Rock Island Argus., 1902-11-21

reading of extracts from DIR. Roberts
book for the purpose of placing them
in the records of the commission. These
extracts referred to the rates of wages,
the character and size of coal veins
and various other local conditions
about the mines. Roberts was follow
ed on the stand by several physicians
who testified to the amount of illness
among lie mine workers. DIR. John
O'Malley, of Scranton, said that min
ers' asthma, rhumatism and lumbago
are very common among mine workers.
Nine-tenths of the miners he has treat
ed suffered from miners asthma. This
disease, he said, is caused by coal
dust, powder smoke or vitiated air. In
poSt-mortems he had seen lungs of
miners as black as anthracite coal.
DIR. Frank P. Lenahan, of Wilkes
barre, who says he has had a long eX-
perience among mine workers, testified
that fully 80 per cent of the men who
work in the mines are anaemic. Their
health is impoverished, and their gen.
eral condition is below par, thus de-
creasing their earning powers. The
miners asthma comes from coal dust,
Lenahan testified that he had personal
knowledge of man coughing up coal
dust nine years after he left the mines.
He said he hadinformation that a man
had coughed up coal dust fifteen years
after he had left the mines. 1t was
also stated that 80 per cent. of miners
who reach the age of 30 years are af-
ffiicted with some form of rheumatism.
Questioned as to whether or not min
ers' asthma was durable, DIR. O'Malley
stated that the fatalities resulting
form it were slight, but that the like
lihOod of its producing some fatal dis
ease was common. The effect of
asthma, he said, was very debilItat-
ing, it u.sturbs nutrition, and the per-
son suffering from it has Il gaunt,
emaciated appearance, rendering it inn
possible for the miner to do good work.
There were but few, he said, who
could escape even moderate attacks.
On cross-eXamination by Torrey, of the
Delaware and Hudson company, DIR.
O'Malley said he was not speaking
from official records, but from memory.
SOMETHING THAT MAKES 'EI LAUGH
That the Taxes of Pennslyvania Are Prac-
tically Paid by Corporations.
''What is the average life of a mill
err" Commissioner Wright asked. Dr.
Lenahan: "Very few get over 80
years"
81 mean after he beings to work"
twenty-five or thirty years.
Answering a further question he de-
clared the occupation of a miner to be
very unhealthy.
On cross-examfnation by Everett
Warren, counsel for the Delaware and
Hudson, the witness said he was not
aware that practically all the taxes of
PENNSYLVANIA were paid by the cor
pOrations of the state. This reply pro-
duced some laughter in the court room.
THAT seems TO be very funny to this
audience" remarked Warren, but it is
true"
He then challenged the testimony of
DIR. Lenahan that the corporations con-
tributed little to the support of the
hospitals, and said that while the state
government gave financial aid this
was only possible by reason of the
taxes paid by the corporations.
When asked if it were not true that
all people who are employed out of the
sunlight are likely to have a pale,
anaemic appearance, the doctor said
that if the statements he had to-
day heard were true, the lack of sun
light would not contribute to any great
extent to the miners condition, be-
cause the companies claimed the men
left their work before noon. He ad-
mitted that q number of the men en-
ployed in a nearby axle works had
been affected with sciatica, rheunAa-
tism and consumption. and on further
cross-examination said that a miner
cannot be gotten away from the ex-
citing cause of his ailments because
he is unfit for other occupations.
Warren detailed the better condi-
tions which exist in the mines now
with respect to purer ventilation, and
the duties of the fire boss who pre-
! cedeS the men in the mines, but the
doctor said he could not see how the
purity of the air could be increased
without increasing the drafts, and con-
sequently increase the exposure of the
miner to rheumatism, pneumonia, etc.
DR.. Richard III. Gibbons, of Scran-
ton, followed. He was questioned only
a few minutes when the commission
adjourned to meet tomorrow morning
at 10 O'Clock.
MISSED 1T BY FOUR HUNDRED