The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-19

to the wages to be paid the men. He was
not certain what they are getting in the
Lackawanna mines, but said they are not
getting as much as the companies should
pay them.
Ros--You have testified that $500 a year'is
enough to enable n man to live In the Aneri-
MITCHELL said in a general way that $500
year was the minimum amount that he
ought to receive believe that the men that
work about the mines ought to enjoy some
OF the comforts OF lie get away rom lhe1r
&c. Why. some of your men have been TO
Philadelphia only once in twenty;iour years
and are stll telling their grandchildren ABOUT
In answer to questions Mr.. Mitchell said
that laborcrs in the mines practically are
apprentices on the way toward the goal OF
their ambition. Referring to the holidays
in the soft coal region he said that there are
fewer there than there are here Mr. Ross
disputed this.
The matter Of the company houses OF the
Iackawanna company was brought up and
Mr. Ross said that the company owned
pa such that they let at an average rental
Of IS a month. Some Of them were pretty
poor houses, he admitted. but the COM
pany was tearing them down AZ fast az
they became vacant.
Mitchcll-As long "a one of those old novels
II leit IN the anthracite Held me American
people have cause to com plain. s,oo,
is ga. ooo. 900, Mr Mitchell. what per cent Of
return ought our stockholders to get upon
Mitchell have seen ono Of your state
ments and think that your earnings have
been 20 per cent.
Mr. Ross fastened to explain that these
figures represented very good year.
Mitchell retorted that he could do no bet
ter than quote the language OF the presi-
dent Of the lackavanna company. In
vestors ought TO have some return. he
would admit. He had heard of very few
failures among coal operators.
EARNINGS OF IACKAwANNA MINERS.
Mr. Ross then proceeded TO n statement Of
the condition Of the miners of the 1acka-
wanna company and the attack, by com
parison, on the eisht-hour day. He did
this by cross examining the witness from
a paper in his hand There was consider
able objection and some OF his questions
were not pressed Once the attack made
upon the relevancy of the questions asked at
this time drew from Gen. Wilson the sharp
interrogatory:
Are you trying TO keep information
from u.s."
In brief this is what Mr.. Ross sought to
show, proof of which. in time, Will be sub
mi,ted to the commission:
About 1870 of the employees Of the
Iackawanna company own their own
houses. The combined value OF their
property. free from the charge OF mort
Mr7 Ross remarked TO Mr.. Darrow, is worth
S4O. 900 Mitchell raised laugh by de-
claring:
He mus, I've one Of the men that mined
the miners about here.
The Lackawanna mines worked Hri
DAYS in 1901 The average number OF
hours worked 10y company hands each day
was seven and eght-tsnths. The average
number Of hours worked 10y the contract
miners each day was five and on"-tenth.
The contrac, miners of the company worked
?,S4 hours and their average earning
were ss?s SO each. Mr. Mitchell said
that this was because 1901 was an unusually
good year, owing To the shortage created
by the strike of 1900
Mr. Ross then asked the witness, II, in
view of what had been shown. decrease
in the number Of hours of the work day
would not decrease the production of coal.
The witness answered that he did not think
il would
There was a long discussion bet ween Mr.
Ross and the witness over the respective
advantages of mining coal 10y the car and
bv the ton. Mitchell insisted that the only
fair way of measuring the amount OF coal
mined was by weight.
The statement that one Of the miners of
the I.ackawanna company was worth
$4,000 evidently worried Mr.. Darrow
Near the close Of the days session Mr..
Ross told a story Of man that he had re-
Gently talked with in one of the I-acka :
wanna mines in this city. This man told
the LAWYER that he had worked in these
mines since 1854 and he had never had a
DAYS sickness ia all that time. This did
not bear out the statement that the miners
were unhealthy. Mr.. Ross said.
MIR barrow here created a laugh by
brea king in with the remark
THAT must he your $4,000 man.
There are some indications that the cross
examination Of Mr.. Mitchell will be com
ple,rd by tomorrow or 10y Thursday al the
latest.
Mother Jones. the labor leader came 70 the
| CITY this evening 20 attend the session Of
| the Strike Commission. She spcnt sew
| eral hours In calling upon friends about
| town She has little 10 saw regarding the
deliberations Of the commission, but II Is
easy TO see that she expects great things
| for the cause Of labor from IT,