The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1902-11-26

Scranton, was lmmedlatefy foSel4
ed when the anthracite strike COM
mission met today. He said that
the occupation of a miner subjects
a man to pleurisy, gout, neuralgia,
asthma, bronchitis, sciatica and
other diseases. He believed that
the day would come when men
will be subjected to examination
before they undertake mining.
Children, he said who have suffered
from any form Of disease of the res
piratory passage, bronchitis or
pneumonia, should never be per-
mitted in the mines under 15yeara,
because they should have chance
to eliminate the predisposing factor
in the case of so-called Miners
asthma.
DR. Gibbons then described the
surface indications of miners' asth-
ma, his testimony in this respect
not differing essentially from that
by other expert witnesses. On fur
ther examination DR. Gibbons said
be did not mean to be understood
as saying that miners form an un-
healthy class, but that they are de-
bilitated and run down. He spoke
Of the necessity for improving am
bulance service at the different
collieries.
The witness was cross-examined
by James II Torrey, for the Dele.
ware & Hudeon Company. In re-
ply to question DR. Gibbons said
he did not believe there was an
ambulance in the entire coal region
which has sterile blankets or were
themselves sterile.
'In fact" said the doctor "they
are bunch of infection. Every
ambulance carries death and dis
ease toevery unfortunate miner who
is placed in it..
DR. Gibbons was followed by DR.
Eugene J Butler, a member of the
CentralPoor Board of Luzerne Co.
unity, who testified that 70 per cent
of those in one of the poorhouses of
Luzerne County were miners, and
that 40 per cent were crippled by
accident in and about the mines.
Many Of these, he said, had become
insane through worry over their
afliction. A man who works a few
years as a miner, he declared, is
not fit for anything else.
A I'll McClintock, representing
the Lehigh & Wilkesbarre Coal
Company. cross-examined the wit.
ness, and asked it was not true
that a large number Of professional
men and merchants in Wilkesbarre
were men whose fathers and grand
fathers had been employed in the
mines.
e "lf. that is "the witness replied
"the fathers and grandfathers were
the fellows who got out in time.
They were not men who worked for
20 or 25 years in the mines.
pr Butler was excused, and Rev.
DR. Roberts was called to the stand
his examination being conducted by
Mr. Darrow, for the mineowners.
He reiterated his belief expressed in
his books that an intelligent and
persistent com bination among mi-
nres for the maintenance of prices
and rates Of wages would secure a
lust share of the profits of the Wor-
kers.
In answer to Commissioner Clark
DR. Roberts defined the use of the
words anthracite syndicate" in
in his book by saying ne had rea-.
ehed the conclusion that there was
an understanding among the oper-
ators to adjust the prices and reg
ulate the trade. This conclusion
he had reached from personal in
vestigation.
After reading extracts from an
article IN a magazine supposed to
have been written by DR. Roberts,
Mr. Darrow asked what was the
temper of both parties during the
three months of strike. The wit.
ness replied that it was condition
of war, and that both sides were
Incorporate. DR. Roberts in reply to
question as to what wages man
should receive to MAINTAIN the AM
erican standard of living, said he
would place the poverty line at $575
per annum Under that amount, he
said, the miner and his family