The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-21
WAGES OF COAL MINERS
STATEMENT PRESENTED BY THE D.,
l.. e w. RAILROAD COMPANY.
Four Hundredth Witness Summoned
by the Anthracite Strike Commits
sion Examined Yesterday.


PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 20.-When the
anthracite coal strike commission adjourn
ed to-day, the four hundredth witness
summoned before the arbitrators was being
examined. OF the four hundred, ia
called by the striking mine workers, l55 by
the nonunion men. sixty-three by the oper-
ators and eight by the commission. The
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Rail-
road Company concluded its case to-day
and the Temple Iron Company began the
presentation of its side of the controversy.
The companies yet to be heard are the
Lehigh Valley Coal Company, the Lehigh
and Wilkesbarre Coal Company, Markle
Bros. and about sixty other independent
operators and the Philadelphia and Read
ing Coal and Iron Company. After the coal
companies end their case, the miners will
take up some time in examining witnesses
in rebuttal.
To-day's testimony did not bring out any
thing particularly new. There was an
interchange of opinion during the morning
session between Chairman Gray and At
torney G. s barrow, for the miners on the
question of the rights of the union men.
Mr. barrow believed a union man had the
right to refuse a nonunion man cars in
the mines and also had the right to use
every power within the law in pursuading
union men from working with nonunion
workers. The unionists he said, have no
right to kill, assault or Islander any man.
Chairman Gray remarked that the employ
er has his rights too; that is, he has the
right to refuse to employ union labor. Mr..
Darrow agreed with him.
A. S. Baker, of Scranton, auditor of the
mining department of the Delaware, Lack
awanna & Western Railroad Company, pre-
Sented TO the commission the wage state
ment showing the wages paid TO all of its
employees. He also handed up much data
on other features OF the coal mining indus
try. A summary of the wage statement of
the contract miners for 1901 follows:
Two hundred and forty-three men earned
less than 500, SO between 500 and $50, 1870
between $50 and 500, So between $500 and
$780, so between $500 and $500, 1l2 between
$500 and $3.50, 140 between $3.50 and $500, 1863
between 400 and $3.50, 1888 between $3.50 and
$500 and $3.50. 2S4 between $3.50 and 500, 226
between 500 and $3.50, 140 between $3.50 and
$780, IS between $500 and $3.50, 80 between $3.50
and $500 and 121 over $780,
The breakers of the company started up
260 times in 1901, but did not work full time
on each start. In that year five men
to 300 days, LOB worked $50 to 275 sol
worked 225 to $50, 305 worked 300 to 90, PIP
worked us to 200 164 worked $50 to IFS. 1876
worked 125 to 49, 127 worked 100 to 125, TAG
worked Is to 100 and 443 worked less than
Is days.
A statement giving the wages of all class
flied company men, that is men who work
by the day week, was also presented.
These men have demanded a Is per cent.
reduction in the hours of labor with re-
duction in pay. The average wages paid
these men in 1901 ranged from S154.S0 for
slate pickers Cboys). to s934.04 for boiler in
spectors. The dockage I'm 1901 amounted 10
employees of the company live in company
houses.