The daily Republican., 1902-12-05
MINERS TELL
THEIR STORY.
Conditions Existing in Halle
ton District Related by
Those Familiar With Them

/ SCRANTON, Pa, Dec. Sat yoSter-
\ days session of the anthracite strike
commission the representatives Of the
!, mine workers continued to call wit
nesses, mostly practical miners, who
told their story of conditions as they
exist in the Hazleton, or middle coal
fields. The miners tried to show by
these witnesses that the Coke and 9TH
er companies had violated the agree
ment entered into by both sides when
the commission was appointed that the
strikers should return to work and be
given their old places back where they
had not already been filled. Some Of
the witnesses called testified that they
were not given back their old places
and maintained that men prominent in
the union in the various localities dur
ing the strike We're Disseminated
against.
The commission has decided to invite
the mine inspectors to appear before
the workmen fear to inform the mine
inspectors OF dangerous or unhealthy
places in the mines because the inspect
Ors are usually accompanied by some
representative of the company, who
may cause the mans dismissal. This
Is a new point before the commission.
Rumors Of possible negotiations look
ing toward settlement outside the
commission continue TO be heard Law
yers admit they have heard such ru-
mors, but say they know nothing about
a possible settlement. Whatever is done
frst decided upon in New York,
SSE hose in authority to act are To-
lss sSeveral attorneys, among them
sss EsW. Ross of the Delaware. Lacka-
s1Anna and Western company, have re-
Turned to the metropolis Whether or
mot it is in connection with peace nego-
tiations cannot be learned here. The
opinion still prevails here, and rather
strongly, too that the operators and the
miners will agree on most points before
! the commission concludes its hearings.
Jackson Ansbach Of the Hazleton re-
gion was an interesting witness be-
cause he Is the first fireman to appear
before the commission. He said he re-
ceived $l.57 for day of twelve hours
and his assistant $l.26. On every other
| Sunday, when he and his assistant
shifted from day to night work, they
were compelled TO work twentyfour
hours straight without relief. This
statement caused a buzz through the
courtroom, and every commissioner
strafghtenel up and became more in
terested. m answer to a question put
by the commission he said he was off
duty one day every two weeks thus
working six days one week and eight
days the following week.
Z "Supposing you should fall asleep
when you work in the long Shift OF
twenty-four hours, what would hap
pen?" asked Mr.. barrow.
"Well," he replied, IF | slept 10
enough the fans would stop. gas would
accumulate in the mines, and if an eX
plosion took place some men might be
killed; that's all"
The Rev. James V. Hussic. rector of
st. Gabriers Roman Catholic church,
Hazleton, and the dean, by appoint
ment of the bishop Of the diocese. Of
lower LuZerue county, an pcclesiastical
preferment. as he called ii. was the
next witness. Father iIussie stated that
he had an intimate knowledge Of rUnli-
tiOns in and about Huzletcn by reason
Of being the rector Of the parish there.
When asked to explain the general
conditions as he found them, Father
Hussie said he had lived in the coal
regions practically all his life. The
conditions in this region" he said,
"are deplorable. The mine workers
are barely able TO exist. | say this
without any cUlOring. knowing thnt
Hln under oath. | realize that what ]
say is going 70 the American people.
and | want to talk cautiously. have
been in their hoae$. They are not
homes, but merely Il habitation. Il rest
ing place. They are frugal ronscrva-
tive, reasonable and God fearing peO-
pie We have eight Catholic churches
In Hazeton, and they are crowded cy.
cry Sunday with worSliprrS. and Ills
Is no doubt true Of the churches whose
CAitL =. I '.-.''