The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-04
THE INQUIRY IS RESUMED
Mitchell Again Occupies the
 Witness Stand.
Six Persons Give Testimony During
 the Day-Wife of German Min .t5 CT Tells of Her Illus z bands Wages.

Scranton, Pa, Dec. 3.-The anthracite coal companies and their employees hav- ing failed to come to an agreement du- ring the Thanksgiving eecess of the strike commission, the hearing of the miners side of the case was continued today as heretofore. and unless some thing is done by the lawyers on both sides to curtail matters it's progress will sure- ly run into next year.
 With the reassemblage of the commis- sion today, however. there was revival of the talk of settlement "out of court" Nothing definite has been done and neither side has approached the oth- CT so far as can be learned regarding nent attorney expressed it there is some thing in the air" The lawyers on both sides have heard the rumor and profess they know nothing about it, but would not be surprised if something in the way of an agreement is reached before the hearings are concluded"
 Chairman Gray, speaking for the com mission today again expressed the hope that efforts would be made by both sides to agree on as many points as possible and that the commission was ready to lend any conciliatory help toward bring ing about that end.
 Six Witnesses Heard.
 Six witnesses were on the stand during the two sessions today. They were Pres ident Mitchell, two photographers. two practical miners and the wife of a Ger man miner.
 Mir. Mitchell was called to show that 20 ner cent increase in wages did not mean d corresponding increase in the price per ton of coal
 The commissioners at times were seem- ingly impatient at the way the proceea- ings dragged. While they had halt dozen witnesses before them they did not learn much more than they already knew They are anxious for the documentary evidence, such as wage statements and other data bearing on wages and condt- tions This was strongly evidenced to- day when they eagerly seized upon the due bills handed up by the Hungarian witness. Every member of the commis- sion handled these and had questions to ask about them. One of the commission CTS said today that 1t was principally question of wages and they wanted these facts as quickly as they can get them'
 In this connection there was consider abla discussion among the attorneys for au sides and the commission regarding +he documentary evidence. Both parties to the controversy had agreed to trv 10 ogree as far as possible or a summary cf the great mass of figures that the nun sIreds of accountants for the dlnere-t companies are computing. But the lask ,s such a stupendous one. taking III as fl does. about 145,000 men and boys, that ncither side Is yet ready to go into that feature of the investigation:
 Number of Attorneys Increased
 The commission has decided to give all .or,na nies who have not been party to the arbitration commission until ID O CLOCK tomorrow to file their answers to fFesr dent Mitchelrs original statement or ,ne miners case. The already large huinoe- oF attorneys has been increased, proiih nant among the additional members or +he bar being Samuel Dickson Of Phlla- Jarnhia Resides representing the lnol- .id,al cornpanies in HaZelton region ne also appeared for the Lehign lCoal anu Navigation Company, an indepenoeht coi.- corn which has about ten colheries III the Panther Creek Valley o.
 Al the beginning of the afternoon ses- .iar Mr Dickson brought before the com ,,,,rsion the matter of both sides agreeing a 6qures and other data regarding wages sr submission to the commissioners ne l,,ew 1t was a difficult problem, anu ne ~eured the commission that the com r,nies he represented would present tneir fcures as soon as they could be comhut 3 After some further discussion, Chalr- nan Gray, speaking for the commission' zaid that both sides would have 10 com" , some agreement regarding this char actor of testimony or the commissioners ,.l he obliged to take the matter Tn t-sir own hands and prescribe some rue + facilitate the work of the investiga- tion. o,
 Refused to Employ Old Men
 During the examination of Dottrey, MT. Darrow brought out the statement that the Coxe Company had refused 10 re- employ upwards of 400 men after the strjka was declared of by the Wilkes borro convention This number was sub .enuentlv reduced by the company con senting to take hack some of the men ot first barred. The witness intimated that this was a violation Of the agree nent under which the commission was apnointcd The company, the witness said pavs the laborer when he is work ;rl, for the company 90 cents to s120 Ga. while the company insists that the ,,trer nays the same laborer when he tT working for the miner $l62 to N@ day.
 Mir Dottrey said the most dangerous ,,ort in the mines is fighting fire. and that men do not receive one cent extra ,,v for the hazardous work.
 IT.. was followed on the witness stan' ., Mike Middlick Hungarian, who has .atn qmrloyed in the Coxe mines as r.r,ctical miner for four years He said i, earned about S25o last year. He also romplained of the docking system, and sa,J ho had aeen docked about eight cars <. abo,,t two weeks He submitted the or, statements for the last year or ,,,rc which showed the largest of money ba received for any two weeks to have i' little more than SIS One state
 ,, showed that he had made less than se e,r two weeks, but he could not tell ,t.tber he worked full time during that
 Less Paid by Coxe.
 h, the Coxe mines, he said, the mine
 .r,,ers were paid much less than the men employed by other companies in the vicinity. He said that in six years he had