Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-14
ERIE COMPANY OPENS CASE
Claims that the Miners Failed to Prove
Justice Of Their Demands
UNIFORM PRICE RECEIVED FOR COAL
Operators Say All Can Buy II at Five
Dollars PEI Ton and They Cam
not he Responsible for
Retailers DOinEs.
UNIFORM PRICE RECEIVED FOR COAL

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 13-Having occu-
pied nearly three days. the Delaware &
Hudson closed its case before the coal
strike commission this afternoon, and the
Erie company began. This corporation
manages the Hillside Coal and Iron com
pany and the Pennsylvania Coal company.
SELL to Erie Company. 4.
! The FIRST witness called today was
Thomas H.. Torrey of New York. general
coal sales agent Of the Delaware & Hudson
company, who told as far as he knew the
prices Of coal in New. York.
He was nrst examined by Commissioned
Watkins. He said his company had no
control Of coal prices in New York. All
the cornpany's coal for tidewater was
turned over 70 the Hillside Coal and Iron
company, owned By the Erie railroad, al
CarbondRle, and coal for the west at
Honesdale.
The Delaware & Hudson company was
working with the Erie company under the
So and IS per cent basis, 5ust the same as
the independent operators were doing prior
10 the abrogation Of their contract.
The contract between the Erie ana Della
ware q Hudson was still IN force. The
Delaware q Hudson received SIS per cent Of
A1N NNA16I EAAkN VA 101A - e
York on the New Jersey side and the Erie
the other IS for the transportation and
expense Of selling the fuel. The circular
tidewater price was IS and It cost about 20
or rs cents a ton TO transport 1t from the
New Jersey side to New York.
Continuing, Mr.. Torrey said the Della
ware 4 Hudson had nothing to do with the
retail price In New York and his informa-
tion about such prices was mere heArsay.
In answer to Commissioner Clark. wit
ness said the Delaware & Hudson sold TO
dealers and distributing houses in New
York state and New England.
Not Benefited by Advance.
He further said that the Delaware &
Hudson derived no beneht from the abnor-
NAL price of retail coal.
During the examination counsel for she
miners endesvoreo to get the witness TO
tell something about freight rates, but the
commission ruled out the question.
Many questions were asked which Mr..
Torrey could not answer, but he promised
TO bring before the commissioner doeu-
mentRry information regarding the price
OF coal in 1901 and 1902 and the prices
now in vogue where the Delavare q Hud-
son sells coal.
Tells New wage story.
E. W. Porter, station auditor Of the Della
ware & Hudson at WilkesbRrre, had coll
leeted statements OF wages paid b%ituminous
miners in certain places. He had been in
structed 10 make the investigation by the
company and had figures showing the pay
Of mine workers employed by the Victoria
Coal and Coke company Of West Virginia,
the Buffalo, Rochester 4 Pittsburg and 3
small company at B%r9ekwsyvine. Pa.
The companies first and last mentioned
employed no union Labor.
The miners objected 10 the figures, as
they were not original, but the commission
decided 10 look at them and permitted the
witness TO explain what method he had
pursued In preparing them.
Mr.. Porter said the wages OF the West
Virginia mine workers we're mostly those
Of negroes who were unorganized.
W. l. Lawrence of Scranton. assistant
real estate agent Of the Delaware q Hud-
son, said 1.O3s Of tho company's 1881
miners owned property valued at 81, s22 ISL
On cross-EKEmination he could not tell
how much OF the property was mOrtgaged.
Counsel for the miners disputed his method
in reaching the valuation.
Or. W. G. Fulton. a surgeon in the Lack
6WRnnA hospital al Scranton. and DIT. W. r,
Keller OF Scranton said the occupation Of
a mine compared fsvorably with that Of
most other occupations 90 far as health
was concerned, but admitted on erOss-eK-
animation that the anthracite mines were
more dangerous than any other in the
world. with a few exceptions IN the far
west. where new mines were being opened.
Erie Case a. OPened,
This concluded the Delaware 4 Hudson
case and Major Everett Warren opened for
the Erie.
He said in part;
May II please the Commission: The Hill.
side Coal and Iron company and the Penn
sylvaniR Coal company are under one man
cement and their cases. therefore. vii bl
presented together.
Nj. Mitchell, in his opening address, madi
large promises ~ 70 The proofs u the min