The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-19
MITCHELL AGAIN
 FACES THEFIRE Answers Questions by the Score
 From Attorneys HOLDS UP HIS END WELL
Speaking of Social Features, He Says Some of the Miners Have Visited Philadelphia Once In Their
 Llves-A Great Event.

LiVeS-A 1reat GNents
 Scranton, Pa. November Is.-President Mitchell, for the fourth successive day. occupied the witness stand during the two sessions of the strike commission and was cross-examlned by the three attor- neys for as many coal companies. While a considerable amount of information for the enlightenment of fhe commissioners was brought out, the day was rather a quiet one. The arbitrators are growing restless in consequence of the long cross examination, which apparently does not bring out the facts as quickly as the com mission would like to have them present. ed. Several times during the course of today's session Chairman Gray reminded the attorneys of the value of time, and suggested that cross-examination be lim- ited to new features of those questions that have already been gone over. The lawyers assured the commission that they too were anxious to appellate matters and would do everything possible to hurry matters along without iajuring their own case Mir. Mitchell has been on the stand since last Friday morni and Is showing signs of weariness from the strain of four days cross-examination. Thus far his attorney, c. S. Darrow, and David Will COX for the Delaware and Hudson, Wayne Mcveagh for the Erie, Francis l. Gowan for the Lehigh Valley and w. W. Ross for the Delaware, Lackawanna and Vest ern company, have examined the miners president The commissioners today, for the first time entered into the discussion with the lawyers and the witness over disputes which arose from time to time MT. MoVeagh, who began his cross exam ination of MT. Mitchell on Saturday, con- cluded at Il o'clock today.
 Attorney Worked Hard.
 The distinguished attorney centered most of his energies in trying to break down the miners reasons for asking for yearly agreement with the companies, on hours of labor, wages and other con- ditfons, which, if made, would be a re- cognition of the union. Mr. McVeagh" s principal claim throughout his question: ing of Mir. Mitchell was to show that the mine workers union, because of alleged acts of intimidation, violence and the use of the boycott by It's members, proved
 
 Mir. Mitchell would not admit nor even assume for the sake of Illustrating points. that a reign of terror existed in the an- thracite fields during the last six months. The recognition of the union is looked up- on as the most important question before the commission, and it Is quite evident from the trend of the proceedings thus far that the companies will oppose 1t to their utmost ability.
 .v41 MT Mitchell principally regarding condi- tions existing at the collieries of the com panies they represent These questions were more or less technical. MT. Mitch- ells answers, as a rule, differed very lit- tie from the reasons given in his prelimi- nary statement to the commisson for im- proved conditions for the mine workers.
 Interest in the proceedings is not wan ing The large crowds which have been wedged in the court room on the preced- ing days of the hearing, were in evidence today. Neither is there falling off in the attendance of attorneys, of whom there are almost two score present at each session.
 Afternoon Session.
 Tn the afternoon MT. Rosslyn of exam ination, was for some time directed to- wards testing MT. Mitchells knowledge of | - men employed, the wages paid and a comparison of these with the wages paid in the anthracite fields Regarding the number of hours of men worked in the hard coal regions, MT. Mitchell said that when the breaker runs ten hours the men usually work seven, eight Of nine hours When the breaker runs less the men work in proportion On the aver age, however, the men worked more hours than the breakers.
 "As a matter of fact" said MT. Ross, "has not your organization stopped the miners from working on the days when the breakers were idle?'
 MT. Mitchell admitted that in this district the rule is that the men shall not prepare coal on idle days This, he said was for the purpose of preventing favoritism.
 DO any of these epithets and slurs,' inouired MT Ross, you have made re- garding the horrible condition of the miners, apply to our companyr
 "Will you tell me particularly what slurs you refer to?" MT. Mitchell asked
 Getting no direct answer. he, with some spirit, repeated his query, saying;
 T would like you to refer specifically to what YOU mean by slurs. I do not recall having used language of that character. !"
 MT. Ross did not take any notice of Mir. Mitchell's remark but instead, took up the line of his examination.
 FavorItism.
 s'You have spoken of the existence of favoritism, for one thing" MT. Ross said "and you referred to the excessive sys- tenn of docking. Do they exist in our mines?'
 That is my information" was the re- ply
 In reply to another question by MT. Ross, Mir Mitchell declared that the rule of the local unions do not prepare coal when the breakers are idle, or did have for it's object the restriction of the out put.
 If these miners had been permitted to work" asked MT. Ross, lon these idle days. the output would have been great CT, would 1t not?'
 q don't know whether your company wanted more coal than the miners pro- duced or not"
 we have wanted for several years all the coal we could get We nave never been able, really. to supply our orders"
 "That information" MT. Mitchell an- swered lis much different from what usually get from the men you represent, because they said their sales were lim- tied entirely by the competition of bi- luminous coal
 s.xv. orc not discussfner rom nuerftion at