The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-07

ment on some points viii be arrived
at before the commission is ready to
make its award.
President Mitchell viii leave tomor-
Tow night for New York to attend the
regular meeting Of the executive COM
mittee of the Civic federation there on
Monday.
The First Witness.
The Rev. J. J. Curran Of W1kesbarre
resumed the witness stand when the
coal strike commission began its ses-
sion today. Harry Reynolds. one of the
lawyers for the independent operators,
after crOss-eXamininS Mr. Curran
about the conditions Of violence in the
Wilkes barre mines and wages. asked
the clergyman regarding the compare
tive intelligence Of the children OF the
miners. Father Curran said they COM
pared fayOrably with other children
Referring to the nOn-uniOn men. Father
Curran said most Of the people Of the
coal regions believed the miners should
have better wages.
If a so-called 'scab' takes the place
Of a man who is trying TO get his
rights, that sO-called 'scab' is doing
wrong and an injustice TO the people
in his community" said Father CsIrran.
He admitted that most of the violence
committed resulted from attempts OF
mine workers to resume work
John O'Brien, an attorney for the
non-union men, also crOss-examined
Father Curran- He read Governor
Stones proclamation describing the vio-
lence and reign of terror that existed
in the region during the strike, and the
clergyman said that some Of the things
stated in the proclamation did not ex-
ist- This concluded his examination.
-Four Cents an Hour.
A 12-year-old breaker boy. employed
in the Markle mines at Jeddo was the
next witness The boy said he had one
years schooling and that his father
was killed in the mines. He worked
six weeks before the strike and has
been working since the suspension. He
produced due bills showing that he
earned cents an hour. He received no
money, however, because there was an
old debt against his father. He was
working to pay this of and also the
rent on his mothers house. His moth
er, he said had to keep boarders, nine
persons living in four-roomed house
James Gallagher, who was employed
in the Markle mines, said that he had
received money once in seventeen years
and nine months He explained this Igv
saying that he never got enough money
for himself, that the company store got
/ it ALL
Mr.. Gallagher said he was evicted
from his house and that he was refused
( his position by the company. He did
not know why the company would not
! take him back, unless it was because
4 his son was the secretary of the local
( In answer to another question. he said
I prices at the company store were from
/ 10 TO 20 per cent higher than at other
] stores He had made as high as $50
! month, but this was eaten up in paying
/ his debts to the company. When ne
I was clear of debt the company gave
/ him a bad place to work until he was
/ again in debt.
The arbitration plan of the MarkIes
/ was taken up in the examination, and
J Mr. Gallagher said that the arbitration
agreement was attached TO the lease
for his house, and he did not know he
! was signing such an agreement when
he put his name TO the lease.
The last witness was Frank Raw. q
/ contract miner He was explaining con
| ditions in the mines with reference to
the impure air, and was still on the
stand when the commission. at
O'Clock, adjourned until 10 O'Clock Mon
day.