The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-11-01
ARE IN The MINES
Arbitration COMMISSION MAKING
INVESTIGATION.
AWARD TO DATE FROM TO-DAY
IF ANY IS MADE AFFECTING RATES
OF WAGES.

commissioners spen8 Day in Riding
Through Anthracite Region in
Special Trolley Car and Descend
ing Into the Mines Where They
Took Direct Testimony From the
Miners Themselves-Very Probable
That a Preliminary Report Will
Be Made by Arbitrntors.
Scranton. Pa, Oct. S1.-The first i'm
portant action by the anthracite coal
strike commission, which is arbitrating
the differences existing between the
miners and their employers, was taken
to-day when 1t was announced by Car
roll D. Wright, the recorder of the COM
mission, that if any award affecting the
existing rate of wages shall be made,
the award shall be effective from
Nov. 1.
The announcement of the commission
was contained in the following brief
resolution:
Voted, unanimously, that if the
commission, at the conclusion of its
hearings and deliberations, makes any
award affecting existing rates of wages,
such award shall take effect Nov. 1,
1902"
It was fully expected that this ques-
ton would come up before the arbi-
traitors, but the action of the commits
sioners shuts off any possible contro-
versy that either side may have de-
sired to raise. The miners wanted the
new SCALE if one is made, to date from
the time they returned to work, but
the operators left the matter to be
decided by the commission. The mine
workers are perfectly satisfied, however,
With the decision of the commission.
The strike has been off only one week.
and nost of the men have not worked
more than four or five days.
The commissioners Spent the entire
day in continuing their inspection Of
the mines and the mining region about
Scranton. They visited the Manville
colliery operated Jointly by the Della
ware and Hudson and the Delaware,
Lackawanna and Western Companies,
in the forenoon, and the afternoon was
spent in riding through the region on
a special trolley car. The commission
will spend Saturday in the vicinity of
Wilkesbarre, returning here in the ev-
ening.
1t is possible the commission may
make a preliminary report on three of
the principal strike questions. They
are the increase in wages, a shorter
work day and the weighing of coal.
After these have been decided the COM
mission can take up all other questions
without undue haste. 1t is known the
commissioners have this feature under
consideration, and 1t is very likely q
preliminary report will be made.
The commissioners were ufl6er
ground to-day for two hours and a
half.
The arbitrators inspected practically
the entire underground workings, and
as on yesterday, found much to inter-
est them. They asked numerous ques-
tons of all men they encountered in
the gangways or chambers, and did not
seem to mind the discontinue of the
trip.
The Manville is said to be one of the
worst mines in this region for the min
ers to work. The veins of coal are not
more than three feet thick and the
miner has more difficult time in get
ting it out than where the same is
thicker. The commissioners walked sew
eral miles through the gangways, and
owing to the exceedingly low roof,
they had to do their tramping almost
continually in a STOPPING position. At
ter the arbitrator had been in the
workings an hour, Judge Gray decided
came to the surface accompanied by
Bishop Spalding.
The commissioners inspected three
chambers where miners were at work
at the face of the breasts blasting coal.
The first breast visited was 1000 feet
from the foot of the shaft. There the
investigators found g. miner and his
helper at work. Gen. Wilson and
Messrs. Clark and Parker crawled in
to the three-foot horizontal opening be-
tween the rock out of which the coal
was being taken. The commissioners
presented a novel picture as they sat
around with flaming lamps in their
hands, listening to the grimy digger
giving his testimony. The miner was
asked how much he made a day, how
many cars of coal he was able to get
out, how many hours he worked, what
he paid his helper, how much he made
per month before the strike, and num-
erous other questions that might give
the commissioners some idea of how to
proceed.