The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1903-01-11
THREE MEN GIVE EVIDENCE
Mitchell'S Statements as IA
Pay are Disputed:
Chairman Gray Again Unab1s 20 ~
Present and General Wilson
Presides over Deliberations
Of the Commission.

Philadelphia. Jan. 1o.--Ths represents
tives OF the Delaware and Hudson g1zn<
pany. the first Of the coal companies 10
present its side OF the controversy With
the anthracite coal mine workers to Tho
strike commission occupied the sessions
today OF the commission. Three peE-
sons appeared before the arbItratora On
behalf OF the company. Tney Wer1
James H. Torrey OF Scranton. the COM
pany's principal counsel in the absences
Of David wilcox, the vice president and
general counsel OF the company who IL
Ill: Charles G. Rose OF Scranton. s1perin-
tendent Of the, mining department. % ~
company and Abel I. Culver &c New
York. comptroller OF the company.
Mr. Torrey made an address intimatin&
what the company intends to prove.
superintendent Rose told Of the co1sdi~
lions In and about the comapny's twenty
four coiiieries both prior to the ztrika of
1900 and since that time and ComptfoifeT
Culver presented the wage statemeut4
and other statistics having bearing %
the Issues before the commission.
Judge Gray still Sick.
Chairman Gray. who Is Ill was not pre-
sent and General Wilson again presided
Commissioner r. w. Parker was absent
from the afternoon session, having been
called to his home Ia washington by
private business.
/, Mr.. Torrey began the days proceedings
by reading his statement.
Mr.. Rose took the stand at the close
Of MFR. Torrey's remarks. An important
feature Of his direct testimony was the
reading OF a letter he received from the
president of the Company. r. "a
Oliphant. at the close Of the late strike
It was as follows:
"The strike is ended. /" 60 the message
reads. Now TO sum up.
'.First--We are to stand By the men
who have stood bysus, but caution snesa
threats to others. III other words, "A
they ARE reviied, reviie not again Al
takes two parties ID make q fzht
Second Make allowance, 70 far ~
possible for men who are coming back
and treat them kindly on their return
Give good welcome. They are not ali
bad who are misled.
''Third-If more men return than can
be employed at once. fair selection
should be made.
.'Fourth-Gross agitators and men who
are known to have been guilty Of crime
cannot be employed.
"F1fth-You should instruct your fore
men to act discreetly and by fair deal
ing try to regain the good win and re-
establish kindly feelings towards the men
under him."
When Mr.. Culver. the last witness Of
the day took the stand. he first present
ed two large volumes which contained
complete copy OF the pay rolls Of the
company. He explained at great length
which figures were absolutely accurate
and indicated other sets OF figures. which
were practically correct. but to which be
could not certify because the company
had to gather them from sources other
than its own books.
Pay Of the Miners.
One of the wage statements furnished
to the commission showed the Der cent
age OF men receiving certain wages. The
statement showed that per cent OF the
company's men received over 1900 .
year; 3 per cent. 500 to sf.0oo;
per cent, $500 to 5000; per cent. 500 70
$500; ID per cent, $500 to 500; u per cent
500 to 5000; 10 per cent 800 to 600; per
cent $500 to s4Oo; per cent. 400 to $500
and rs per cent received under 500.
The commission requested the tnforma-
ton In this form and It was furnished
but Mr.. Culver protested that It was
not fair unless statement accompanied
it showing how many days the men work
ed. For instance, those who earned
under 500 year worked on an average
estimated at about mar month during
the entire year. The exact figures will
be handed up when worked out
In addition to the wage statement Mr.
Culver presented a mass OF other Stats
tics showing the number OF houses the
company owned. the rents they paid and
showing the dockage for the year. which
amounted to 40 per cent.
Mr.. Culver disputed the accuracy Of
Mr.. Mitchells statement of wages paid
to anthracite miners and those paid to
the same class of worlrmen in the soft
coal fields. This statement was handed
to the commission at Scranton and show
ed that the bituminous men received
more pay than the anthracite workers.
The witness said the company is making
a determined effort to lessen child labor
and that the 20 per cent reduction IN
hours of labor each day with a decrease
In wages is tantamount to q Is per cent
increase in wages. This concluded Mr.
Culver's examination and Mr. Torrey
then read the laws of several states on
child labor. He said the coal companies
would gladly Join with any one In hav-
Ing laws enacted forbidding the employ
ment Of children In or about the mines