Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-10-30
.ARB|TERS At WORK
Commissioners Go Down in q
Coal Mine" and Take Notes
Generally.
TO INSPECT HOMES OF MINERS
Observance of Mitchell Day Through
out Anthracite Re-
giOn.

| scranton, IA, oct. 3O.-Ine real
work of the anthracite strike arbitra-
tion commission was begun today.
al inspection of coal mines, homes
and surroundings of the worllmen.
All the region lying north of here to
Forest City will be gone over. This
will take the entire day. Tomorrow
and Saturday the region south of here
as far as WiIkesbarre will be looked
over. No testimony will be taken on
the inspection tours.
| Scranton, Pa, Oct. 3O.-The anthra-
cite coal strike commissioners who will
make an inspection of the mines and
| the homes of the mine workers ar
rived here last night. Commissioner
| Il. H. Watkins, whose home is in this
city, came here early in the day and
| arranged some of the details for the
| first days tour of the region. The
commission headquarters are at the
Hotel Jermyn. where the party occu-
pies fourteen rooms. Today is being
At 9:15 4. N. the party left for For
est City. This mining town is in
Susquehanna county, and is the upper
edge of the hard coal fields, twenty
two miles from here.
The operators are represented by
General Manager Dryden, of the New
York, Ontario and Western company.
superintendent Rose, of the Delaware
and Hudson; General Manager ThOrne,
of the Temple Iron company. and Gen
eral Manager May. of the Erie COM
pany. District President II. ID. Nichols,
of the L. NJ. W, is the principal rep
resentative of the miners. President
Mitchell will not come to this city un-
less sent for The train travels slow
ly, so that the commissioners can get
Il good idea of the country. At For
est City the party was lowered into
one of the Erie cOmpany's mines, and
spent the entire morning underground.
\ coal breaker will be visited at Car
bondale, and then the~fetHfR Journey
to Scranton will be made over the
Ontario and Western railroad. The
commissioners will stop at Olyphant,
six miles north of Scranton. for the
purpose of visiting other cOllieries and
to look ut the homes and surround
ings of the mine workers. Scranton
will be reached at about p. m.
The purpose of the commission just
at present" Watkins said. lis to get
Il general view of the physical condI-
tiOnS of anthracite mining. with the
idea of giving the members of the
commission unacquainted with coal
mining an opportunity of seeing what
Il mine is IKE. how the miners work
and live and how the product is ham
died.
Twenty-Five expert accountants were
brought here yesterday from New York
by the Erie company. They will as
sist the company clerks in this city in
arranging data for presentation to the
commission.
Miners Go On Parade
Wilkesbarre. Pa. Oct. 3O-"NIitchell
Day" was celebrated in all the prin-
cipal towns of the anthracite coal re-
gion yesterday. and in order that all
the mine workers might have an OPP
portunity to participate in the exer-
cises the mines were closed down. The
principal demonstration was held in
this city, and President Mitchell took |
part. There was snow and sunshine |
during the day, but the changeable |
weather did not keep an army or |
strangers out of town. Everybody wore |
n John Mitchell badge. The process
sion started shortly before noon, and |
was nearly one hour in passing given
point. 1t is estimated that there We're |
10000 men IN line
Mitchell Given an Ovation.
President Mitchell was given an ova- |
ton all along the line of march, and |
whenever his carriage stopped the |
crowd from the sidewalk pressed |
around and insisted on shaking his |
hand. A United States flag was carried |
at the head OF every local and brass |
bands by the score furnished music. |
The banners carried bore many Curl |
Gus inscriptions. Some of them read |
as follows: by Arbitration We Hope |
to Gain Our Just Demands" Unity |
and Friendship Make Peace" God |
Bless Our Country and Our Union;"
We Honor and Respect Our Presidents, |
Roosevelt and Mitchell"
Advice Given to Miners.
After the parade mass meeting |
was held at Y. NJ. G. A. park. The |
first speaker was Rev. J. T.. Powers, |
of Spring Valley. Ills. He said he had |
known John Mitchell since boyhood, |
and he always found him noble and |
upright. He was delighted, he said, to /
see the great tribute paid him by the |
hard coal miners. President Mitchell /
was the last speaker. He thanked his |
hearers for their reception to him. and |
cafd in mart. ssrThp OnePo fors 1ara NOT