Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-15

be or the stand all day tomorrow, diiu
probably longer. 1t is the intention o.
the miners to next call Rev. Peter no
berts, of Mahanoy City, who has an In
innate knowledge OF anthracite mining
and is the author of book on the sub
ject.
During the hearing all the attorneys
took copious notes, and it looks as II
tho Investigation would be long-draWn-
out, unless some arrangement Tor cur
failing the cross-examination OF witnesses
is agreed upon.
Mr.. Mitchell prefaced his statement
by expression a hope that the commits
sion would succeed in establishing a re-
la tionship between the operators ana the
miners that will insure peace and sta
bility in the industry for an indefinite
period. After reciting the demands for IN
creased pay tor the miners. shorter
work-day for the laborer, to weighing OF
coal, and an industrial agreement, the
refusal of all Of which led to the strike,
Mr.. Mitchell continued as follows on the
question Of higher wages:
"Of the 147,O0O men and boys employed
in and around the mines, strippinss,
washeries and breakers in the anthracite
coal-iields, 64,O72, or 10 per cent. are en-
ployed on contract Or piece-Work. the re-
naming 5000 or 81 per cent are employed
by the hour, day, week or month. or the
and 2C.26S are miners !aborers.
HAZARDOUS WORK.
.''Che work of a inter and miners Ia
borer IS extremely hazardous: in fact 1t
IS more dangerous than employment in
any important Industry in the world
The number Of persons killed and injured
is .:reater than in any other Industry.
Each dav the anthracite coal mines are
IN operation 2 go persons lose their lives
and three tines as many are MANNED and
vet these men receive less wages an
nu;lly than are received uy nler perform
ing precisely similar work iE either fields
under more favorable and less hazardous
conditions. The number of wears man
can retain his health and strength in this
occupation is limited. II ne escapes dea tn
or injury by falls Of rock or coal. he can
not escape miners asthma. There is
scarcely a mine worker who has not
contracted this malady. The miners are
compelled to work in powdeI-srnoke IN
foul air. nany Of them in water, and their
work is difficult AND eXhaEstlnS KEEP
utaple insurance companies will not issue
policies to this class OF wcrknIn. Ihe
risks are so grca1 that the premiums
would be prohibitive to men whose earn
i.?gs are so low.
SMALL PAY.
The entire 20 per cent. that they de-
mand AZ an increase in their wages wou!G
not suffice to carry an insurance OF sl,cto
1T seems but fair and just that the
wages paid these classes OF worlln2el
should be high. if not higher. than wages
paid to skilled artisans in other indus
tries. 1t is certainly not unjust to as
that these miners should receive as high
wages as are paid TO miners in the bi-
luminous coal fields, in the silver and gold
mines, or in the i:or-ore and copper
mines. all OF which work is lesss hazard
GUS freer from liability to disease, re-
curing less experience and less skill and
is better paid than labor in the anthra-
cite coal fields"
In supporting the demand for the re-
duction of the hours Of the day ahorers,
Mr. Mitchell showed that it amounted
practically TO demand for 20 per cent.
increase Of compensation for 5000 men,
or 81 per cent. of all mine employees. Con
tinuing. he said:
EICFT-EOJR DAY
THE eiSht-hour day is the standard
working day in the mining industry
Eight hours constitute a days work in
the coal mines of Great Britain in all the
silver gold and copper mines and in the
bituminous coal mines in the States of
Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri Iowa, Hi
nois. Indiana, Ohio. Michigan, kentucky
Tennessee, in Western Pennsylvania and
the Indian Territory
..The reports of the United States geo
logical survey demonstrate that more
coal has been produced annually since the
Inaugural ton OF the e.ght-hour work day
than in any preceding year Each miner
produced more coal per working day in
eight hours than he formerly produced
in ten hours. and there is no reason WHY
the same results would not be obtained
in the anthracite field. The bitumnous
workers receive in many Instances 20 to
10 per cent. higher wages for eight hours
work than is paid in the anthracite mines
for ten hours work.
WEIGHING COAL.
Defending The, third demand that coal
shall be weighed and paid for BY
weight and that 2.240 pounds shall con-
stitute 4 ton Mir. Mitchell declared that
the present method Of mea surfing the
Goa. produced by the miners in the Lack
ciwanna Wyoming and LeEigh regions
has been the source CT more discomfort
than any other of the many iniustices i'm
posed upon the Miners, and there can be
no contentment among these workers I'M
Ill an honest system has beer adopted.
Paying for coal by the car or by ton
Weighing from 2,74h to $3.50 pounds is d
fragrant injustice. The cars have been
made larger more topping is required
and there has been a corresponding in
crease in he amount paid per car or per
ton. Inc miners have been forced to pro-
duce a constantly increas sing amount OF
coat fer which they receive no additional
compensation
The miner should be paid for evory
pound of coal he mines that is sold by
the operator. If 2,2t0 pounds constitute
ton when coal is sold to the consumer
and when railroad companies are paid
for taking coal to market. what justice
can there be in denying the miner the
right TO be paid for his labor upon the
same basis?
The anthracite companies. not salts
fled with an extra legal ton of from 2.74o
TO $3.50 pounds, have system Of dock
ing. through which they appropriate adj
ditional part OF the miners earnings. a
miner is cooked all the way from 900 to
1000 pounds upon car as penalty for
loading impurities. for which he has al
ready been penalized to the extent Of
from 700 to 500 pounds In excess measure
of weight-in other words, he is punished
twice for the same offense.
unjust. obtained III 4 portion OF the btu
"A system somewhat similar, but less
minous coal fields many years ago but.
the miners are now paid by weight upon
the sis of a legal ton; they are not
only permitted but are encouraged By