The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1902-11-26
PHYSICIANS TESTIFY.
Say the Occupation Of a Mine
Worker Is Very Unhealthy
and Shortens Life.
% PER CENT or MEN ANAEmIC.
Principal His Miners Asthms, Rheu-
matism, Lumbaso and seistica
One Man coughed Up Coal Dust
is Years After Leaving Mines.

noInic and sociological features Of
the anthracite coai industry and the
effect employment in and about the
mines has upon the health Of the
mine workers were the principal
things brought before the arbitration
commission yesterday by the attor-
neys of each side Of the controversy.
While there was an entire absence
Of oratory or brilliant cross-examina
ton, which marked the proceedings
during the last few days, the cross
examination nevertheless closely held
the attention of the commissioners
and they gained much information
on the several features touched upon
by Witnesses
The afternoon session was partic-
ularly interesting, because 1t brought
out much expert testimony on the
part OF the health OF the mine work
ers The physicians who have prac
ticed In Scranton. and Wilkesbarre
took the stand for the miners and in
substance testified that the occupa
ticn of mine worker was very un.
healthy and shortened his life.
One physician. DR.. Frank p Lenahan
Of Wilkesbarre, who says he has had
long experience among mine work
ers, testified that 80 per cent Of the
men who worked in the mine are
anaemic. The health Is impoverished
and their general condition is below
par, thus decreasing their earnins
power. The principal Ills suffered by
the miners, the physicians said, were
the miners asthma, rheumatism, lum
bago and sciatica. The miners asth-
ma comes from coal dust, powder
smoke and vitIated air. DR.. John
postmortems he had seen miners
lungs as black as anthracite itself,
and DR. Lenahan testified he had per
sonal knowledge of man coughing
up coal dust nine years after ne left
the mines. He said he had information
that man had coughed up coal dust
Is years after he had left the mines
1t was also stated that 80 per cent
of the miners who reach the age ct
so years are afflicted with some form
of rheumatism.
The cross-examination of Rev.
Peter Roberts, d. D., Of Mahanoy
City, Pa, who has studied the antbra
cite coal industry and written book
on the subject, left the witness stand
shortly after the noon recess. He
began his testimony Wednesday.
Copious extracts from his book were
read and placed on record. Exon
gresham Simon p Wolverton, coun-
sci for the Reading company, read
much of the matter pertaining to VIC
lence in the 1900 strike, and also read
articles written by Mr.. Roberts dur.
ing the progress of the late contest,
which he described in strong Ian
guage the acts of violence, intimi-
dation and boycotting committed dur
ing that suspension. His articles
spoke of some of these acts as
brutal outrages," and he also brand
ed the unions action in calling out
the steam men in Juneas 'foolhardy'
In explaining his articles DR.. Roberts
said that he did not wish to infer that
the organization was responsible for
all the lawlessness committed. The
doctor said Wednesday that newspa.
per accounts exaggerated the amount
of lawlessness in the coal regions,
but Mr.. Wolvertons reading Of Dr..
Roberts description of serious acts
of violence and boycotting Afforded
much amusement for the attorney for
the coal companies.
DR.. Roberts gave it as his opinion
that attempts to have non-union men
form separate organization insti-
gated by parties opposed to organized
labor. In attempting to show that
carelessness of the miner contributes
materially to the dangerousness of
his occupation. Chairman Gray inter.
posed with the remak that a margin