The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-12-13


He worked 1888 s-io days and made
$563.S0, according to the compilation OF
the company. The witness averred that
a part of that represented a payment
he made his laborer, the company
having failed to deduct, through some
error.
Gathers UP the Coal.
William Powers, runner, testified
that he was engaged by the company
TO gather up the coal that fell from
the cars. He said IL filled from one to
four cars a week. The coinpany's at
torney let ii go at that. 1t was brought
ont that the witness was discharged
e Wednesday for characterization,
The witness statement of the trouble
\ tnat the fireboss started to hit him
with a sprag, and he put his hand on
the boss neck and kicked the sprag
out of his hand.
Robert Hughes a miner from the
Morgan b. Williams e. Co. Red Ash
collery, near Wilkes-Barre, was called,
but as that company is not a party to
the hearing, Judge Gray advised that
he be not examined.
Justice of the Peace George Smith, of
Blakely, testified that the cars at the
Ontario colliery of the Elk Hill Coal
and Iron company vary in capacity
from 92 to 1l9 cubic feet, including the
six inches topping. One car is feet Z
inches by feet 3 inches by 9 feet /
inch. Another is s feet 10 inches by i
feet inches by feet inches.
The witness did not secure re-em-
ploynent after the strike. His place
was taken UP by the installation of an
engine during the strike. The boss told
him he would give him a place as soon
as he could. The last time he saw the
boss, the latter said: II guess you will
have to work for John Mitchell q while
longer
Attorney j. Il. Burr cross-eXamined
him and sought unsuccessfully to have
the witness agree that not 10 per cent
of the cars have six inches topping
when they reach the breaker: that out
of 700 cars sent out by the miners in a
day, the rock and slate will amount to
$50 cars, or % per cent, and that the
culm that will come out Of it amounts
to 1919 per cent. The witness did not
know whether or not these figures We're
correct. The witness testified that he
knew the docking amounted to or S
per cent.
Isaac Cheney, a 63-year-old Ontario
miner, did not get a Job after the
strike. The boss said he would give
him place when he could.
Way It Was Done.
Thomas Dureemer, an eX-clerk for
the Silverbrook Coal company, en-
planned how the company "manipu-
lated'-as Mr.. Mccarthy put 1.-THE
10 per cent advance, giving illustra-
tions similar to- those previously pre-
sented.
John Williams, whose brother in law
was one Of the fifty-eight victims of the
Twin shaft disaster, told of that catas-
trophe. He had not even the slightest
recollection of the company making any
effort to rescue the men or recover the
bodies.
Mr.. Darrow explained to the court
that the witness was not put on with
the view of having the company criti-
cized for not making any effort at res
cue. ''Of course" said Mr.. Darrow,
I'VE are not concerned as to how
near relative of a victim viewed the
effort of the company to accomplish
rescue. The purpose Of calling the wit
ness was simply to show the dangers
attendant upon mining"
Alexander Samuels and Frank Old
field, two Wilkes-Barre hod carriers,
who We're formerly miners testified that
hod carriers receive twenty-five cents
an hour; stOnemasOns, thirty-seven and
one-half cents an hour, and bricklayers
fifty cents an hour, with time and a
half for overtime and double time for
Sundays and holidays, and that they all
work eight hours. Each thought
miner ought to receive at least S. a day
August Baker, of Hazelbrook con-
tract miner for j. S. Wentz & Co., told
a sorry story of the condition of the
company houses, there, and that if the
men want to avoid bad places in the
mines they have to deal in the high
priced company store. His wages, he
said, We're from $40 to $50 a month.
Owns a Double House.
On cross-eXamination MIR. Dickson
brought out the fact that the witness
is not compelled to live in a company
house, as he is drawing SIS Il. month
rent from a double dwelling house of
his own, and that the only high-priced
thing he could specify was shoe black
ing which he bought for five cents in
Hazelton and had to pay ten cents for
in the company store.
Mr.. Dickson then produced state
ment OF his earnings in 1901, which he
said he would verify by receipts. 1t
showed that Baker and his two boys,
one 10 and the other II, in 1901, drew
81 ,565.77 in wages, and that the father
had not worked as many days as he
might, particularly the days, immed
lately following pay day.
Commissioner Watkins was absent. |
yesterday afternoon and will not be |
present today. He went to New York !
to attend the dinner of the Pennsyl- |
vania society and transact some urgent |
private business.