Waterbury Democrat., 1902-10-31
NOVEMBER | IS THE DATE
Raise In Miners Wages Will
Take Eject Then.

InaT Is the feTulcL VI tie Coal SIlhC
Commission, Providing Raise Is
Ordered Commissioner Are Tour
ing Many of the Collieries To-Day
With I. H. Watkins as the Guiding
Spirit
Scranton, Pa, Oct 31.-The anthra-
cite coal strike commission has otIl-
cialIy decided that il ANY change is
mace III the rate OF wages OF the men
II shall Date from tomorrow, Noyem-
| Der i. This announcement was made
by the commission through Recorder
/ Wright in the following statement
given out by him at O'Clock this
morning:
Voted, unanimously, that if the
commission. at the conclusion of its
hearings and deliberations, makes any
award affecting existing rates of
wages, such award shall take effect
from November 1, 1902
/ The recorder of the commission stat
ed that this resolution was adopted by
the commission because it felt that it
was important to make its investiga-
tions deliberately, and that it might
be well in order to relieve itself from
/ pressure from any source which might
cause undue haste, to inform the op-
orators and the miners that should
| the investigation and the deliberations
following it warrant any change what
/ ever, either in the way of increase or
reduction of wages, such change
should be from certain date, thus
enabling all parties to facilitate their
calculations.
The action of the commission in TAX
i ing this step at this time will save the
commissioners a lot Of time. It is
known that each side to the contro-
versy would take a determined stand
on the question of when the new rate
4 of wages. if one is made. shall go into
i effect. The operators in their origin
al proposition to President Roosevelt
wanted the commission to fix the date.
The miners wanted the prospective
new rate to be retroactive and go into
effect on the day when the miners re-
turned to work, which was a week ago
4 yesterday, October 23. President
y Mitchell, who was here over night
4 left for Wilkesbarre to-day before the
announcement was made. It is not
known here what he thinks of the
commissions action.
The program Of the commission fol-
to-day calls for an inspection Of the
Manvil1e colliery at Green Ridge, two
) miles from this city, and a drive
through the nearby territory for the
purpose of viewing the habitations Of
the men who toll in the mines. The
commissioners expect to complete
their inspection of this region this af
ternoon and 60 to Wilkesbarre to-mor
row morning.
The members of the party were III
! early to-day. They left their hote
soon after the arrival of Commissions
Z. FL. Watkins. whose home is in thiI
city. Mr. Watkins, owing to his init
, mate knowledge Of mining In this re
gion, is the guiding spirit of the party
He arranged yesterdays trip and is il
general charge Of to-days tour. Il
this he is assisted by the superintend
: ents Of the companies located in thi
, vicinity and also by President Nicholl
4 Of District No i, of the Miners union
The Manville mine, which was inspect
!: ed to-day, is operated Jointly by th
Delaware & Hudson and the Della
ware, Lackawanna & Western com
7 panes. The mine is one of the wors
or miners in this territory. The vein
are small and there is barely roor
enough or workmen to stand up. Thi
colliery was visited at the suggestion
of the mine workers representative
The commission drove to the Mar
vile mines shortly after o'clock thi
morning. 1t is said that the cond
tions in those mines are the worst
the whole region. The members {
the commission descended the shaft a
soon as they arrived and prepare
! themselves