Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-12-08
MINES DANGERS
Plainly Represented to Strike
Settlement Commission.
Witness After Witness Called b,
Lawyers ofthe Miners.
And Rumors of Outside Settlement Go
Merrily On.

Tor the mine workers continued to call
witnesses. Friday, before the strike. ar
duration commission to testify to the
alleged blacklisting methods pursued
by several coal companies in refusing
10 re-employ strikers who took a more
or less prominent part in the affairs
of the United Mine Workers Union
during the recent suspension. All of
them said they had been employed be-
foer the strike but were refused their
Old PLACES after the strike was ended.
In most cases. according to the tes-
tlmony, no satisfactory reason was
given who they We're not taken back
TWO blind men who We're also other
wise badly injured by under ground
explosions We're presented as living
evidence of the dangers in the mines.
When the commission adjourned for
the day, the Rev. J. j. Curran, the Ro-
man Catholic clergyman of Wilkes
barre. who took a prominent part in
the miners cause during the strike
was on the witness stand
Nothing could be learned here, Fri
| day, with reference to the reported eff
| forts at a settlement outside the COM
mission.
Wayne MacVeagh before leaving for
New York, stated to the correspondent
| 70 The Associated Press that a ma
jority of the operators thought it bet
ter to postpone all efforts TO reach by
amicable conferences Il basis for the
award of the commission until both
sides had presented all the testimony
| they wished to offer. Whether the eff
| forts to reach such basis will be re-
sumed can only be decided after the
testimony is closed.
Mr.. MacVeagh added that he person.
| ally thought, in view of the extra
ordinary conditions existing in the an
thracite RECON that this was a mistaken
attitude for the operators to assume
| as he feared each days testimony
would tend to increase the bitterness
| of feeling but it was not only the duty
| of the operators to act on their own
| Judgement of the situation and he sin
| cerely hoped the result would fully
justify the conclusion they reached.
| From this expression it is taken that
| Mr.. MacNeagn was opposed to the call
| ing off of the negotiations last week.
1t is his sincere hope that an agree
ment will be effected and it is known
that the commissioners still hope for
an agreement on many if not all the
| important points at issue.
| Mr.. Darrow. for the miners at the
| afternoon session presented two wit
| nesseS who had been injured i'll the
mines. Both were blind and had to be
led to the stand. One of them besides
losing both eyes in an explosion, lost
one arm and the hand of the other
arm was rendered useless. The other
| blind man lost part of his ears in the
| explosion III which he was caught.
| After the witnesses left the stand
the attorneys for the operators pro-
tested against calling these unfortunate
| men. They We're injured before the
| strike. they said. and the injuries had
| no direct bearing on the matter before
| the commission. They sympathized
| with the men but thought it was not
the right thing to have them appear
before this commission.
Mr.. barrow said he did not intend
| to overGo the presentation of such wit
nesses but he wanted to bring the COM
mission to IA realizing scncc of the dam
gers of coal mining. Chairman Gray
here said he hoped the thing would
not be overdone. I'VE have a realizing
| sense of the conditions he said, and
| | may say | never saw Il sadder spec
| tacIe than that presented by these two
| men"
Rev. J. ]. Curran, the Roman Cath
| Ollie clergyman of Wilkesbarre. occu-
pied the witness stand during the re-
mainder of the session. He read a
statement to the effect that every effort
possible had been made to prevent the
recent struggle and that after the men
| had concluded to strike he strongly es-
roused their cause. because he thought
| they were being unfairly dealt with
and deserved more money for their
| labor.
Father Curran then gave a deScrip-
| ton of the conditions under which the
mine workers live, which was some
what similar to that given. yesterday,
| by Father Hasse of Hazelton. In an
swer to questions put by Judge Gray.
| Father Curran said he was opposed to
| the boycott aud the blacklist.
This sentiment met the approval of
| the chairman who said that il boy
colts were permitted the country
would go TO pieces