Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-11-06
QUITE A NOVELTY.
rbitratiOn Commissioners Have
an Interesting Time.
They Inspect Coal Mines, Endure
DiscomfOrts, Ask Many Questions
and Gain Much Information
"A Preliminary Report
May be Made.

Scranton, Pa, Oct. 31.-The seven
commissioners appointed by Presi-
dent Roosevelt to adjust the differ
ences existing between the anthracite
mine workers and their employers
made a tour of the extreme upper
coal field yesterday and saw every
step taken in the production of coal
from the time it is blasted up to the
point where it is sent to market.
The arbitrators had an interesting
day and returned to their hotel last
night, grimy from coal dust and tired
after eight hours of investigation.
The trip was quite a novelty to most
of the commissioners, some of them
never having been in the hard coal
regions.
The commissioners displayed the
greatest interest in every feature of
coal mining, and went about their
work in a manner that was pleasing
to both the mining superintendents
and the representatives of the mine
workers who accompanied the com
missiOners. The arbitrators had to
endure many discomforts, make their
way through wet places in the mines,
almost crawl along some of the gang
ways in the workings and pass
through clouds of coal dust in the
breakers. Notwithstanding this their
eagerness for information was not di-
minished.
1t would be unfair to say that one
commissioner displayed more inter
est than another, but it can he truly
said that Bishop Spalding asked more
questions than any one of the others.
He was usually in the center of a
group of commissioners and asked
many questions of those who are en-
ployed in and about the mines.
The tour consisted of an inspection
of No. 2 mine of the Hillside Coal and
Iron Co., operated by the Erie Co.,
and the Coalbrook breaker of the Del
aware & Hudson Co. The former is
located at Forest City, p miles north
of this city, and the breaker is at
Carbondale, four miles south of For
est City. On the run up the Lacka-
wanna valley the commissioners
viewed the mining towns situated
along the Delaware &; Hudson rail
road.
Scranton, Pa, Nov. 1.-The first
important action by the anthracite
coal strike commission was taken
Friday when it was announced by
Carroll d. Wright. recorder of the
commission, that if any award affect
ing the existing rate of wages shall
be made, the award shall be effective
from November l. 1t was fully eX-
pected that this question would come
up before the arbitrators. but the ac-
tion of the commissioners shuts off
any possible controversy that either
side may have desired to raise.
The commission spent yesterday in
continuing their inspection of the
mines and the mining region about
Scranton. They visited the Manville
colliery in the forenoon and the after
noon was spent in riding through the
region on a special trolley car.
The commission may make pre-
liminary report on three Of the prin-
cipal strike questions. They are the
increase in wages, a shorter work
day and the weighing of coal.
Wilkesbarre. Pa. Nov. 1.-President
Mitchell has all the data prepared
which he intends to present to the
investigating commission when it is
called for. He has statistics from
nearly every colliery in the anthra-
cite region showing the wages the
employees earn, what it costs to live,
school facilities, duration of school