The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-12-12
AN OPERATOR ON The STAND
REPRESENTATIVES, OF THE
MINERS SPRING Il SURPRISE.

J. L. Crawford Admits He Received $40
Ton for ConI Daring a Part of she
Strtke-ObjectIOn Raised to Question
as to What the Lackawanna Paid for
the Prodnct-Mtners VIII Close Their
Case Tomorrow.
Scranton, Pa, Dec. 1.-THE repre-
sentatives of the miners during to-
days proceedings before the anthracite
coal strike commission called one of
the independent operators to tell the
exact price he received for his coal.
The mine owner refused, giving instead,
after much questioning, an average Of
the price he received. The operator
was ]. L. Crawford, presiednt of the
Peoples Coal company, which operates
the Oxford colliery, in Scranton. The
request for him to take the stand came
as surprise. The oxford colliery,
during the strike, managed to get
enough men to operate the plant, and
for one month, according to Mr.. Craw-
ford, his company received 500 a ton
for coal. Objection was raised to the
miners lawyers trying to get him to
tell what he received from the Della
ware, Lackawanna and Western COM
pany for it's product, but the examina-
ton was permitted to proceed, for
what it was worth, the commission
stating that the exceptional high price
of coal during the strike was not per-
tinent to the present inquiry.
The miners announced that they ex-
pected to close their case Saturday. The
company's attorneys announced that
they may have to ask for short recess
in order to properly prepare. Judge
Gray in reply said he hoped there
would be no interruption in the pro-
ceedings.
AS soon as the afternoon session be-
gan, Mr.. Darrow requested Mr.. Craw-
ford, who was on the stand In the fore
noon, to produce the last bill of sale
in his possession. Mr.. Crawford did
not think it necessary, to which Mr..
Darrow replied: We'll, I have made
the request; you can ignore it if you
choose"
Two witnesses, employed by the
LackaWanna company testified that
before the strike of 1900 the men, when
they worked received "a cents a car
and that the strike was ended by the
company agreeing to give the men an
increase of 10 per cent, 1-2 in cash
and the other 1-2 per cent. to be con-
sidered in the reduction in the price
of powder. Instead of receiving the in
crease they now get cents a car less
or 81 cents.
In cross examination the company
produced figures which showed that one
of the witnesses earned an average of
$4.25 a day for II days worked in No
vember. The witness claimed he work.
ed % days during the month.
Patrick O'BOyle, a miner, gave the
history of the increase in the size of
the miners ton from 2,240 pounds to s.
1856. He said twenty-five years ago
sizes under pea coal were not used, and
therefore it was dumped on the refuse
pile and the ton raised to 3,136, in or
der that the companies could get out
2,240 pounds of marketable coal. At
present the companies are using coal
three or four sizes under pea, and the
men are not being paid for it,
John William Griffith. superintendent
of schools of Nanticoke, testified that
miners children do not go as high in
the school grades as the children of
other parents.
Father O'Donnell, who was recalled
for cross examination, said he had per-
sonal knowledge of only one case of
violence, and did not see other acts of
lawlessness committed in Olyphant
where he was stationed. He believed
newspaper accounts were exaggerated.
DO you believe in boycotts?" asked
Judge Gray.
The witness replied that he believed
he had the right not to deal or asso-
ciate with person who did something
that he did not like or was contrary
to his interests.
81 go along with you that far" said
the chairman, How further would you
go? For instance, have you right to
boycott me if I should deal or associate
with such a person?"
mo sir, neither would I commit vio-
lence'
THAT is right, we draw the line at
the same point"
P, J. Reagan, miner for the Temple
Coal and Iron company, was the last
witness of the day. His principal COM
plaint was that he had been docked for
light loading.