The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-22
Evidence Against Union Miners Pro-
vOkes Sarcastic Remarks from the
COmmission's Chairman.
TESTIMONY OF r. S. MERCER
WHO DIDN'T GET PERMISSION TO
ERECT A BOILER HOUSE,
And Who Said Miners Asserted There
Was No Coal Shortage, and There
Was No Need Of Extra Work.

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. A.-Cnalrman
Gray, of the coal strike commission, In
commenting to-day on the refusal Of Dis
trict President Fahey, of the miners union,
to grant permission during the strike
for the erection of boiler house which
was necessary to preserve a mine from
damage. said he hated tyranny, no matter
whether it was practiced by an operator,
a miner or any one else.
During the morning session the Lehigh
Valley Coal Company, which opened it's
case after the Temple Iron Company closed,
placed a union miner on the stand to testi-
fly about what seemed a trivial matter, and
on cross-examination he proved a good wit
ness for the miners. He said that there
would be trouble In the anthracite region
so long as the coal companies insisted upon
paying the contract miner by the car in
stead of by weight This opened a discus
sion between counsel for both sides and the
commissioners which consumed much time.
The result was that the commission will
devote entire day to hearing arguments
on the question.
John F. Murray, a union miner in the
Dorrence colliery, was the man who
brought about this decision. When the
commission made it's tour of observation
last fall it visited the Dorrence mine and
met Murray, who was at that time presi-
dent of a local union. He told the COM
missioners then that he worked about seven
hours a day. On cross-examination this
afternoon Murray said the company did
not deliver enough cars to the men and that
the union had no rule restricting the num-
ber of cars to be delivered to each miner
He asserted that the cars are more like
freight cars than mine cars. The miners.
he continued think they hold much more
than the two and half tons the company
say they hold
At this point counsel for both sides and
the commissioners got into discussion on
the advisabilty of changing the system of
pay from to weight. Mr.. Darrow said
it had been suggested that the miners be
paid by weight, and that If the companies
sales of coal be in excess of the tonnage
paid the miners then the latter should be
paid their share of the excess.
s. ID. Warriner, of Wilkesbarre, general
superintendent of the Lehigh Valley Coal
Company, said there were no complaints
made to him prior to the recent strike on
the question. He said ii would be i'm
possible to have a standard car owing to
the varying conditions in the mines
r. S. Mercer, district superintendent of
the Lehigh Valley collieries in the Mahanoy
and Shamokin district, gave testimony
which enlivened the proceedings. The men
i'm his collieries worked on an average he
said, of about seven hours a day. The
miners, he continued, did not produce any
more coal result of President Mitch
ellis "hurry-up' order. They asserted that
there was no coal shortage and that it was
a scheme of the operators to show the
men were earning larger wages.
Chairman Gray remarked that the miners
should come to Wilmington (his home) and
see poor people standing around waiting to
buy bucket OF coal at IL and Is cents a
bucket.
Mr. Darrow asked the witness why he did
not work two shifts, and he replied that
he could not get men to cut enough coal to
keep the breakers going ten hours a day.
If the union would furnish men he would
put all of them TO work.
Mr.. Mercer told of the troubles in keeping
the water from accommodating i'm the mines
during the strike. He said the company
house i,su for Packer colliery No. 5. The striSr
ers refused to permit this TO be done: they
would not even permit material to be taken
from the railroad cars. Finally the con-
tractor wrote TO District President Fahey.
asking permission to erect the boiler house
and the labor leader replied: "On account
of existing conditions 1 cannot grant you
your letter you request" The letter fur
ther stated that Fahey was willing to meet
him and discuss the matter.
Chairman Gray asked the witness IL he
did not apply to Mr. Fahey. and he replied
he did not. The president of the commits
sion sarcastically asked the witness why
he did not with due submission go TO
see Mr.. Fahey and appeal to him to per-
init the building of the boiler house? He
might have softened a little." added Mr..
Gray.
Mr.. Darrow protested that the matter
should not go any further until Fahey
was present. Chairman Gray and Attorney
barrow than had animated colloouy
over the matter, during which Judge GRAY
said he did not like the word ''permission''
as used by Fahey- This was free coun-