The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-11-04
COMMISSION
INTERESTED
Members Put in the Day in
the Lehigh Region.
ENTERED MINERS HOMES
Many Of the Men are Still Out
of Employment.

Hazelton. Pa. Nov. 3,-The anthracite
strike commission spent the entire day
in the Lehigh valley region. visiting one
mine and several OF the mining villages.
While most Of the commissioners were
looking over the territory, Recorder
Wright was busy on the train attending
TO the reception Of the commission.
Among the matters disposed Of was the
sending to each Of the coal companies
involved a copy Of President Mitchen's
statement of the miners case, which was
filed with the commission on Saturday
night before its departure from Scran-
tor
Under the agreement made before the
commission at Washington. the operators
will make reply in three or four days.
At nearly every station visited today.
small crowd was gathered to get a
glimpse Of the members OF the commits
sion
A conference was held at Pond Creek
between the company and the miners
representatives, and for some time they
could not agree as 10 which mine the ar
bitrators should visit. The Audienreid
colIiery Of the Lehigh and WilkesbSrre
company was finally selected.
The commissioners first stop OF the
day was at Upper Lehigh. where A. c.
Leisenring, superintendent Of the Upper
Lehigh Coal company took the commits
missioners for drive through the town.
While in this place the arbitrator Wis
tied one OF the homes OF the miners. the
first they have been in since they have
been touring he region Drifton was the
next place visited, and there a crowd
gathered about the commission as Super
intendent Smith OF Coke Bros. company.
hose mines are located there. explained
the trouble between the company and its
men. All the miners employed at these
mines are still on strike because the
company insists upon them returning 10
work as individuals and not in a body.
At Jeddo John Markle. the independent
owner. Joined the party and escorted
the commissioners to the mining village
of Oakdale. near Jeddo. Mr.. Markle
showed them the club house which he
maintains there for the benefit Of the
men.
In the run to Hazelton. where the
breaker Of No. 40 SHAFT was inspected
Messrs. Markle. Duffy and Gallagher had
spirited discussion over the differences
existing at the Markle mines. None Of
the men at the Markle colliery have re-
turned TO work. for the same reasons as
those which are kee1ing the men out OF
the Coke mines. Mr.. Markle told them
he was running the Markle company and
would maintain discipline
Luncheon was served at the Central
hotel here, and the entire afternoon was
spent in the Audenreid mine. The com
were lowered into the work
ings, $50 feet below. through al 1.100-foot /
slope. One Of the new physical feat
ures" they saw was a vein OF coal with /
a very steep pitch. which was difficult |
to mine While they were inspecting this. |
a blast was fired in nearby chamber I
and the lights carried by those who re- I!
NAMED in the gangways below were ex- I
tinguished by the rush OF air. Some OF |
the party were timid for moment won /
dering what had happened. but they were 4
quickly assured that there was no dan
ger While underground many questions /
were asked OF the miners at work By 4
the commissioners.
After they came 70 the surface the ar
bitrators visited a stripping" which is
a place where the coal lies so near the
surface that the earth can be taken of
with steam shovel, exposing the coal,
and thus making its mining an easy mat
ter
The commissioners spent the night at
he Central hotel and will leave for Sham
1kin tomorrow morning at 7:45.