Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-05
slavonians Are Brought in to Take Work
on Breakers
COKE TRIES TO BREAK UP NEWS UNION
Offers Local President Better Job to Leave
Organization.
MAN WORKS rwENTY-FoUR HOURS ON EMO
should He sleep on Duty Fans Would
stop, Gas Collect and Men and
Mine BE Blown to
Pieces.

SCRANTON. Pa, Dec. AT today's ses-
sions of the strike commission practical
miners told their story OF conditions in the
Hazleton coal fields. The miners tried 10
show that the Coke and other companies
violated the agreement that the strikers
should return to work and be given their
old places where they had not already
been filed
The commission decided to invite the
mine inspectors to appear before It, be-
cause the miners claim that workmen fear
to mention dangerous or unhealthy places
in the mines because the inspectors are
usually accompanied by some representative
OF the company.
Rumors OF possible negotiations looking
to a settlement continue. Whatever is
done will first be decided upon in New
York, where those in authority are To-
Gated. The opinion still prevails here and
rather strongly, too, that the operators
and the miners will agree on most points
before the commission concludes its hear
ings.
Promises Not Kept.
Andrew Mattey, a slavonian, who was
employed at Coke Bros company, was the
first witness today. He was the president
of his local union and was told by the COM
pany. he said that II he quit the union he
would be given a boss job. He refused and
later was given such bad work that he
gave up his Job. He said he was the means
Of bringing fourteen Slavonisns to this
country at the instance OF breaker boss
at the Coke mines. They we're promised
S1.10 a day, but received only 65 or so cents.
When the witness was asked by Mr. Dar-
row how many times he had seen the mine
inspector in the mines. Commissioned Wat
kins asked the purpose OF the question.
Mr. DErrow said as rule the mine inspec-
tor was accompanied by company ofhcial
and, therefore, miner was afraid to make
a complaint in the presence of his boss.
He maintained inspectors should be unac-
companled and their attention not diverted
from bad places in the mines.
In consequence Of this allegation all mine
inspectors will be invited to testify regard
ing the point raised.V
John G. Strenix. an Englishman, followed
Mattey. He said he averaged about $500
year and had worked In the mines for thirty
years.
John Farari, an Austrian, formerly en-
ployed by the Coke company, said he was
able to save only $50 in seven years.
w. II. Dettrey was recalled in the after
noon. He presented correspondence be-
tween him and the Coke Co.. with regard
to sS9 men who struck and we're not given
back their places. Some OF these men
were subsequently taken back.
He testified that the mine foreman read
him letter, copy Of which he fruitlessly
tried to obtain, stating that the other men
would not be taken back until after the
strike commission madeF it's award. 'It
the award" he said the letter stated, "is
against the men, none Of the United Mine
workeIs will he taken back"
On cross-examination he said he did not
know how many OF the men mentioned were
heed for violating the law, but knew OF
sixteen having been dragged fifteen miles
past justices Of the peace, to Hazleton,
where they had to appear before a justice
whose sympathies were with the company,
Works Twenty-FOur-HOur Day.
jackson Ansbach was the FIRST foreman
to appear before the commission. He said
he received S1.57 for a day OF twelve hours
and his assistant Sf26. On every other
Sunday, when he and his assistant shifted
from day to night work, they were COM
PEELED to work twenty-four hours straight
without relief.
This statement caused a buzz through
the room and every commissioner straight
ened up and became more interested.
He was of, he said, one day every two
weeks. thus working six days one week ant
eight the next.
"Supposing you should fall asleep wher
you work in the long shift of twenty-four
hours. what would happen?" asked Mr.
Darrow.
well. II I slept long enough the fans
would stop. the mines hlI with gas, and
II an explosion occurred the miners woul6
be killed; that is all"
The Rev. James Hussie, rector of St
Gabriel's Roman Catholic church OF Halle
ton, and dean by appointment Of the bishop
OF Lower LuEerne. said he had lived in the
coal regions practically all his life.
The conditions in this region" he added
''are deplorable The mine workers ar'
barely able TO exist. ! say this without
any coloring, knowing that ! am undei
oath. realize that what l say is goinI
TO the American people and l want to tall
cautiously. l have been In their homes
They are not homes, but merely habita
tiOns. resting places. They are frugal
conservative. reasonable and God fearing
people. We have eight Catholic churche
In Hazleton and they are crowded ever,
Sunday with worshipers. and this is NJ
doubt true Of the churches whose faith &
opposed to ours.
Families cannot be kept together" b
went on. THE boys are sent into tn
mines almost as soon as they are able {
toddle about, and the girls to the mills 4
the small towns OF drift to large cities"
He related instances Of poverty and sal
II took one man six years TO pay on
funeral debt OF $500.
In reply TO further questioning Fathe
Hussie said that he had examined hft
or sixty mine workers and found onl
three who we're able to save money. On
was a Scotchman. one an Austrian and III
third inherited his. He examined the "a
lists OF Hazleton, and only eighty mine en-
ployes out Of 1.723 assessed owned thei
own homes. He could not ssy wheths
they were clear OF debt.
The commission adjourned.
SHAMOKIN, Pa. Dec. THE Ninth diI
trict executive board OF United Mine worl
srs tonight ofhcially announced that n
district would not receive any more al
fNanfFuuaa IN ganond