The Savannah morning news., 1902-12-05
LOW WAGES AND DISTRESS.
shown to BE the bot of Miners by
Evidence Before Commission.

Evidence before commission.
Scranton. Pa. Dec. AT to-day's
sessions of the Anthracite Strike Com
mission, the representatives of the
mine workers continued TO call wit
nesses. mostly practical miners. who
told their story of conditions as they
exist in the Hazleton or middle coal
fields. The miners tried to show by
these witnesses that the Coke and
other companies had violated the
agreement, entered into by both sides
when the commission was appointed,
that the strikers should return to work
and be given their old places back,
where they had not already been
filled. "a
Some of the witnesses called testified
that they were not given back their
old places and maintained that men
prominent in the union in the various
localities during the strike were dis
eliminated against.
The commission has decided to in
wife the mine inspectors to appear be-
fore 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 COM
Pany who may cause the informant's.
dismissal. .
This is a new point before the COM
mission.
Rumors of possible negotiations to-
ward a settlement outside the commits
sion continue to be heard Lawyers adj
init they have heard such, rumors, but
say they know nothing about a possible
settlement. Whatever is done will be
first decided upon in New York where
those in authority to act are located
Several attorneys, among them w. w.
Ross OF the Delaware
and Western, have returned to the me-
tropolis. Whether or not9it is in con-
nection with peace negotiations cannot
be learned here. The opinion still pre-
walls here, and rather strongly, too
that the operators and miners will
agree on most points before the COM
mission concludes it's hearings.
Jackson Ansbach of the Hazleton re-
gion, was one of the most interesting
witnesses, because he is the first fire.
man to appear before the commission.
He said he received $1.5T for day of
twelve hours. and his assistant S1.26
On every other Sunday. when he and
his assistant shifted from day to night
work, they were compelled to work
twenty-four hours straight without re-
lief. This statement caused a buzz
through the courtroom. and every
commissioner Strengthened up and be-
came more interested. In answer to a
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.
Rev. James " Hussie rector of ST.
Gabriels Roman Catholic Church,
Hazeton, said he had lived in the coal
regions practically all his life.
1.-THE conditions In this region" he
said, ARE deplorable. The mine work.
ers are barely able to exist. I have
been in their homes. They are not
homes, but merely habitations, resting
places. They are frugal, conservative,
reasonable and a God-fearing people,"
Andrew Mattey, a Slovenian, said he
was the means of bringing fourteen
Slavonians to this country at the in
stance of a breaker boss at the Coke
mine. They were promised LILO a day
but received only 65 to so cents day.
To-day was set as limit for the
coal companies to answer submission
made by the miners. but the Coke Com
panys time was extended until to-
morrow the officials of the company
being absent and not prepared to1make
answer. Besides the large companies
Which signed the request9fhade to Pres
ident Roosevelt for the appointment of
the Arbitration Commission, thirty -rline
companies have, up to to-day signified
their willingness to abide by the decis-
Ion of the arbitrators