Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-01-16
COAL COMPANIES TESTIFY
Open Their Side Of the Controversy
Before Strike Commission at
Philadelphia.
FIRST WITNESS SUPERINTENDENT ROSE

-
Proceedlnss opened by Counsel Tor
reg Of the Delaware and Hudson
Cempany. Who Outlines What Lat
ter VIII Try TO Prove-Chairman
Gray skill Confined to His Home.
Philadelphia, Jan. 12.-The non
union men having closed their case,
the coal companies opened their side
of the controversy Saturday before
the strike commission. Chairman
Gray is still confined to his room in
Wilmington, suffering from cold,
and Gen. Wilson again presided.
The proceedings were opened by
the Delaware & Hudson company,
through its counsel, James H. Tor
rey. of Scranton. In presenting the
case of the company he represents
I Mr.. Torrey first delivered nm address.
indicating what the company would
try to prove.
Eirst Witness Called.
Upon the conclusion of his address
Mr.. Torrey called to the witness
stand Charles e. Rose, of Scranton,
superintendent of the mining depart
ment of the company. Under the ex-
animation of Mr.. Torrey the witness.
said that prior to the 1000 strike the
relations between the company and
the men were cordial. After that
strike most of the company's men
joined the miners union, which re-
suited in considerable discomfort
among the men, aud the breaking up
of discipline in and about the mines.
In some collieries the men are re-
quired TO load $500 pounds to car.
in other mines $3.50 pounds. At one
colliery the weight is fixed at 2,750
pounds. The size of the cars, he
said, differs at various collieries. So
far as he knew no blacklist exists in
the anthracite regions. The witness
also stated that it would be unwise
to have weekly pay days. The men,
he said, now lose twice as much
time with semi-monthly pay as they
did when they were paid once d
month.
Mr.. Rose closed his testimony by
producing letter written to him
by President Olyphant, of the COM
pany, after the strike ended. The
letter told him to stand by the men
who stood by the company during
the strike. He was instructed to
warn these employees to be careful,
and If "reyiled, revile not again.
Regarding the returning strikers,
the letter said: i
Give them good welcome; they
nre not all bad who are misled.'
The communication also Instructed
the superintendent to take back all
men where places could be found for
them, but no man should be taken
hack who had been guilty Of commit
i ting a crime. *
On cross-examination by counsel
for the miners Mr.. Rose said that
prior to 1000 the contract miners
earned $3.50 to $3.50 a year. Mr.. Rose
said he considered eight hours fair
day for the miners, but foremen
should work IL hours. While the law
permitted 1e-year-old boys to work
on the breakers he did not think
boys of that age should be there
Two years ago he did not think the
ten per cent. increase given the men
was fair, but he had since changed
his mind. He could not, however,
reconcile himself to the increase now
asked for by the miners. He said
the companies would haze voluntari.
" paid the increase in 1900 if the
men had remained at work &
Replying to a question by Commits
sioner Watkins, Mr.. Rose said it was
not necessary for the, miner and his
laborer o go to saloons to divide their
!, wages, as alleged by the miners. The
company would give them a room
where the division could be made. In
/. reply TO question by President
Mitchell. AR. Rose said the miners are
putting less coal in the rs now than
they did two years ago. Mitchell re-
piled: =.
You have the power to dock them,
haven't You?
'slye have, but we don't fully exer-
else it." was the reply.
Abel I. Culver. of New York, comp
troller Of the Delaware & Hudson
company, was the next witness. He
had the complete pay rolls Of the
company which. he informed the COM
mission, We're absolutely correct. Mr.,
Culver was still on the stand when a
! recess was taken.
-prese ND I.etfa,rs ne rY>c.t1s