The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-11-19
INQUIRIES
MADE BY The
COMMISSIONERS

of earnings; but, nevertheless
q. As you said before this third de-
mand Is really part of the first demand.
When you get down TO the last analysis
of this proposition Is not 1t the fact that
you hope and expect by getting the COM
mission to order change in this respect
to obtain for the miners n higher rate or
wages than you demand In your first de-
mand. is not that 1t? A. No, that is not
my purpose, 1t Is not the purpose OF the
miners. We ask for 20 per cent. in
crease In the prices now paid. When we
say that we do not mean % or 30 or 30
per cent. of the prices now paid, that
cannot be misunderstood.
Q. Then. you would figure out the
equivalent price per ton on the car basis?
a. Yes. sir.
on thro,,s, o,,ar,, r,,," ovorv wo ,,air e,nd
90, d;,,st s,,, ,,,,.s, So, @ I'D, g. "
ton ba ole H. Nti,nha,, 10 ,,n,, uot
tbir,, tho, thnt ~ ,tsn,e ,.o,,i, "a ,,.s
srnat dissa ,,sfao,ian ons nroat nnnt,,a,nn
ortar th;s n,,s,on, has hen,, T., farao 80
,nnn ,,a ,,,,, ,,,inar, ., ., r,,,,,,;or ,,,,tb
~ aud have henn 70 ,,,i,io, wifi, e. for so
NAV, ye.rsNsn,,,n a. thar, fnr nf,v
,,aar.o r. 80, ~ ,,,,, H.. a. e;
tho ,,,na,, 49, no ,o,, ,,i,,,,, .,,s
cho,anp WV
N u,,t 10 .,, 4r,+ -. S,r ,,,,,o, ,,,o
nav ertiroi,, or The cor bosis. brt 90
c,, tru hot p,,v,ec eli, G,A
that tho rato nf NO e,n. ,,.a nov n,,r ,non
is fair would yo,, stiI, ;nsist that thev
sbo,,,d ,,,, thn ,,;no,a h., tho .o,, ;n.to,d
of h,, Tho oor b.1,in, In vivid this nrono-
s;t,on. that a. +be ,,,innrs are dssat;sfed
wifi +be ,,,ethod of doc,r;,o th,t the1,
could onno;,,t tho;r nrn 5ool.-r,ostar tha
a e apptI ap tha., '. ront tta;,. n,,, u,,,ah
,rIaster and lot hin, he nresent With our
man who dnes tho docl,ine and agroe
unon 80 Could not that be done iust az
we'll and would not that neet the min
cinai ohinction which vou have inter
nosed m to this time to this svstem. and
would not that save +h;s comnanv many
thousands of dollars in reconstructinr its
nlantsq
rbeo1, noo1,;no poss
a. "eii' l. 10 iiot kio" tnit tiiat "ou'u
i,ann nf ,av,rn , nhec,, dn,.l.ims hose
there to see that the men are not nm
ished wrongfully. AS I have said before,
our other witnesses know the history OF
this car. We believe we have been forced
10 load a larger car without an increase
',ie a. pay, a anu tiia' i.as a'ilounaeu ~ re-
staraa " "'
n would not that ,monnt +o this Mr.
NIitchell?-that If the miners are not be-
ing paid. if they are not being paid for
Tic Stiiile SiZeu Cal llittl lileS Wetc, tiltil
they are not receiving an adequate wage;
ana II the commission llhus that trey are
,,.o'i "i aoeluae on ,,,ss, m.a,,
t;on have n,ode ne r. nmr cbanginse omr
system to nav by the ton instead of by
the car?
A. We ask that the coal be weighed
because that is the only satisfactory
method oil determining the earnings Oh
sn elie iiiel' IL ee'aIniy mas coilipensS,.iiis
nrih 4ho;, - o,s yo"' rf t,a, , dn +hat ,ma the,
coal car is d,1mnod and yo,, nav for n,
box of coal when it has been cribbed,
| the miners are being dishonest with the
company. And, on the other hand. if a
car breaks down en- route the companies
leel alsposeu TO ooch the Ii'iher' "hich Is
"io's'
"A statement prepared ny the Della
ware, LackaWahna ana western COM
paEy was presented showing thaC IN a
canvass Oh the employees OF hve col
ilerles II was found tnat the employees
owned SSV2'o4o worth OF property, eX-
elusive OF mortgages. 1t showed one
miner VINO was the owner Oh s4o'ooo
"orth OF property, ana a numper own
ing upwards OF slo'ooo worth.
IhaL $4o'ooo man remarked Mr.
Mitcheil' must nave peen one Oh those
VINO illlled the MINERS
Mr. Ross SAID the man IN question
Wouid pe brought III to testify.
commissioner watkins began ques-
llohlhs MT. Ross ABOUT the statement
Whereupon Attorney James l.. Lenahan
one OF the miners counsel, MADE op-
lection TO the answers or Mr.. Ross
gong on record, because he had not
peen sworn ana should not give testi-
money. After some discussion Judge
Gray closed the incident with the re-
mark that the commission would try
not to be mlsled by any irregular testi-
mohy. turning TO Mr.. itoss, the chair
man sald: Il suppose II you want to
get those matters before us you can
present them as some nave done by
asking the witness If he would be sur
prlsed to Know Whatever It's contents
set forth
The laugh following this had hardly
died away when Mr.. Mitchell produced
another by saying: you can take it
Tor granted won't be surprised at
anything you may read from that
paper
by use or the interrogatlVe would
you be surprised etc." Mr.. Ross set
forth that the Delaware, Lackawanna
and western mines worked 2O3 ten
hour days IN 1901; that the breakers
averaged 26o days; that the company
hands averaged $40 hours day and
the miners only lilo hours, and that
the average earnings of the contract
miners was $62S,56'
Mr., Ross took occasion to say in
dealing with the restriction of output
that would result from an eight-hour
day, that his company for several
years past has been unable to get coal
enough to fill it's orders. Mr. Mitchell
provoked general laughter by saving