Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-11-17
Miners WOES
TOLD OF BY
MITCHELL
THE STRIKE ARBITRAToRS BE,
GIN TAKING EVIDENCE IN
THE CASE FRIDAY At ScRAN-
TON.

SCRANTON, Pa Nov. A-Ine commit
tee appointed by President Roosevelt 70
arbItrate the differences existing between
the anthracite mine workers ana tner
employers today began the hearing OF the
miners side OF the casa
Judge GRAY announced that q sufficient
time had been given for the parties 70 the
controversy TO prepare for the hearing.
and that the commission would near the
reports OF the miners first Mr. mitchell
said ne would make a further statement
on Monday IN answer TO some OF the aiie-
cations OF the operators John 7. Lene-
han Of AyfIkesbarre. on behalf OF the nom
union men. inquired OF the commission
what course the proceedings would take
with respect TO them. Judge Gray ans
wered that that was a question which
would have TO be considered
Mr.. Wolverton asked the other side TO
give the operators at least one days no
tice in which .collieries witnesses II viii
call are employed SO that the mine own
ers can De prepared TO examine them Mr..
Darrow, for the miners. agreed 10 the
suggestion
President Mitchell then arose and adj
dressed the commission. HIS statement
contained six thousand words. an abstract
q which follows:
MIR Mitchell prefaced his statement with
the hope that the commission would sue
coed IN establishing relationship between
the operators and the miners that viii in
sure peace and stability IN the industry for
an indefinite period" After reciting the
demands for increased pay for the miner.
shorter work day for the laborer. the
weighing OF coal and an Industrial agree
ment the refusal OF all Of which led TO
the strike Mr.. Mitchell spoke as follows
on the question OF higher wages:
s'Of the 147.o00 men and boys employed
in and around the mines. strippings.
washeries and breakers in the anthracite
coal fields, s4.0T2 or g per cent are employ
ed ON contract. OF piece work; the remain
ing 5000 or s. per cent are employed BY
the hour. day. week or month OF the
s4o72 contract men. 81 so are miners aud
1S.ass are miners laborers.
The work OF q miner and a miners Ia
borer Is extremely hazardous In fact. IL
Is more dangerous than employment In
any other important industry in the world.
The number OF persons killed; and injured
is greater than. IN any other industry.
Each day the anthracite coal mines are I'm
operation 6-10 persons. lose their lives
and three times as many are MANNED, and
Jet these men receive less wages annually
than ara received by men performing pre-
cisely similar work In other fields under
more favorable and less hardous condi-
lions. The number OF years a man can re-
tain HIS health and strength I'm this oc-
cupation Is limited. II he escapes death BY
accident. he cannot escape attacks of min
ers' asthma There Is scarcely a mine
worker who has not contracted this NAL
adv The miners are compelled to work
IN powder rooms. powder smoke. In foul
air. many OF them in water and their
work Is difficult and exhausting. Reputa-
BE insurance companies viii not issue pol
fcies 70 this class Of workmen. risks are
80 great that the premiums would be pro-
hibittve TO men whose earnings are 50 low.
The entire - per cent. which they de-
rnand as an increase I'm their wages would
not suffice to carry an insurance OF s.. 900.
1T seems but fair and Just that wages
paid these classes Of workmen should be
as high. II not higher. than wages paid TO
skilled artisans IN other industries II is
certainly not unjust to ask that these
miners. should receive as high wages as
are pasd 70 miners in the bituminous coal
fields. IN the silver and gold mines or IN
the iro1sore and copper mines. all of which
work is less hazardous. freer from nabil-
fty 20 disease. requiring less experience
and less skill. and Is better paid than Ia
Dor in the anthracite coal fields"
In supporting the demand for the re-
duction OF the hours OF the day laborers,
Mr.. Mitchell showed that II amounted
practically TO demand for 20 per cent IN
crease OF compensation for 5000 men. or
81 per cent OF all mine employees Con-
tinuing. he said:
The eaght 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, ILL.,
uois, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Tennes-
see. 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 In
auguraffou OF the eiEht-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 be not obtained in
the anthracite field. The bituminous
workers receive IN many instances from
% 70 40 per cent higher wages for eight
hours work than are paid IN the anthra-
cite mines for ten hours work"
Defending the third demand that coal
shall be weighed and paid for by weight
and that 1.2so pounds shall constitute a
ton. 1Ir. Mitchell declared that the pres
ent method OF measuring the coal pro-
duced BY the miners IN the Lackawanna.
wyoming and Lehigh regions has been
the source Of more discomfort than any
other OF the many injustices imposed up
on the miners and there can be no con-
tentment among the workers until an
honest system has been adopted.
Paying for coal By the car or by a ton
weighing from az40 TO also pounds. Is a
fagrant Injustice The cars are made
larger. more topping Is required and there
Is no corresponding increase in the