The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-10-31
COMMISSION
WAS DOWN
IN A Mine

lConcluded from Page 6.J
tives who would happen to catch vi
or drop back, and occasionally whei
some prominent feature of mining wa
encountered all would gather around
while some one would explain about II
Explained Things.
Mr.. Watkins generally did the ex
planning. Whenever he was not exact
ly sure of his facts he would appeal tt
Mr.. May, Mr.. Nichols, Mr.. Collins Of
some other to corroborate or correc
him. Occasionally there would be
brief discussion. in which representa-
tives of the opposing sides would par.
ticipate, but at no time was there wha
might be called an argument. AL
seemed desirous OF setting matters
clearly and fairly before the commits.
sioners, and the latter evinced a keer
desire to find out everything there was
to be found out.
The companies representatives and
the miners representatives were not
only civil, but very courteous to one
another. There was no effusiveness on
either side, but neither side gave indi-
cation by word, deed or omission that
the other was recently, and Is vet, q
said desperate opponent in one of the
greatest industrial conflicts the world
has ever known.
The coming Of the commissioners
having been heralded in all the papers,
the miners were expecting them, and
from a study Of their pictures in the
papers were generally able to identify
them. AT the depot a small crowd was
gathered as the party alghted. AS they
passed through the town, people came
to their dOorways to watch them. At
the mines they were the objects of es-
pecial interest to the men whose mo-
7nentous case is now in their hands,
ana on whose findings depends so much
that will work for their good or i'll,
Occasionally the commissioners talked
with a miner who would be encountered
on their travels, and one time the whole
party gathered around a handsome
fNced little Lithuanian doorboy and
piled him with questions His answers
were given with little hesitancy and
very intelligently. He proved an OBJ
lect Of much interest to the commits
sioners who are from outside the coal
belt.
Car Left Track.
''H sA'P Ill ouSi tIlc 11IIlcS was made
with only one slight mishap. The car
in which General Wilson, Judge GRAY.
Mr. Clark. Mr.. Parker and their guides
were riding jumped the track and
bounded along the ties for a short dis
1arce.
Nearly score of miners hurried to
the spot and insisted on lifting the car
back to the rails without allowing the |
distinguished visitors to 20 to the
trouble Of climbing out and in again |
They did the job with comparative
case.
At 3 O'Clock the party boarded the |
train and proceeded to Coalbrool1
breaker at Carbondale, eating luncheon |
in the club car. en- route
me commissioners had an interest
ing time at the Coalbrook breaker nt
Carbnndale. They went to the top Of
'he great, black building and inspected
All the machinery down to the ground
lileS were much interested in the Mon
ana poSs VINO are employed in picking
STATE and honey from the coal. From
the breaker, the now tired commissions
ers were escorted to the chute where
'fle coal. fresh out of the mine, is sent
10 the breaker by means of a "con-
FeHer. 1t is here where one of the
pfinclpal bones of contention between
the employe and employer is found.
Inc miners maintain they are often
nnJustly docked by the docking bosses
Tor the amount of slate, honey or other
refuse found in the coal The COM
1nissioners watched the work of tho
boss closely and saw him dock several
miners because, in his Judgment there
was too much foreign matter in the
car of coal.
few feet away is the place where
the cars Of coal are weighed. After
the seven commissioners had watched
the weighing of coal for a while, Mr..
Clark inquired how many pounds con-
stituted a ton at this coliery. Super-
Dryden of the Ontario and
western thought it was about o.SOo
pounds, but District President Nichols
said 1t was little over 3,1OO pounds
Ihe TWO began to discuss the question.
each maintaining he was right.
Question of Ton.
Mr. Nichols said that granting that
$500 was correct those figures are foo
high. He said when the companies fin
ed $500 pounds to constitute a ton so
as to get out of il 2.24O pounds of pure :
coal, the operators did not sell pea ,
coal IN the market. Now they have n :
market for pea coal and about three :
other sizes below it, and the miners !
ton OF $500 pounds has not been de- ,
creased.
Judge Gray was an interested listen !
er to the discussion. He stood by with
MS hands deep in his overcoat pockets =
ana never uttered a word. 1t was ouite 6
avident that both Mr.. Nichols and :
Mr.. Dryden tried to make a good i'm ,
preston with the commissioner, bur ,
What he thought he did not even ey- ,
press in his actions. +,
While the discussion was on, the COL 4
lery whistle blew the signal for quit +
ING ana then the judge broke in with /
wen, gentlemen, it is o'clock and I \
guess we will have to stop work" This +
Interruption broke up what might have I
crown into a heated discussion as to Y
now many pounds should constitute a 7