The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-11-17

the Company During the Recent
Contest, Riots, Assaults and Dis
turbances of Various Kinds Being
Numbered at Upwards of Sixty.
Philadelphia, Nov. 16-The state
ment of the Lehigh Coal and Naviga-
ton Company, submitted to the an
thracite coal strike commission, now
in session, at Scranton, Pa, in answer
to the demands of the miners, was
made public here to-day The answer
recites the development of the COM
pany from the date of it's charter in
1922, refers to the expense of operation
and to the comparatively small pro-
fits, and declares the demand of the
employees for an increase of 20 per cent
is unjustifiable, the reasons given in
support of the demand not being
founded on fact. Accompanying the
statement are two exhibits. One shows
the earnings of the employees of the
company for one year, based on the
time worked during 1901, the number
of the several classes of workmen, and
the rates paid according to the pay
roll for the first half of May, 1902. The
other is a catalogue of overt acts
charged to the striking employees of the
company during the recent contest, the
riots, assaults and disturbances of va
rious kinds being numbered at up
wards of sixty.
The answer says:
THE Lehigh Coal and Navigation
Company is the oldest corporation en-
ped mi q H.,
thracite region. 1t was chartered in
1922 and was the successor of the Lee
high Coal Mine Company, which was
organized in 1898. 1t also acquired
certain rights on the Lehigh river
which were granted in 1918.
1T owns and controls about 1900
acres of coal lands in Carbon and
Schuylk1ll counties, which are estimat-
ed to contain, over 500 900 900 tons of
available unmined coal. Its EMPLOYEES
number about 5000 and it's capacity of
production is over 100000 tons a
month. Its capital stock and funded
debt amount to upward of $32, 900 900.
All of its capital stock and bonds were
issued for full value, but although its
more important coal lands were pur-
chased at time when the country was
a wilderness, and all it's lands have
been acquired at moderate prices. the
dividends upon its capital stock to
date only average 400 per cent. The
pront on coal mined by the company
during the ten years ending Dec 81.
1901, has averaged 11.09 cents per ton
after charging off taxes on coal lands
and depreciation, but not including any
charge for royalty, which rep
resents the value of the
coal in the ground. Nor were the
rates of freight upon the railroad ex-
orbitant, as is shown by the fact that
the company operated it's own canal,
but found it advantageous to send the
coal to market over railroad, rather
than by the canal''
Referring to the claim of the miners
that better wages are paid in the BIZ
luminous fields for substantially sim
liar work, the answer says:
This company does not know what
rate of wages is paid in the bituminous
coal fields throughout the country, but
there is nowhere in any fields, sub
stantially similar work to that which
is done under contract in the mines
of this company. 1t is a fact, how
ever, that mintrs of ordinary skill
and experience have always been able
to go from the mines of this company
to any other mining region through
out the country and obtain employ
ment.
"In 1901 for a day of ten hours con-
1914 per day; skilled laborers, $231;
unskilled laborers, $1.S3; boys, 81, for
work underground. The rates for out
side labor average as follows: Skilled
labor, $196; unskilled labor, 81 %; boys
n cents. The average annual earnings
of adults were $475.25"
Denial is made of the claim of the
miners that their earnings are insult
ficient to maintain the American stand
ard of living.
"Out of S,O4S families, $40 own their
own houses. Pianos will be found in
146 and house organs in 337 The COM
pany owns and rents to it's employees
al of $4.75 month. The charac-
ter of these houses is fully
above the average in any part of the
country occupied by any other class
of workmen 1t has been the policy
of the company to sell surface rights
to those of its employees who desired to
put UP their own houses, and for many
years there has been a steady demand
on this account. The town of Summit
Hill has a population of about 5000,
and almost the entire surface, with the
dwellings, is now owned and occupied
by employees of the company.
THE families of the employees have
ample school accommodations, with
capable teachers, and over 1000 chill
per cent. of the whole fund expended
in the region is derived from taxes
paid by this company on it's coal es-
tate.
Some of the foreigners prefer to
live in a very niggardly and squalid
manner so that they may accumulate
the larger part of their earnings and
return to Europe to live in idleness,
but those who have their permanent
home in the region have at least ST.
O00,0 900 on deposit in banks and savings
funds in the vicinity, saved from the
wages earned in the employment of
this company. The annual remittances
to their families and friends
abroad, through agencies in the
to $150.00O or more. In 1884
the company established a beneficial
fund. to which it has contributed the
sum of 1896, SS9, and the employees 1884,
76S."
Before the strike, the statement says,
no complaint was addressed to the
company; no grievance alleged, and
no request for higher wages made, but
the men left work in a body against
their own will and judgment, because
required to do so by the vote OF the
miners employed In other coal fields.
The demands for a reduction of 20 per
cent. in hours of labor, without any
reduction in earnings. for all employees
paid by the hour. day or week, are
declared to be absurd and payment by
weight at the mines impractlcable. and
Il objects TO recognition Of the union.