Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-04
STRIKE HEARING RESUMED
JoAn Mitchell Estimates Increased Coal Cost
If Higher Wages Are Paid.
RENEW RURoRs OF PRIVATE SETTLEMENT
lawyers VIII Not discuss Report. hut
One of Them Admits Something
Of the Sort H. In the
Air.


SCRANTON, Dec. S.-The strike commits
sion resumed today. and unless something
is done to curtail matters the proceedings
will run into next year.
with the r~eassembling Of the commits
sion today, however. there was a revival
OF the talk o: "a settlement out Of court"
Nothing DEFINITE has been done and neither
side has approached the other so far as
can be learned regarding further n~egotia-
tions, but as one prominent attorney ex-
pressed Il, '"There Is something in the
air"
The lawyers on both sides have heard
the rumor, but profess to know nothing
about II. Judge Gray, speaking for the
commission, today again expressed the
hope that efforts would be made to agree
on as many points as possible and that the
the commission was ready to lend any con
c~iliatory help to bring about that end.
Six witnesses Are Called.
Six witnesses we're on the stand during
the day John Mitchell, two photograph
ers,z two practical miners, one of them a
Hungarian, and the wife OF a German
miner. Mr.. Mitchell was called to show
that a 20 per cent increase in wages did
not mean a corresponding increase in the
price per ton of coal. The photographers
produced about half a hundred photo
graphs they had taken Of the mine work.
ers in the Hazleton region. The miners
testified with reference to wages paid and
working conditions at the collieries of
Coke Bros. & Co., and the woman, whose
husband is employed in the Coke mines,
told a general story Of poverty.
The commissioners are anxious for docu-
mentary evidence, such as wage statements
and othar Aafu haaTinO nm Wauaa md aOu-
ditions. This was strongly evidenced to-
day when they eagerly seized upon the due
bills handed up by the Hungarian witness.
Every member Of the commission ex-
amined these and had questions to ask
about them.
1t was decided to give all companies who
have not been a party to the arbitration
commission until 10 tomorrow to file their
answers to Mr.. Mitchell's original state
ment.
Estimates Cost of Coal.
John Mitchell was called to the stand
and said 20 per cent increase in wages
would increase the labor cost less than 10
cents a ton. Taking Baer's state
ment as a basis he said the increase would
be about II cents a ton.
He was cross-examined by Wayne Mac
veagh and other attorneys.
IN reply 10 a question mr. mlIcheil saiu
the companies were not averse to increasing
the wages Of the men, but did not do so
because they were opposed to the union.
w. II. Deterry, president Of a local union
employed as a miner by Coke Bros. Graf
ton, said company men we're paid an aver
Of S7.2O a week and a blacklist existed at the
Coke mines.
He himself, was on the blacklist for nine
months, because he refused to work a
breast. which netted him only 50 a week.
He also complained Of the docking system.
q, The, company, witness said, paid 80 cents
{. to f1.20 a day, while 1t insisted that the
miner pay the same laborer when working
for the miner $1.62 to $1.94 cents a day.
He was followed by Mike Mldlit, Hungar-
ian, who has been employed in the Coke
mines for four years. Mike, as the COM
missioners Familiarity addressed him. said he
earned about $3.50 last year.
He submitted his wage statements for