Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-05
MINERS HARD LOT,
SHOCKING CONDITION SHOWN T,
EXIST IN HAZELToN REGION.
NEW POINT BROUGHT OUT.
Miners Claim That Workmen Fear
to Inform Mine Inspectors of Dan
scrous Places In Mines-oIore Talk
Of Settlement Out Of Court.

SCRANTON. PA, December at To-
davis session of the anthracite strike
commission the representatives or the
mine workers continued to call Witnesses
mostly practical miners, who told their
story of the conditions as they exist IN
the Hazelton or Middle coal fields. ne
miners tried to show by these witnesses
that the Coke and other companies haa
violated the agreement entered INTO ny
both sides, when the commission was
APPOINTED that the strikers should re-
turn to work. and be given their oio
positions back, where they had not al
ready been filed. Some OF the witnesses
called testified that they were not given
back their old places. and maintained that
men prominent in the union IN various
localities during the strike, were as
crimina ted against. The commission has
decided to invite the mine inspectors to
appear before them. because the miners
claim that the workmen fear to inform
the mine inspectors of dangerous or I'M
healthy places IN the mines. because the
inspectors are usually accompanied by
some representatives OF the company who
NAV cause the mans dismissal. Tnls Is
a new point before the commission
Rumors of possible negotiations toward
a settlement outside the commission con-
tinue to be heard. Lawyers admit thew
have heard such rumors. but say they
know nothing about poss bic settle
ment Whatever is done will be first de-
cided upon in New York. where those in
authority to act are located. Several
attorneys, among them W. ". Ross. OF
the Delaware Lackawanna and Western
Conpanv. have returned to the metro
polls Whether or not 1t Is in connection
with peac" negotiations cannot be learn
ed here The opinion still prevails her;s
and rather strongly. too, that the opera
tors and miners will agree on most points
before the commission concludes it's hear
!ngs.
wORK-DAY OF "a HOURS.
Jackson Ansbach. of the Hazelton re-
gior, was one Of the most interesting wit
nesses because he is the fist fireman
to appear before the commission. He said
he received s157 for day of twelve
hours and his assistant Ss1.26. On every
other Sunday. when he and his assistant
shifted from day to night work. they were
compelled to work twentyfour hours
straight. without relief The statement
caused a buzz through the courtroom.
and every commissioner Strengthened up
and became more interested. In answer
to question put by the commission. he
said he was off duty one day every two
weeks thus working six days one week
and eight days the following week.
"supposing you should fall asleep when
you work in the long shift OF twenty
!, four hours what would happen?" asked
Mr.. Darrow.
WELL" ne replied. III I slept long
enough the fans would stop. gas would
! accumulate in the mines. and II an ex-
plosion took place, some men might be
killed: that's all.'
Rev James V. Hussie. rector Of ST.
Gabriel's Roman Catholic church. Hazel
ton. said he had lived in the coal regions
practically all his life.
The conditions In this region.i he
said ARE dep!orable. The mine workers
are barely able to exist. have been in
their homes. They are not homes, but
| merely habitat ton a resting place. They
are frugal conservative. reasonable, and
a God-fearing people.
Families cannot be kept together. he
said. The boys are sent into the mines
almost as soon a 'they are able to tod
die out" and the girls are sent to mills
In the small towns In the vicinity. or
drift into the large cities. He related In
| stances OF poverty. and said that 1t took
paw of funeral debt of s2c0. He ex-
amined the tax lists OF Hazelton. he
said. end In population OF which per-
| ha ps 10 per cent. was made up OF mine
| workers. only eighty nine employees out
| Of 1.7c3 persons assessed, owned their
own homes