Evening journal., 1902-10-31

Coal Strike Commission has officially de-
cdded that If any award is made in the
rate Of wages Of the men, 1T shall date
from tomorrow. November /. This an
nouncement was made by the commits
sion through Recorder Wright, in brief
statement given out by him before q
O'Clock this morning.
Scranton, Pa, Oct S1.-The seven
commissioners appointed by President
Roosevelt to adjust the differences ex-
listing between the anthracite mine
workers and their employers yester-
day made a tour of the extreme upper
coal field, and saw every step taken in
the production of coal from the time
it is blasted from the ground, hundreds
of feet below the surface. up to the
point v it is sent to market ready
for the 'se the consumer. The arbi-
traitors .-s.. an interesting day and re-
turned 10 their hotel at $50 o'clock
last night, grimy from coal dust and
tired after eight busy hours Of observa-
ton and investigation. The trip was
quite a novelty to most Of these in the
commissioners party, some of them
never having been in the hard coal re-
gions. The commissioners displayed
the greatest interest in every feature
of coal mining, and went about their
work in a manner that was pleasing toI
both the mining superintendents and
the representatives of the mine work.
ers who accompanied the presidents
commissioners. The seven arbitrators
had to endure many discomforts, make
their way through wet places in the
mines, almost crawl along some Of the
gangways in the workings and pass
through clouds of coal dust in the
breakers. Notwithstanding this their
eagerness for information was not di
minished, and they put in another hard
days work today in this vicinity.
It would be unfair to say that one
commissioner displayed more interest
than another, but it can be truly said
that Bishop Spalding asked more quos-
tions than any one Of the others. He
IVES usually in the centre Of a group of
commissioners al asked many ques-
tions OF those who are employed in and
about the mines. All the commission
ers were good listeners but poor talk
ers when it came down to getting an
expression from them on any feature
of the mining business. From their
actions it is certain they have agreed
not to say one word of what they think
of any question that will come before
them. Several persons approached one
OF another of the commissioners during
the day merely for the purpose of hav
ing him say what he thought OF some
things he saw, and in each case the in
quirer was rebuffed.
The commissioners and their party
entered the mine at 10 o'clock yester-
day morning, and did not come to the
surface again until 2.10 o'clock in the
afternoon. A hurried inspection was
made of the outside buildings of the
colliery, and then the commissioners
were driven in carriages to their spe-
cial train, where they discussed mat
ters relating purely to the further
movements Of the arbitrators. The ex-
act nature of the question discussed
was not made public, but Colonel
Wright, the spokesman of the party,
said it was of no public interest
The arbitrators had an interesting
time at the Coalbrook breaker at Car
bondale. They went to the top OF the
great, black building and inspected all
the machinery down to the ground.
They were much interested in the men
and boys who are employed in picking
slate and honey from the coal. From
the breaker the now-tired commissions
ers were escorted to the chute, where
the coal fresh out of the mine, is sent
to the breaker by means Of a con
veyor," an endless chain arrangement
of scrapers. 1t is here where one CT
the principal bones of contention be-
tween the employe and employer IS
found. The miners maintain that they
are often unjustly docked by the dock
ing bosses for the amount of slate
honey OF other refuse found in the
coal. The commissioners watched the
work of the boss closely, and saw him
dock several miners, because in his
Judgment there was too much foreign
matter in the car of coal. A few feet
away is the place where the cars of Goa
are weighed. Mr.. Clark inquired how
many pounds constituted a ton at thi:
colliery. superintendent Bryder
thought it was about $500 pounds, bui
District President Nichols said it was
a little over 3,1OO pounds. The two be-
gan to discuss this, each maintaining
he was right. Mr.. Nichols said thai
granting that $500 was correct these
figures are too high. He said tha
when the companies fixed $500 pounds
to constitute a ton so as to get out o.
It 2,2O0 pounds Of pure coal, the op
orators did not sell pea coal in the mar
ket. Now they have a market for pes
coal and about three other sizes below
It, and the miners ton Of $500 pounds
has not been decreased. Judge Ora.
was an interested listener to the dis
cussion. He stood by, with his hand