Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-09
Miners Tell Of Heartlessness
Of Operators.
STORES OVERCHARGES
PITIFUL STORY OF EVICTION AND
DEATH.
Henry Coll, a Badly Crippled Miner,
Moves His Hearers to
Tears.

strike commission opened It's session today
H. c. Reynolds. one of the attorneys for
the Independent operators, announced the
death of DIR. j. N. Rice, an Independent
operator. who was party to the arbitra-
ton scheme and was prominent in the pres
ent negotiations. Chairman Gray, for the
commission, expressed sorrow at the death
of DR.. Rice. In a few well-chosen words
Judge Gray called the attention to the I'M
certainty of life, and reminded all who
are parties to the controversy that they
may at any moment be called to that high
tribunal which gives exact justice to all.
The first witness called was James Nc
Mongle, a miner formerly employed by
Markle & Co. He said the breast he was
working in was so dangerous that he COM
planned to the company officials that ne
might be killed. He was told If he worked
any other breast he would not be given
any cars. He went out on strike and. after
the suspension he was refused work and
evicted from his house.
overcharge at Company Stores.
E. D. Gallagher, another Markle miner,
testified that the company charges him 80
cents gallon for oil that sells in Hazleton,
a few miles away for Is cents, and 81 cents
a quire for blasting paper that can be had
for Is cents.
Chairman Gray asked what the outside
market price for powder was. Some of the
Independent operators said s1.25 a keg, ana
the attorneys for the miners said 80 to 10
cents a key. The companies are selling II
to the miners at $1.5O keg.
Andrew Hannik, Hungarian, told how
the Markles evicted him. He was followed
by Henry Coll, another Markle miner. who
told how his family. including his mother
in-law who was hundred years old, was
set out on the road with their household
tfov, nj
how he was injured many times In the
Mines He said one Of his legs was no bet
ter than wooden one, he only had one eye
his hands have been crushed, ribs broken
and skull fractured. The company gave
him nothing until after the employees took
up collection for him, then he was given
$50 after being on the injured list for two
years. The company took out OF the col
lection the rent he owed.
In answer to other questions he said that
he was one Of the thirteen ev1cted by the
Markle company. The only rent he owed
was for the months during the strike. The
company gave no reason for evicting him.
A Most Pathetic Story.
Then followed the most pathetic story
vet told the commission. The old miner,
decrepit from many injuries, told under the
examination Of how the eviction was car
ried on. The wife was sick and her one
hundred-year- mother was blind and I'M
able to walk. The day on which they were
thrown OUT was rainy. He took them
best he could to HaZleton, seven miles
away. and placed them in cold, damp,
empty house. This was last month. when
the atmosphere on the HaZleton mountain
was quite cold. His wife became worse.
Medical aid was kindly furnished free by
Hazleton doctor. but it did not help her
much.
1--WE were greatly worried because of our
having been turned out of our house, and
nj ph - the witness said between SOhS.
''she died"
"She died?" exclaimed Judge Gray, who
was pacing to and fro across the room. as
he quickly turned when he heard the mans
last words.
Eyes, sir, she died, and I buried her yes
terday.''
All the commissioners and many of those
in the court room were much affected by
the old miners story. The witness went on
to say that he did not know whether the
centenarian was alive today or not
'She was in bad condition owing to her
daughters death, when l left home last
night" said he.
No one cared to cross-examine him. and
Judge Gray said: THAT is all, Mr.. Coll, and
that's enough.
Bad Air in Mines.
Two more witnesses told of how they
were refused work by the Markle Com
pany, and then ]. B. Gallagher. national
board member OF the United Mine Workers
of America, for the HaZleton district, took
the stand and told of conditions as, he found
them at the mines of the Markle Company.
The air in some of the gangways, he said,
was so bad that miners lamps would not
burn. If he had drill hole started and
the lamp went out he would continue to
work in the dark until his condition be-
came so weakened by the air that he had to
get out.
So far as he could remember not one man
who was on any OF the Markle grievance
committees is now working for that COM
pany.
Gallagher explained the troubles at the
Markle mines after the recent strike was
over, when the men refused to go to work
because John Markle imposed certain con-
ditions.