
gz05- C0H5-f Room at Scra15-
lOa This Morning.
join DIlkrheLZ Pres1as1k Of
Union, opens Meeting, Set
ting Fo'-Eh TIE Claims of
the Miners.
Makes Eloquent A6beaI foy
tie HeaAhh and Welfare Of
W0Tkn1eu, Tier W11es,
B9yS, and Girls

SCRANTON, Pa, Nov. 1.-The STRIFE
commission st 10 o'clock this morning
began the hearing Of the mine workers.
testimony. the second step in their work
CT adjusting the relations between the
mine workers and the coal operators in
order 10 prevent future strikes and the
struggles which have continued since
the coal industry started.
The sessions are held in the superior
court room. and so many are there d.
rectly interested IN the proceedings that
there is no room left for spectators. A
large number Of the mine workers are
present waiting 10 testify The coal
companies are represented by ofncials
and lawyers and there are experts and
others The court room was specially
arranged for the sittings. The seven
commissioners occupy the seats Of the
seven superior court judges. Judge
Gray, the chairman, is in the center
Mr.. Mitchell. in opening his address
10 the commission. expressed the hope
that the commission would succeed in
establishing a relationship between the
operators and the mine workers that
would insure peace and stability In the
industry for an indefinite period
M MitchelTs Address.
He then went on to say in part:
"Of the 14I. 900 men and boys en-
ployed in and around the mines, strip
pings. washeries. and breakers in the
anthracite coal fields. 640I3, or 43 per
cent. are employed on ecntraes. or piece
work; the remaining Sc .0e0. or 81 per
cent. are employed by the hosr day,
week. or month. OF the s.. .g75 contract
men 7.S04 are miners and e6.2SS are
miners laborers- The work or a cen
tract miner requires an unusually hlgn
degree OF ski;:-. The work Of d miner
and a miners -sabOrer is extremely haz-
ardous; in fact, is more dangerous than
employment in any other important in
dustry in the world.
The number OF persons killed ard in
jured per 1000 employed Is greater than
in any other industry Each day the
anthracite coal mines are in operation
. $40 persons lose their lives. and three
times as many are r,Simed. and yet
these persons receive less wages an
nuaIly than are received by men per
forming precisely similar work in other
fields, under more favorable and less
hazardous conditions.
Work Is PeIilOus-
The number Of years a man can re-
tain his health and strength in this oc-
cupatlon IS limited If bc escapes death
or injury by falls Of rocb or coal he can
not escape attacks Of miners asthma.
There is scarcely a mine " 0rker who has
not contracted this malady. The miners
are compelled 20 work IN powder smoke.
foul air. many OF them in water. and
their work itself is difficult and very eZ-
haustinC Reputable Insurance COM
panies viii not issue policies 10 this
class Of workmc1- The risks are so
great that the p-cmiuzs would Be pro-
hibitive 10 men whose earnings are so
low. The entire % per cent which they
demand as an increase in their wages
would not suffice to carry an insurance
OF $1,000.
1T seems buI fair ard just that wages
paid these classes Of workmen should be
as high. if not higher. than wages paid
70 skilled artisans in other industries
Il is certainly not unjust TO ask that
these miners should receive as high
wages as are paid 70 miners in the bi-
luminous ccaI fields. in the silver and
gold mines or in the iron ore and cop
per mines. all OF which work is less
Ireer from liability to dis
ease. requiring less experience and less
skill. and is better paid than labor IN
the anthracite coal fields"
Asks for Shorter Hours.
In supporting the demand for the re-
duction OF the hours OF the day labor
ers. Mr.. Mitchell showed that it amount
ed 10 a demand Tor 20 per cent increase
Of compensation for S5.Oco men, or y
per cent of all mine employees.
Continuing. he said The eight-bour
day is the standard working day in the
mining industry Eight hours consti-
tute a days work 'n the coal mines o;
Great Britain. in all the silver. gold. and
copper mines. and IN the bituminous coal
mines in the States of Arkansas. Kan
sas. Missouri. Iowa. Illinois. Indiana.
Ohio. Michigan. Kentucky. Tennessee. in
western Pennsylvania. and the Indian
Territory
The reports OF the United States
Geological Survey demonstrate that
more eoal hes Keen produced Annually
since she inauguration OF the cight-bour
workday th&n in any preceding year.
Eacb miner produced more coal Der
working day in eight hours than he for
merly produced in ten hours. and there