Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-11-01
IN THE MINES.
The Strike Commission Sees
How Coal Is Mined.
A Day Spent in Watching the Actual
Underground Operations.
Something Cleaned as to the Ccndi-
tiono in the Mines.

Scranton, Pa, Oct 3t-The seven
commissioners appointed by President
Roosevelt to adjust the differences. ex-
isttng between the anthracite mine
workers and their employers. Thursday
made a tour OF the extreme upper coal
field and saw every step taken in the
production of coal from the time it is
blasted from the ground. hundreds of
feet below The surface. up TO the point
whore it is sent to market ready for
the use Of the consumer. The trip was
a novelty 10 most Dc those in the com
missioners' party. some Of whom had
never been in the hard coal regions.
Thursdays tour consisted of an in
spectlon Of No. mine of the Hillside
Coal and Iron Co. operated by the Erie
Co, and the coal Brook breaker of the
Delaware 6. Hudson Co. On The run up
the LackaWanna valley the commits
si0ners viewed with interest the sew
eral mining towns situated along the
Delaware & Hudson railroad.
The start was made from this city
at precisely 10 o'clock in the morning
IN the party We're the seven commits
siorers Recorders Moseley ana Neil
and four stcrogrJphcrs Accompany
ing them were ten. SUpt. r. A. Phillips
of the D., L. 4 w. Co.; Gen. Supt. l..
f Rose of the Delaware & Hudson;
Gen. Manager W. A. May Of the Erie.
Gen. Supt. j. Y. Dryden of The New
YORK, Ontario & Western; and Gen.
Manager s. +. Thofnc of the Temple
Iron Co.
These officials represented tho COM
resented I'LL Thomas ID. Nichols. pres
ident OF tnjs district of the United Mine
Workers Of America: Henry Collins.
national organizer for this district;
Rev. Peter Roberts Of Mahanoy City:
and James Maywack Of New York the
latter an expert. Bcsides these there
We've in the party about n dozen news
paper correspondents.
When the party arrived at Forest
City. IL crowd of persons. among whom
there were some mine workers We're
gathered. There Was no dcmorstra-
ticn Of any kind. the workers standing
silently by. watching the mcn who had
rha differences existing between them
and the operators in their hands. y
short drive was taken through the town
to give the commissioners an opportu-
nifty 20 view the homes OF the mine
WORKERS, and theu the entile party was
bundled into thtce small cars.
what is known in the language Of
Inc minc- as 'IcEio," which is 2
er.alI locomotive, drew the cars ~ th'
No. 2 shaft q mile distant down the
valley. AS the mine was wet ana dirty
the company officials. pioviaed rubber
overshoes. o,eialis, jumpers and min
crs' caps for the entire party. Judge
Cray and Bishop Sualdirg We're the
first to don the uniform OF the miner
ana good n1tuIedly tool; the remarks
thrust at them by their colleagues as
I to whether or not they belonged to the
union.
/ After the party haG been rugged out
ana provided with minors lamps. th'
descent Of the 1CO-fo shaft was made
AL the foot Or bottom Of the shaft the
=, president ana another member Of the
/ Forest city local union Of the miners
/ Organization. who are employed in the
miDe. joined the party. The hospital
at that point was inspected and then
/ the commissioners get into train of
six mine cars and We're hauled about a