New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-17
SAYS THE MINERS LIVE WELL
REPLY OF LEHIGH COAL AND NAvIGA-
TON COMPANY TO MINERS De
MANDS MADE PUBLIC.
Carriage Entrur

Philadelphia Nov 1s-The statement o: the
Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company. submitted
TO the Anthracite Coal Strike Commission. now in
session at Scranton Penn, in reply TO the demands
OF the miners made public here to-day. The
reply recites the development OF the company from
the date OF its charter in 1872 refers to the expense
of operation and TO the comparatively small profits
and declares that the demands OF the employees for
an increase OF 20 per cent are untustihable. the
reasons given in support OF the demand not being
founded fact
Accompanying the statement are two exhibits.
One shows the earnings OF the employees OF the
company for one year. based the time worked
in 1901 the number OF the several classes Of work
and the rates paid, according to the payroll
for the first half OF May. 1902. The other is cata-
logue OF overt acts charged the striking employees
Of the company In the recent contest. the riots,
assaults and disturbances OF various kinds being
numbered at upward OF sixty. The reply says IN
part:
The dividends upon its capital stock 70 date only
the company during the ten years ended December
81. 1901 has averaged liOs cents ton after charg-
not including any charge for royalty which repre-
s IN sne EGe az ay f Of ten hours Contract miners
earned an average OF So u day skilled taooreTs
underground The rates for outside labor average
and boys - cents. The average annual earnings OF
adults we're $40 -
Denial is made of the declaration OF the miners
that their earnings insufficient TO maintain the
employees OF the Lehish Coal and Navigation Com
pany these figures are given;
ont of 3O4s families so own their own houses.
Pianos will be found in 1+6 and house organs in
SS- The company owns and rents TO It's employees
ST. houses at an average rental OF - % a month
The character OF these houses Is fully up 70 the
average in any part OF the country occupied by
any other class OF workmen
The families Of the employees have ample school
Recommendations. with capable teachers. and over
three thousand children are in attendance, while
over - per cent OF the whole fund expended IN the
region is derived from taxes paid by this company
en- its coal estate. Since isS more than two hun
dred and nifty young men have gone from Lansford
and other villages in the neighborhood 10 normal
schools and colleges and become mining engineers
attorneys chemists. dentists. architects. ministers
and priests =, -
hours Of labor. without any reduction in earnings.
FOR all employees paid by the hour. day or week
would be peculiarly absurd i enforced as against
this company. IN point OF fact the breakers OF
the company are only able TO run nine hours day
and not ten. The miners only work from i've 70
seven hours day and the real difficulty in the
region is that contract labor prices are too high
as the men get an amount sufficient for their wants
bv working less than three-quarters Of day. The
men employed by the day only work, as a maxi
num- nine hours. and as many OF them consume
from half hour 70 an hour in going and from
their work TO the foot OF the shaft. they do not
ever work nine hours
The company declares that payment by weight Is