The Savannah morning news., 1902-11-02
COMMISSION BUSY
ARDITRATORS TOURED WYOMING
VALLEY YESTERDAY.
WILL ADJOURN THURSDAY
UNTIL NOVEMBER IL, WHEN IN
CURRY WILL BEGIN.

First Four Days of This Week VIII
he Taken Up in Inspection of the
Mines and Mining Towns From
HazeItOn South TO the End of the
Hard Coal FieIds-IndividuaI Oper-
atOrs Will BE Given a Chance to
he Heard as Well as Coal Com
panies.
Scranton, Pa, Nov. 1.-The arbitra-
ton commission, which is engaged in
settling the differences existing be-
tween the anthracite coal operators and
the mine workers decided to-day while
on their tour of the Wyoming Valley
to adjourn next Thursday until Friday
Nov. IA, when the taking of testimony
will begin in this city. The first four
days of next week will be taken UP in
inspecting the mines and mining towns
from Hazelton south to the end of the
hard coal fields. All of this territory
is in district No. and of the United
Mine Workers of America, and is I'M
der the Jurisdiction of President Thorn
as Duffy and John Fahy of the union,
who will accompany the commission.
Chairman Gray said that the object in
taking a recess of one week
was for the purpose of giving
both sides sufficient time to prepare
their cases, and also to give the MEM
bers of the commission an opportunity
to examine the issues 1t is the in
tention to have the miners who are
considered the plaintiffs submit their
case. The 67 individual operators
viii be given an opportunity to be
heard as well as all the larger coal
companies.
The miners will take up considerable
time in pres enting their side of the
case.
The question of making a prelimi-
nary report on some of the issues in
volved, such as the increase of wages,
a shorter day and the weighing of coal
at the mouth of the mines, has not yet
been officially taken up by the COM
mission. but it is not definitely known
tonight that 1t will be considered by
the commissioners.
The arbitrators spent the entire day
in and about the city of Wilkesbarre,
visiting one mine and making a tour of
several OF the towns on the outskirts
of the city. The commissions special
train left here at $3.50 a. m. and reach
ed the Terrence colliery of the Lehigh
Valley Company at North Wilkesbarre
an nOur later. Nearly TWO hours were
spentsin the mine about $50 feet be-
low the surface The mine Is a very
gaseous one and the commissioners
and other members of their party We're
compelled to carry safety lamps. They
were told the mine was dangerous, but
their eagerness for Information as to
the physical features of the various
mines was so great that the unsafe
condition of the workings did not de-
ter them from entering.
To-day was All Saints day and it is
religiously observed by many of the
foreign speaking mine workers. For
this reason no coal was mined in the
Torrance and many other collieries
throughout the region. The company
officials drew the attention of the COM
missioners to this enforced curtailment
in the production of coal.
After the commission took luncheon
on the special train, the party took
trolley car and visited South Wilkes
barre, Ashley, Sugar Notch and Ply
mouth, inhabited principally by mine
workers. The commissioners did not
leave the car, but wherever it stopped
crowd would gather which gave them
an opportunity to ask questions regard
ing rents and other living expenses.
President Mitchell will probably
make his statement of the demands of
the miners to the commission on Mon
day and the operators will make a re-
ply in about three or four days.