New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-12-07
BAD $50 IN THIRTY YEARS
FORMER EMPLOYE OF G. B. MARKLE &
co. DESCRIBES COMPANY STORE

HOPE FOR AN ADJUSTMENT NOT GIVEN
UP-INDEPENDENT OPERATORS STILL
HOLD OUT AGAINST PLAN
IBV TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBuNEl
Scranton. Penn. Dec. Traditional force was
given to the prospect of settlement by the
| miners and operators to-day when Henry D.
Lloyd, assistant counsel for the mine workers.
suddenly went to New-York. He said that he
was going to Boston on private business, but,
as he, with Mr.. barrow. has been very active in
the negotiations for an amicable adjustment it
is believed that this has something to do with
his departure. Ex-Representative Lentz of
Ohio, and Dudley D. Boyce. of Chicago, friends
| of Mr.. barrow. attended the sitting this morn
ing. and in the afternoon Mr.. Darrow left here
with them for Buffalo, where he will spend
Sunday The trip is merely for recreation, he
said. He will be here Monday.
The Independent operators to-day silent.
OF the plan of settlement they have nothing to
say, except that few are still holding out
against it, and each side is waiting to see what
the other will do next. It is understood that
they hope some will be made when Mr..
MacVeagh returns from his present trip to
New-York and Washington
Meanwhile the evidence which the mine work
ers are presenting is chiefly against the indie
pendents. and what little has been given against
the big companies has not been of material i'm
portance. AS the chief attack has been
Coke Brothers & Co. and G. B. Markle & Co,
it is thought that these two companies
holding out against settlement. The other in
dependents. however. will not state what firms
are opposing the plan. J. c. Crawford, presi-
dent OF the Peoples Coal Company one of the
men who made much money during the strike
by being able to operate his mines most of
the time. leads the opposition. it is understood.
The Rev. J. J. Curran, Of the Holy Saviour
Church. Wilkesbarre, who is considered to be
the priest closest to the mine workers,
cross-examined this morning by Mr.. Reynolds
for the Independent operators and Mr.. O'Brien
for the non-union workers. He would not ad-
NIT that he knew of much violence, saying
there were undoubtedly occasional cases. but
he did not think they what they were
ported to be. He did not think that the civil
authorities were justified in asking for troops,
or Governor Stone in sending them.
James Gallagher, miner for G.. B. Markle &
CO. since 1871, who has now been refused work
and evicted, another witness. He is a
shreWd, witty Irishman, who made the commits
sioners laugh several times but he also told
story which impressed them. He was evicted.
he says, with twelve Others but no
given. He supposed that it was because his
son was a secretary of local. The eviction
took place rainy day. His wife was over
come by the excitement and became i'll. At the
same time Mrs Collins. who i'll, was
evicted. She took cold and died. Her mother,
1O1 years old had to be carried out of her house
by couple of deputies.
He stated that in all the time he had worked
money, and that $50.
I'VE traded at the company store and got
credit" he explained. I'VE had to buy pro-
visions there. though the prices are from 10 to
II per cent higher than at other stores: but
clothing, which is 20 per cent higher, we could
buy elsewhere. 1 made an average OF 81 %
day every day of the years I've been working. 1
guess, but 1 never out Of debt Sometimes
I've owed the company big amount-as high
as S211 once. Every time I worked hard and
reduced the debt until I was nearly clear the
company would take me out of the place where
1 was making $50 or SO month and put me In
a place where L could not make SO. and then
back into debt I'd be again.
He has not been able to get work since the
strike ended.
When he and the other twelve employees of the
company were evicted, he told the commission
the remaining $500 men working for the COM
pany wanted TO continue the strike until the
eyicted men were reinstated, but the thirteen
refused to allow this saying that they were
willing to be sacrificed for the good Of the
Of the NIarkle arbitration agreement with the
miners he said: ''Markle never intended to keep
it. and there never anything arbitrated at
the collieries The agreement was attached to the
leases of the houses, and when you signed one
it was signing both. I could not read; it was
read to me; but ! was just told to make my
mark l never knew it six day lease
until they put me out of my house 1t was the
first moving my wife had since she came from
Ireland, thirty years ago.
He was asked what he thought of the hours of
labor.
Sure" he replied, after eight hours work
in the mines 1 am not worth the oil and the
cotton l burn
Andrew Chippa, a breaker boy, employed by
the same company, started to work last spring
to wipe out debt of $54 owed the company
by his father when he killed in the COM
pany's mines. The lad has not received any
money for his work but his earnings have been
credited against the company's bill. AS he has
a mother and three brothers and sisters, his
earnings have not been enough to reduce the
BILL Instead it has grown to SSS H.
The Strike Commission this morning gave
blank forms to the lawyers of each side to fill
out. The miners to tell the average yearly
wages of the men calculated in ffties. The
companies are to tell the average wages of the
different classes Of workers at each coliery the
extra weight demanded with a ton of coal at
each colliery, and the length of the workday of
the miners.
Commissioner Watkins, for the commission
presented the following statement to Mr.. Oar
row, for the mine workers and Mr.. Wolverton
for the operators:
After the strike of 1900 the operators posted
notices agreeing to take up with the employees
any grievances they may have. The commission
Ire tn