The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-05
Employment OF Physicians, the Conn
pany Stores, Docking and Other
Matters Explained I'm Detail.
BAD FAITH OF THE MINERS
III Is ALLEGED THEY BROKE THEIR
ARBITRATION AGREEMENT.
Mrs. John MnrIIe's Philanthropy
Complaints of the Operatives In
vestfgated-Other Details.

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. l.-The answer
of G. b. Markle & Co.. independent coal
operators, to the demands OF the miners
was made public here to-day. The answer
will be submitted to the anthracite strike
committee, which will reassemble in this
city tomorrow. 1t was written by John
Markle, managing partner of the firm. The
statement is In part as follows:
THE present firm was formed on Dec.
30. 1889. for the purpose of mining coal on
lands held by the firm under lease from
the Union Improvement Company for
thirty years from Jan. 1. 1890, and from
the Highland Coal Company for thirty
years from Jan. !, 1892 The mines are
situated at or near Jeddo, and the firm
operates the following collieres. viz: Jeddo
No. 4. Highland No. 2 and Highland No. s.
The firm employs about 2.40O men. and
many of its employees reside in the villages
of Freeland, about two miles distant, and
Hazleton, about seven miles distant from
Jeddo. The lessees erected and own all the
improvements on the property. including
breakers. stores. shops and tenement
houses.
From the~time OF my first connection
with the business in 1850 there have always
been a resident physician and assistant
physicians on the property. until recently.
with the exception OF a, short interval. The
firm selected the head physician. who chose
his assistants, and we collected IS CENTS a
month for married neil and 20 ceinu %
month for the single men over twenty-one
and the amount collected was paid over TO
the physician without charge or deduction
therefor This arrangement was not COM
pulsory on the men or families.
I'm the early part of 1898 my wife en-
ployed, at her own expense, trained
nurse to look after the sick. and later.
when this nurse retired. another nurse
from st. Luke's Hospital I'm Bethlehem.
took her place. who introduced the custom
of district nursing in the borough of Jeddo
and in the neighboring villages.
Stores for the sale of general merchan-
disc and of miners supplies have always
been maintained upon the property. and
have been and are an accommodation to
the men and their families. The men have
never been required to deal there.
by the terms of the coal leases G.. b.
Markle & Co. are required to pay all the
taxes on the property. The taxes paid by
portion of the taxes collected in the coun-
try
FIRST SLIDING SCALE.
Continuing, the answer says a sliding
scale basis of labor had been agreed upon
in 1875 and from that time had been gen.
orally in force in the Lehigh region. In
September of 1897 a committee of miners
presented certain demands to the firm An
the company and men to settle differences
by arbitration. The company replied TO the
demands and received no further communi-
cation from the miners. Work at the
mines continued uninterrupted until the
latter part of 1900, when John Mitchell
made his headquarters at Hazleton and
endeavored to organize the Markle
ployes.
In September of 1900 another list of griev-
ances was furnished the firm, the COM
pany's answer having been that IL the men
were not satisfied with the reply the OFF,
cials would be willing 10 arbtrate. The
next communication from the men de-
manded arbitration, but the committee Sc
lected by the employees reported that the
latter had broken their agreement with
the company by striking before their griev-
ances had been submitted TO arbitration.
Finally. on Oct q. 1900 committee of the
men appealed TO the firm for an adjust
ment OF the differences. This was ac-
complished, and on Oct. % work was re-
sumed at the mines.
The answer further states: Between
1900 and 1902 many requests were made for
the correction of alleged grievances, which
were all taken up and considered and
agreed on; but neither individually nor col
lectively, orally or i'm writing. did the men
make any complaint in reference TO the
method of collecting the dues for the doc
tors; nor was attention called 10 any de-
feet i'm respect to ventilation; nor unfair
treatment at the store: nor as TO the size
OF the cars; nor as TO the slope cleaning
or the docking. until April OF 1902. and we
had every reason to believe that. taken as
a whole, the men were entirely satisfied
with the conditions of their employment
I'm the course OF the hearings at Scran-
ton complaint was made of the size of the
. cars, but in reality the size has not been
changed, as will be proved by the testi-
mony of the builders. who will be pro-
duced. Ii was also alleged that the dock
ing excessive. but the accountant will
testify that il was less than per cent.
Objection was also made that the full 10
per cent. advance was not given The man.
was repeatedly explained TO the men. and IL
will be shown by the expert Accountants
that IL was correctly calculated"
RESUMPTION PREVENTED.
Regarding the appointment OF the COM
mission. Mr.. Markle says: '.As we had
not been parties TO the correspondence un-
der which the anthracite strike commission
was appointed and the strike declared of.
we were not willing to permit our men to
return to work without distinct UNDER
standing that they would abide by the
award 60 be made by the commission. No
tice was accordingly posted that those wish
ing TO secure employment should call at the
office and should bring with them the brass
checks which they had. When this notice
was posted we were informed that some
of the men objected upon the ground that
the men should be taken back I'm body.
a, wa n be nffa ffoe
they would be required 10 sign an ironclad
agreement. as a condition OF going 10 work.
Many OF the notices were torn down and
pickets were stationed I'm the neighborhood
- the office and along the lines OF the road