The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-12-10

killed in the Markle e. Co. mines four
teen years ago leaving her with foul
children, the oldest n boy Of years
They had been living in a four-roon
company house for nine years, but OF
the death OF the husband and father
moved to u two-room company house
| for which the rental was $685. pei
month.
BY taking in washing and going ou
doing house work and cleaning the
company's offices she managed to keer
her boy at school until he was ID. He
then went to work in the breaker. Hi:
first check. or due bill, showed hin
1896 In debt to the company for siS
years rent and coal. The second oldest
boy was put to work and the two oi
them together with the mother. after
eight years OF hardship. succeeded last
August in getting out OF the COM
pany's debt. Her store bill all these
years was kept paid with cash earned
by the mother.
Were Merely Spectators.
General Counsel David Wilcox, of
the Delaware and Hudson company,
and General Counsel ]. w. Brownell,
OF the Erie company, were present yes
terday, but took no hand in the pro-
ceedings Mr.. Wolverton, who is the
only out-of-town company lawyer at
tending all the sessions. had nothing
whatever to say. Mr. Gowan, Of the
Lehigh Valley company, the only other
out-of-town company counsel present.
contented himself with ss-eXamin-
ing one witness from a Lehigh Valley
colllery at Hazleton.
AT the opening Of the morning ses-
sion Attorney Fl. C. Reynolds made
announcement of the death Of Dr.
Rice, one of the independent operators
and Judge Gray spoke the regrets of
the commission at the sad news.
The day TIP to $50 was consumed
with an examination of more witnesses
regarding conditions at the Markle &
Co. collieries. In the last hour ten
witnesses were put on the stand to
testify regarding alleged discrimina
tion against union men by the Della
ware and Hudson and Pennsylvania
The first witness was Neil McAIon-
igle. His testimony was to the effect
that when working by the day for
Markle & Co. he would be given a
place where he could load sixteen or
eighteen cars a day, but when work.
ing by contract he could only get out
three or four cars a day. He also told
Of having been seriously hurt num-
Der of times and that he never saw a
mine Inspector in the mine.
His Days Pay.
E. ID. Gallagher. ,Markle K Co.
miner from JeddO, told that since the
close of the strike he has been able
TO earn only so or 70 cents day. Be-
fore the strike he and the other men
IN his vein, which is very thin and
dirty worked as company miners,
'eceiving $22 a day besides free pow
Ter, oil and cotton. Since the strike
he company has done away with the
days pay" or company MINER and
the men to take the places
lnder contract or nothing at all. He
IAN cut only four cars of coal with a
ieg of powder and eight cars Il week
s his best product.
Judge Gray at this juncture asked |
low much a keg of powder was worth |
II the open market.
Mr.. Crawford replied that it was |
lbs. Attorney John j. Shea. from the |
miners table said 1.-The gentlemen !
bout me here say it can be bought |
or 90 cents
Judge Gray remarked that he could |
ee how it was a good thing to have
he powder purchased and distributed
y the company, providing the COM
amy sold it at a fair price.
Andrew Hannick, a Jeddo laborer,
old of having been evicted and re-
used unemployment by Markle & Co.
ie supposed it was because he advised
is fellow Hunsanians not to sign a
aper authorizing the company to stop
tore bills out of their wages. He also
estified that he had worked four years
t. Jeddo and never saw the mine in
pector
Mike kobsh, Hazleton laborer tes.
ified he never saw a mine inspector in
he mine. In answer to question by
II. Reynolds, he admitted he would
OF know the inspector il he saw him.
Were Full Handed.
John Canaira, Lehigh Valley man,
as inadvertently called to the stand.
ut while he was on Mr.. Mccarthy de-
ded to have him tell his story. 1t was
IMPLY to the effect that he was re-
lsed unemployment at colliery No. 40.
pplied four times, and was told each
me by the boss that they were full
inded.' Attorney Francis |. Gowan
icited the fact that this colliery start.
with non-union men during the
rike and let it go at that. {
Peter j. Gallagher, of HaZleton. n ;
rmer employe of Markle & Co., but 1
NV permanently engaged in the duties !
national board member of the United
inc Workers for district No. 7, testi-
'd at length about general conditions
I'd also explained in detail the work. G
IS OF Markle & Co.'s plan of adding q
e ten per cent increase of 1900 to =
hich considable time was devoted the =
~ pefore. To get the full benefit of /
ten per cent, Mr.. Gallagher claimed, a
was necessary to cut twelve cars of y
al with each keg OF powder. Ordin- I
ny irom 10 10 cars only can be cut a
TN one keg or powder. For the past n
o years his wages averaged s32
ohth. The air was so bad in some =
aces lie worked he used candle in !,
'ad OF lamp because its flame con- -
med less oxygen.
>lr' Gallagher also told of an agree /,
mt made in 1875 that s cubic feet ~
ouId be added to the 40 cubic feet n
loose coal required for ton, 10 y
Ike good to the companies the impur- r,
es that would get into the 40 cubic ~
u. This, the witness had been told -
MS rather, was provision made to ~
away with docking. 1t Is impossible,
said, to load "a cubic feet of impuri- q
into three ton car, unless it was 6,
ne maliciously, by saving up slate .,
ny and other impurities out of two ~
three car loads of material and mt ~