The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-11-17
ANSWER TO THE MINERS
Leigh Coal and Navigation Company
Gives Figures.
WAGES ARE NOW SATISFACTORY "
The Statement Says that the Claim for
Higher Wages is Unjustifable at
This Time.

Philadelphia Pa, November 10.-The
statement OF the Lehigh Coal and Nayiga'
ton company. submitted to the anthracite
cool strike commission, now In session at
scranton Pa. In answer to the demands
of tile miners, was made public here to-
day. The answer recites the development
of the company from the date OF its char
ter IN 1922, refers TO the expense of opera
ton and to the comparatively small profits
and declares the demand OF the employees
for an Increase of ~ per cent is unjustih-
able, the reasons given In support Of the
demand not being founded on fact. Ac-
companying the statement are two ex-
hibits 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
aud the rates paid according TO the pay
roll for the first half Of May, 1902, The
other is catalogue Of overt acts charged
to the striking employees Of the company
during tho recent contest, the riots, as
saults and disturbances Of various KINDS
ueing numbered ut upwards or sixty. 1he
answer states:
pany Is the oldest corporation engaged In
the mining of coal I'm the anthracite region
II was chartered in 1872, and was the sue
ttsSOF OF tnt GeBlEQ NOal Mlut tbHipdhyf
which was organized In 1888 It also ac-
quired certain rights on the Lehigh river
which were granted In 1878.
1t owns and controls about $4,000 acres
of coal lands Ia Carbon and Schuykll
counties, which are estimated to contain
over 5UUOOc,UUO tons Of available unmined
coal Its employees number about 60yJ
and its capacity Of production Is over 300.
90 tons month. Its capital stock and
funded debt amount to upwards OF $780,
100000 All Of its capital stock and bonds
were issued for full value but, although
IT'S more important coal lands were pur-
chased at a time when the country was d
wilderness and all its lands have been nc.
quired at moderate prices, the dividends
upon its capital stock to date only average
400 per cent. The profit on coal mined
BY the company during the ten years end
ing December 81, 1901 has averaged 100
cents per ton, after charging OF taxes on
coal lands ana depreciation, but not incud-
ing any charges for royalty which repre-
sents the value Of the coal In the ground
Nor were the rates Of freight ca the rail-
roHd eNorbitant as Is shown by the fact
that the company operated Its own canal,
and found 1t advantageous TO send the coal
70 market over the railroad rather than by
Referring to the claim Of the miners tina.
better wages are paid in the btuminous
nelds tor substantially similar work, the
answer states:
This company does not know what rate
OF wages Is paid In the bituminous coal
helds throughout the country, but there Is
nowhere In any fields Substantially similar
work to that which is done under contract
IN the mines Of this company. Ii is n Fact.
however, tina. miners Of ordinary skin and
experience nave always been able to 20
from the. mines OF this company 10 any
other mining region throughout the country
and obtain employment
In 1901. for a day Of ten hours con
tract miners earned an average Of SS ia ner
crs s1.S3; boys, $I.00 for work nnder
ground The rates for outside labor aver
S475 25." u''' were
Denial is made OF the claim Of the miners
thnt tneir earnings are insufficient to main
tam the American standard Of living and
concerning the employees OF the Lehigh Coal
Emu Navigation company, these hgures are
out Of 8oss families $40 own their own
houses Planes will he found in i46 ana
house organs in 337 The company owns
and rents to its employees 67t houses MI
an average rental OF S4.T5 q month Tho
character OF these houses Is fully m 10
the average IN any part OF the country oc- I
cupied by any other class Of workp.qn II /
mas 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 steady de. I
mand on this account, The town Of sum /
nit HUI has population of about 1000 !
and almost the entire surface with thc
dwellings Is now owned by employees Of tho |
company.
The families Of the employees have annie
school accommodations with capable teach.
ers, and over 1900 children are In attenI.
nnce, while over rs per cent Of the Whole /
fund expended In the region Is derived
coal estate '''