Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-21
The Occupation Conducive to
Many Diseases.
DOCTORS TESTIMONY
INSANITARY CONDITION OF AM
BALANCES AT MINES.
Seventy Percent of Inmates Of
County Poor House Made Up
of Miners.

ton was Immediately resumed when the
anthracite strike commission met today.
He said that the occupation of miner
subjects man to pleurisy, gout neuralgia
asthma, bronchitis. sciatica and other dis
eases. He believed the day would come
when men win be subjected to medical ex-
animation before they undertake mining.
Children, he said, who have suffered from
any form of disease of the respiratory pas
sages. bronchitis or pneumonia, should
never be permitted in the mines under the
age of fifteen years. because they should
have a chance to eliminate the predispos-
ing factor in the case of So-called miners
asthma.
DIR. Gibbons then described the surface
indications of miners asthma, his testi-
mony in this respect not differing essen
TALLY from that given by other expert wit
nesses.
On further examination DR.. Gibbons said
he did not mean to be understood as saying
that miners form an unhealthy class, but
that they are debilitated and run down.
He spoke of the necessity for improved
ambulance service at the different collier
les.
Bad Condition of Ambulances.
The witness was cross-examined by
James H. Torrey, for the Delaware and
Hudson Company. In reply to a question.
DIR. Gibbons said he did not believe there
was an ambulance in the entire coal re-
gions that had sterile blankets that the
vehicles were sterile
in fact" said the doctor. they are
bunch of infection. Every ambulance
carries death and disease to every unfor-
tunate miner who is placed in it,
DIR. Gibbons was followed by DR.. Eugene
j. Butler, a member of the central poor
board of LuZerne county, who testified that
40 per cent of those in one of the poor
houses of Luzerne county were miners, and
that 10 per cent were crippled by accidents
in ana about the mines. Many of these, he
said, had become insane through worry
over their atfiiction. A man who works
few years miner, he declared is not fit
for anything else.
A. II. McClintock representing the Lehigh
and Wnkesbarre Coal Company cross-eS-
anined the witness and asked if it was not
true that large number of the professional
men and merchants in Wilkesbarre were
men whose fathers and grandfathers had
been employed in the mines.'
"If that is so, the witness replied "the
fathers and grandfathers were the wise fel-
lows who got out in time. They were not
men who worked for twenty or twenty-five
years in the mines.
Dr.. Roberts Recalled.
DIR. Butler was excused and the Rev. DIR.
Roberts was called to 10 stand, his exami-
nation being conducted by Mr.. Darrow for
the mine workers He reiterated his belief
expressed IN MS DOOk lndt an lnlelllgenL
and persistent combination among miners
for the maintenance of prices and rates of
wages would secure just share of the
profit for the workers.
In answer to Commissioner Clark, DR..
Roberts defined the use of the words AN
thracite syndicate" in his book by saying
he had reached the conclusion that there
was an understanding among the operators
to adjust the prices and regulate the trade.
This conclusion he had reached from per-
sonal investigation.
in view of the last strike" Mr.. DarroW
asked, ''and everything that has occurred
since. have your views as to the desirability
Of collective bargaining in the anthracite
regions been modified or strengthened, or
have they changed at all?'
strengthened, decidedly the witness re-
piled.
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
five months of the strike. The witness re-
piled that II was condition of war, and
that both sides were Incorporate. DIR.
Roberts, in reply to question as to what
wages a man should receive to maintain
the American standard of living said that
he would place the poverty line at $5I5 per
annum. Under that amount, he said. the
miner and his family would suffer physical
ly intellectually and mentally.
Mr.. Darrow's Statement.
AZ the tlOSe Ol LII tSODSTIS examination
Mr.. Darrow of counsel for the miners
union, addressing the commission, said that
there had been considerable disadvantage
in getting the exact evidence and figures
which he knew the commission wanted
When he came to these regions he thought
Ii would be easy matter to find out the
exact amounts paid for wages but that
enough had developed to show that there
were scarcely two mines where the wages
are theSsame. To get at the exact truth
therefore he said, 1t would be necessary
to have the due bills of the miners running
for series of years and such informa ton
as might be obtained from the company
books, which it had been stated would be
gladly furnished.
II would expedite the work of the COM
mission, therefore, he said, il the repre-
sentatives of the miners could have experts
examine into these figures privately, and to
do this would require little time There
were many questions which on their face
seemed TO be contested which could be elm
mated.
Judge Gray said that the commission
would be very glad to cooperate in bring
Ing about the accomplishment of that end
We have been aware for some time" said
he, that while the testimony that has been
adduced has been very interesting, and
Will not say 1t has not been of value still
1t has not yet been directly upon the points
at issue between the parties to this con-
troyersy."
Judge Gray's Views.
Continuing, Judge Gray said: "Accedine
to the suggestion just made by counsel
that an interval of time be allowed for the
preparation Of the documentary evidence
and for a possible agreement as to certain
facts and figures. which would forward
the work of this commission, the commits
sion hopes that an effort will be made by
the parties to come to an agreement on
nearly ALL il not all the. matters now in
controversy, and that they will adopt the
suggestion heretofore made by the conn
mission to counsel on both sides that we
aid them in such an effort by our concila-
tory offices.
1T seems TO us that many of the condi-
tlons complained Of and which have been
the subject and study OF our examinations
might be better remedied by the parties to
the controversy approaching the subject in
proper spirit and with the purpose OF
fairly adjusting them. We hope, gentle
men, that the interval of time to be grant
ed may be ayailed Of with this end in view.
OF course, in the meantime we shall pro-