Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-17
WELL PAID AND WELL CARED FOR ALWAYS
Some Have Pianos and Others Organs in
Their Happy Homes
CONDITIONS COMPARE WELL WITH ANY
Men and Boys Have Every Opportunity
That Might Be Expected.
COMPANY PAYS BUT SMALL DIVIDENDS
Prohts Held Down to Eleven Cents q
Ton After Charging on Taxes
and Depreciation in
Value.

value.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov 16.-Tbe state
ment Of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation
company, submitted 10 the anthracite
strike comission. now In session at Scran-
ton, Pa, in answer to the demands of the
miners was made public here today. The
answer recites the development of the
company from the date OF its charter in
1922, refers to the expense Of operation
and to the comparatively small profits
and declares the demand of the employees
for an increase OF 20 per cent is unjusti-
fable. the reasons given in support of the
demand not being founded on fact. Accom-
panying the statement are two exhibits
One shows the earnings of the employees
OF the company for one year, based on the
time worked during 1901, the nun ber of the
several classes OF workmen and the rates
paid according to the pay roll for the first
half OF May for 1902. The other is a cata-
logue Of overt acts charged to the strik-
ing employees Of the company during the
recent contest, the riots, assaults and
disturbances Of various kinds being num-
bered at upwards Of sixty. The answer
states:
. The Lehleh Coal and Navigation company
| is the Oldest corporation engaged in the
1 mining OF coal In the antnrdC1te region III
was chartered In 1872 and was the successor
of the Lehigh Coal Mine company, which
was organized in 1888, Il also acquired GER
tain rights on the Lehgh river which were
granted In 1918.
Its Holdings nnd Claims.
1t owns and controls about 1900 acres OF
coal lands In Carbon and Schuylkill coun-
! ties, which are estimated to contain over
Its employees number about 5000 and its
capacity of production Is over 200, 600 tons
month. Its capital stock and funded debt
capital stock and bonds were issued for
! full value. but although its more important
coal lands were purchased at a time when
lands have been acquired at modern lie
prices, the dividends upon its capital stock
The profit on coal mined by the company
during the ten years ending December 81
bar9ins ns o sses l on ces and pes '1n ana de
probation, but not including any charge
FOR royalty. which represents the value of
Of freight, on the railroads exorbitant as
ehown by thS fact that the compsny con-
letructed it's own canal and found 1t ad-
Eantageous TO send the coal to market over
the railroad here rather than by the canal
About Miners Pay.
Referring to the claim by the miners that
better wages are paid in the bituminous
fields for 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
9n the mines OF this company. 1t is fact,
however, that miners of ordinary skill and
experience have always been able to go
from the mines of this company to any
other mining region throughout the country
and obtain employment In 1901 for. a
day of ten hours. contract miners earned
an avera ge Of $S. II per day. skilled laborers
work under ground. The rates for outside
labor average as follows: Skilled labor
zl.s6. unskilled labor 81 .2S and boys q cents.
'The average annual earnings OF adults was
rt+75.25,
How the Miners Live,
Denial is made of the claim Of the miners
that their earnings are insufficient to main
tain the American standard OF living, and
concerning the Lehigh Coal and Navigation
company these figures are given:
Out of 9063 families $50 own their own
houses. Pianos will be found in 146 and
house organs In SSI The company owns
average rental of N.75 month. The char
lacter OF these houses is fully up to the
average In any part OF the country occu-
piled BY any other class OF workmen. IL
has been the practice OF the company TO
sell surface rights 20 those OF its employees
who desired to put up their own houses
and for many years there has been de-
mand on this account; The town of sum
init Fll mas population Ot about S,oD
and almost the whole of the surface with
the dwellings, Is owned and occupied by
the DWELLINGS of the employees OF the com
rhe families of the miners have ample
school accommodation and over 5000 chit
cent OF the whole fund spent in the region
bs derived from taxes paid by this COM
pany on its coal estate.
Condition OF the Boys.
Regarding the employment OF boys the
statement says;
Slate picking is a very easy occupation
compared 10 the work done by the boy
upon a farm and many OF them are needed
60 take care OF the mine mules and other
sight work. and I'm this way the wages OF
She household are largely and legitimately
Increased. Since 1851 more than $50 young
men have gone from Iansford and other
schools and colleges and become mining
engineers, attorneys chemists. dentists
architects. ministers and professors
Foreigners Oct wealthy.
Some OF the foreigners prefer 20 live IN
n very niggardly and squaiid manner SO
that they may accumulate the larger part
OF their earnings and return to Europe 10
live In idleness; but those who have their
permanent home In the region have at least
y, 100000 deposited In the banks and savings
funds In the vicinity, saved from the wages
The annual remittances TO their families
and friends abroad. through agencies IN
the region and vicinity amounted to St50.O0O
a benehclat fund. to which Il has CON
tHbuted the sum of Hl6lS9 and the en-
ployes Sl56.76S.
The employees of the company declined to
participate In the strike OF 1900 and the
company, In acknowledgements OF their
loyalty, contributed $4,000 to the beneficial
fund. The statement continues;
Since then most OF them have ioined the
union and felt bound to join In the strike
when ordered last May. No complaint was
addressed TO this company; no grievance
alleged and no request for higher wages
made; but, without notice the men left the
work In a body against their own will and
Judgment because required TO do so by
the vote OF the miners employed in other
coal fields
Hours OF Labor.
The claim for a reduction OF 20 per cent
IN the hours OF labor. without any reduc-
tiOn In earnings, for all employees paid by
the hour. day or week, would be peculiarly
absurd II enforced as against this COM
pany. In point OF fact the breakers OF the
company are able 20 run only nine hours
. day and not ten. The miners only work