The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-16
ELK HILL.
These Two Coal Companies Tell the
Coal Commission All Their
n Troubles. -
The Union Has Given Them Much
Dificulty-Erie' Case Is
Closed.

Philadelphia, jan, 16.-The Erie COM
pany closed it's case before the coal strike
commimssion to-day and was followed by
the Scranton Coal company and the Elk
Hill Coal and Iron company, which turn
their coal over to the Ontario & Western
railroad.t
When the session opened counsel for
both the miners and the Erie announced
that the difference existing between the
two parties regarding the compilation of
certain wage statements to be presented
to the commission, are being amicably ad-
justed by the experts representing each
side. y
The Scranton Coal company and the
Elk Hill company then presented their
case. James E.. Burr of Scranton of
counsel for the two companies, made a
preliminary statement. He said of the
Scranton:
1.-THE company employs about 5000 men
and boys. 1t pays the laborers direct,
pursuing q system. always in vogue at
it's several collieries.. This has always
been done at the request of the miners.
The statements filed show. that the COM
pany is paying fair wages, as fair as those
paid by other operators engaged in min
ing in the region where it operates.
1--WE shall show that we have en-
deavored to pacify and conciliate all per-
sons making complaints, and to adjust
any serious difficulties. We shall further
show that we had to guard our own prop
erty during the recent strike at our ex-
,pense, chiefly by our own employees, from
among whom all our coal and iron police
were appointed; that we suffered severe
losses by damage done to our collieries
by mobs of strikers and strike sympa-
thizers, and that we were constantly in
terfered with in our efforts to preserve
our property. -. =. {. .
I'VE shall show, also, that it would not
be just to us or reasonably practicable
to change our method of payments. TIC
compel us to change from payment by the
car to payment by weight would entail
not only great expense but serious delays
IN operating our mines, and we shall
show that it. would make no practica
difference with the net wages received by
the miners-in short, that 1t would be
useless, ineffectual unfair and unusual
William Allen, inside division superin
tendent Of the Elkhill Coal and Iron com
pany, told Of the conditions about tina
company's colleries, and said adjust
ments had always been made in miners
wages where special work on account o.
varying physical conditions Is done. Tn.
size of mine cars had not been increased
In his twenty-nine years experience HI
had never heard Of a. black list. None O.
the companies he has been connected
with had ever told him to discriminate
against any man. On the contrary, h
was instructed to treat all men alike. A!
rule, he said, the miners work on al
average Of six hours per day.
/ Witness told of. INSTRUMENTATION. TIL,
company promised to give breaker boy
sleigh ride. The snow melted and be
cause they did not get the ride all struck
tying up the colliery. Another collier,
shut down because the men struck upo1
the refusal Of one man to show a uniol
card. A driver wilfully crippled null
because he was discharged and all driv
ers struck, closing the mine =.
The witness said that since the strik
Of f9005th men had become careless abou
ca Frying out orders. and for the last tw
years had refused to out coal when tn
breaker was not working, He also toll
of lawlessness about the mines in TIL
recent strike. -. = =: