The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-12-15

delphia and Reading Coal and Iron COM
pany, of which George F. Baer is pres
ident. Their chief complaint was that
they were being Disseminated against
because they belong to the union. At
torney Simon p. wolverton, on cross
examination brought out the fact that
by reason of the steam mems strike.
six collieries were flooded and 1900 or
more men are idle as a result. Some of
the witnesses who alleged discrimina-
ton, were steam men who went on
strike.
Joseph Fet2ger, who was hosting
engineer at the Reliance colliery, In
Mt. Carmel, FOR twenty-six years, did
not get his job back after the strike
When he applied for reinstatement, the
foreman told him he would be sent for
He wasn't sent for, and went to the
district superintendent. The latter told
him he was an agitator and would not
be re-employed. He then went to Div
ision Superintendent Sheffller and was
told he had had too much to say dur
ing the strike. He next went to the
general superintendent and was told
there was no place for him, as his po-
sition had been filed. The witness in
sisted that he was being Disseminated
against because the engines he was
working at were not run during the
strike, and the man who was put IN
his place was q striker from another
colliery.
He worked twelve hours u day every
day in the week and never had n Sun
day or holiday off. He was paid $63S0
q month.
An Increase of 16 Per Cent.
On cross ss-examination by Mr.. Wolver-
ton, it was shown that the Reading
company. after the 1900 strike, in
creased the wages of its men sixteen
per cent. instead of ten per cent, as the
settlement notice provided. The wit
ness admitted that the company had al
ways dealt fairly with him except in
the instance complained Of. All the
other witnesses made similar admis-
sions.
Patrick Welsh, a Schuylkill miner,
complained Of reduction in the al
lowances for repair work. Jacob Par
nell, vice president of the Silverton To-
cal, averred that he was refused re-em-
ployment because, as the boss put it,
"he had too big q mouth during the
strike" James Clark, Of Ashland, told
that a number Of fire bosses, engineers
and flremen in his region were refused
re-employment, and that when a COM
mittee went to the division superintend-
ent to see about it, they could get no
satisfaction.
William Lynch told that the cars at
the Reading collieries have increased in
size twice without corresponding in
crease in wages. William Grett, from
Silverton, told that the price of yard
age and coal had been reduced after the
1900 strike John e. Doyle. Il fireman,
testified he worked twelve hours a day
and twentyfour hours every other
Sunday, for $3.50 week. He shoveled
forty TO sixty tons of coal u. day.
The last witness of the day was Allen
Row, Is years of age. who testified that
he had his leg wrenched off by ma
chinery at one of the Pennsylvania
companys breakers and never received
anything from the company.
1t was intended to continue the ses-
sion until o'clock, but the miners ex-
hausted their available witnesses one
hour before this time and adjournment
was made until this morning at 10
o'clock.
President Mitchell left on Saturday
for his home in Spring Valley, ILL.,,
where a monster demonstration in his
honor is to be given him today, by his
fellow citizens. He will have a confer
ence in Chicago enroute. with Secre-
tary-Treasurer Wilson, about the rou-
tine affairs of the union, which Mr.
Wilson is attending to during Mr.. Nit
chell's story in Scranton.