Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-28
WILL MEET THURSDAY
ARBITRATION COMMISSION CO.
ING TO SCRANTON.
Inspection Of the Conditions Surround
ing the Coal Miners to Be Made
Program Of Procedure.

concluded it's deliberations in this city yes
terday afternoon and adjourned to meet
next Thursday at Scranton, Pa, where 1t
will begin a personal examination of the
mines to see the conditions under which
men work and the conditions existing in
the homes of the miners. The commission
decided to take this trip while In open ses-
sion and at once Mr.. Baer, one of the coal
operators and president of the Reading rail-
road, suggested that If the commission
would indicate what accommodation they
would need on the trip 1t would be furnish
ed. That was discussed informally, and a
suggestion was made that committee be
appointed to look after it, Mr.. Watkins of
the commission being named as one who
was especially qualified to serve in that ca
pacty.
At the close of the meeting the commits
sion retired to the consultation room in the
rear of the hal in which the hearing was
held, and in a few minutes Mr.. Moseley,
one of the assistant recorders, came out to
inform all the newspaper men present that
the commission would not accept any spe-
cial accommodations, or, in fact, any trans
portation, without paying for it. The rail-
roads involved in the controversy were
ready to supply all the luxIlries of private
cars without expense to the commission,
but it was decided that each commissioner
would pay his fare and accept no special
favor that he was not prepared to pay for,
in order to prevent the possibility of any
criticism on the part of the public.
To Ascertain Rates of Pay.
After the report of the proceedings by
The Star was concluded yesterday after
noon the operators and Mr.. Mitchell agreed
upon a plan by which they could ascertain
In a manner satisfactory to every one the
rates of pay that are allowed to the miners
in the anthracite regions. It was agreed
q q ha tai
their books a statement of prices paid for
both piece work and for days labor. This
will form a very extended statement, as it
was explained that conditions in all the
mines varied as did prices for both piece
work and days labor. 1t was further I'M
derstood that if these statements are ques-
toned in any way by Mr. Mitchell the COM
mission will appoint auditor whose duty
it will be to verify them. BY means of
these statements it is expected that all
questions of fact affecting wages paid to
the miners will be settled.
1t was further agreed that by next Mon
day Mr.. Mitchell should have a statement
of his case, so far as it relates to the de-
mands of the miners, ready to present to
the commission This statement is to be
as brief as possible and is not to be arRu-
mentative. Three days later the operators
will have their answer and then as soon s
the commission has completed it's personal
inspection of the mining region, It will be-
gin the taking of testimony.
Examination of Conditions.
The question of the examination by the
commission into the conditions under which
the mining of anthracite coal is conducted
was then entered on, and Mr.. Watkins of
the commission suggested that a week or
ten days time would be necessary in order
to make adequate examination of the
physical conditions about the mines. He
appealed to Mr. Thomas for his opinion
to the time necessary, and that gentleman
replied: You will certainly need that much
time; should think that thirty days would
be none too little. We've grown gray in
our study of that question"
Mr.. Baer also fell in with the suggestion
saying that it would be impossible to do
justice to the invest igation without a COM
plete physical inspection of the mines and
the methods of operating them.
Mr.. Mitchell thought that not only should
there be an inspection of the mines, but
also of the homes of the miners. He con-
sidered this investigation necessary to a
complete understanding of the subject.
After consulting the members of the COM
mission President Gray announced that 1t
would begin its inspection next Thursday
commencing it's work in District No. /, in
which the city of Scranton is located. While
no conclusion was reached on the subject
the conversation among the members of the
commission indicated that 1t is their pur-
pose to investigate the mining operations in
q number of mines. While the subject was
up, Mr.. Baer said that the mine operators
would furnish all facilities at their com
mand to enable the commission to make it's
investigation thorough, adding that they
would place a special train at the disposal
of the commission. providing also for the
accommodation of a representative of the
miners.
Official stenOgraphers to report the pro-
ceedingS of the commission, and also to
act as secretaries for members of the COM
mission were appointed. An agreement
was reached to leave the Hotel Jermyn in
Srrar0 ton of o. do,
ing for the first tour of inspection. There
was, however, no agreement to what
mines should be visited first, that point
being left for future determination.