The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-11-19

laration OF MIR. Mitchell, spsy7e-at the
time of the last indianapolis conven-
ton. In which --the niiners president
spoke in apprehensivs tones Of the
dread possibility of all the miners
quitting work. s.-...-.....
In discussing the Hazleton conven-
tion, which called the strike, Mr.. Mitch
ell denied that he opposed strike. but
only the time of calling It, He said he
favored a strike this year. The vote
against him was in the, proportion Of
about go to 40. he said.
Mr.. Gowan brought his examination
to close at 1925. and then Mr.. Ross
took lip the case for the Delaware,
Lackawanna and Western company.
Examined by Mr.. Ross.
Mr.. Ross began the proceedings with
an inquiry into conditions in the I'LL
nois coal fields, with a view OF show
ing that the conditions here are COM
paratively good. Mr.. Ross is closely
interested in some Illinois coal oper-
ations, and consequently in position
to ask some very particular questions.
In response to- Mr.. Ross questions,
Mr. Mitchell told in detail of the work,
wages and other conditions in the diff.
ferent Illinois fields. The witness ad-
United he worked steadily for about
eight hours, when he worked In the
mines prior to 1897. He usually, with
his partner, loaded ten tons or more.
He went to work at o'clock in the
morning and worked until about
o'clock in the afternoon. His earnings
were about SO a day. The same work,
he said would now bring him SO a day.
His highest earnings for year were
about $780, IN the Illinois field two
miners work together as "butties" and
divide their earnings equally.
Taking up the work in the anthracite
region, Mr. Ross inquired as to the
number of hours worked by contract
miners. Mr.. Mitchell declared they
work seven, eight and nine hours, ac-
cording to how long the breaker ran.
Sometimes they work fourteen hours.
On the average, they work longer than
the breaker.
The witness admitted that in District
No. 1 there is a local rule OF the union
forbidding miners from working on
days when the breaker is idle, and ex-
planned that this was for the purpose
of preventing favored miners from
making extra money at the expense of
those who We're not favored.
The new management of the Dela,-
ware, Lackawanna and Western COM
pany. Mr.. Mitchell said, had done much
to help destroy this system OF favorit-
ism.
The witness could give no specific in
stances Of excessive dockage. OF chill
dren being forced into the breaker. or
any of the other ills complained of, as
far as the Delaware, Lackawanna and
Western collieries were concerned. He
eot1 0tt, rx,tf toll ne khno
things, if they existed.
No Company Stores.
Mr.. Ross brought out the fact that
his company has no company stores
and only 2S0 company houses, the aver
age rental of which is IS a month; also
that 1886 of the mine employees own
their own homes Mr.. Mitchell re-
marked that very likely they were COW
cred with mortgages.
BY Mr. Ross: q. Mr.. Mitchell, you
have given us a reason why We should
increase the rate of wages to our miners,
that 'the wages of the anthracite mine
workers are so low that their children
are prematurely forced into the break
ers and mills instead Of being supported
and educated upon the earnings OF their
parents" A. Yes, sir.
q. Can you cite to me any specific in
stance Of that kind among our employees?
A. Yes, sir your breakers are full of lit.
tie bits of boys. and the mills around here
| have got many little girls working in
them who are children of your employees.
@. Are they forced in there by reason
of the fact that their parents cannot
make sufficient wages to prevent them
from doing that? A. can imagine no
other reason that would induce any par
ent to send his little children to work in
stead of to school, except that they re-
quire the money to live upon, except liz
rare instances where parents may be in
human.
Q. 1 wish, Mr.. Mitchell. if you can.
before this hearing is over, you would
cite some specific instance where our
employees, by reason Of their inadequate
wages. are required to force their chill
drcn into the mills or into the breakers.
1 am interested with you. think equally.
in improving the conditions of our en-
ployes. and if you can cite any instance
of that kind, l want to assure you that
we will do the best we can to remedy the
conditions and bring that about.
Q. Now, Mr.. Mitchell, do you take the
position before the commission that the
miners helpers are entitled to as high
earnings as the miners themselves? A.
No. sir: do not.
@. Why not? What Is your reason for
that? A. They do not require the skill
that the miners do. They have not the
responsibility that the miners have and
they do not require the degree of training
that the miners do. Those are reasons
why the wages should not necessarily be
as high.
Q. AS a matter Of fact. they are mers
apprentices, are they not? A. Well. they
are laborers.
Are OH the Way.
@. What is that? A. They are laborers.
T Il that fhav annrpDticaS
although they are on their way to the
goal where they finally get to be con-
tract miners.
Q. Yes and is it not a fact that very
few helpers work as helpers after they
have been working in that capacity for
two years? A. presume that most OF
them try to get certidcate ana become
a skilled miner
@. AS a matter OF fact, they do, in this
territory, do they not? That is, in pros
porous times like these. when there Is a
demand for coal? A. Thirty-six thousand
miners have managed during the last fif-
teen years to get to be contract miners.
c. Coming down to your second de-
mand, Mr.. Mitchell, I want to see IL I
understand that right. / take it that
your meaning is that the hours of labor
should be reduced from ten to eight
hours, and the result OF this Is an in
crease in the rate of wages, by the eight
hour day. Is that the final conclusion
of that demand? A. That is what would
be the result; yes, sir. 1t comes down
to an increase of 20 per cent
Q. believe it amounts to an increase of
% per cent. when actually worked out.
q. Twenty-Five per cent. A. Provided
there was not an increase in the Intensity
of work which would surely follow. 1t
would not amount to as much as a 20 per
cent. increase to the companies, likely,
@. And by making that change, grant