The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-01-13

Philadelphia, aJnudTy H. i0 iot-
sentatives of the Delaware ana HUG
son Company, the first OF the coal COM
ranies to present it's side OF ne CON
troversy with the anthracite n'he
workers. to the strike COMMISSION, oc-
c,,pied both sessions today Of the COM
mission.
Three persons appeared before th'
arbitrators on behalf of the company
They were James H. Torrey, OF S2ran-
ton. the company's principal Coih5ei
In the absence of David WILCOX lhe
vice-president and genera codnsel OF
the company, who is II: Charles Z.
Rose. of Scranton, superintenu2nt CT
tie mining department Ut the company
and Abel l.. Culver, of New YORK.
COMPTROLLER of the company. MI Iof-
rey made an address indicating what
the company intended to prove. S"-
cerintendent Rose told the conditions
in and about the coHipany's twenty
four coIIieriPs and CouIDtrni:ar Inl-
VI, presented the wage statements "nu
other statistics having bearing OH
the issues before the commission
Chairman Gray, who IS i'll, Was Ol.-
son again presided.
Mr.. Torrey began the days pfoceFu-
ings by reading his st',teinei1f IL oe
olsres there is no merit in the mlll" RS
demand for a 20 per ceut. increase IL
wages, and that the breakers hlVa "F-
perated on an average OF less thail
eight hours a day. The statement Says
tba paneraI averages OF wages was
s51S.95 for men and s19C93 for bnys.
IT is claimed that there Is no manual
employment requiring so little tram
ing or skill. the eXposI-e to so htlle
risk of health or life, ana the occupa-
ton of so small portion OF the work
ing day which is 50 lberally coInpen-
sated in wages as the work Of the an
thracite miner" and that the employ
nent is not extra hazardous ana Is
more than ordinarily heaftHtul- an
agreement with the miners union is
declared undesirable. and the relations
of the company with its men arr Sai'l
to have. been harmonious UlsII they
were disturbed by the "!nHclIlnAtljnS
of the officers and agents OF the IN
ION.
Mr.. Rose took the stand after
Er. Torrey's remarks. Unler exam
ination by Mr.. TOrrey, The Sup"rlnten-
dent said that prior to the strike IN
1900 the relations between the company
and the men were cordial, but that
most of it's men had since joined ~"
miners union which resulted in con-
siderable discomfort and the breaking
up of discipline. The witness said Tic
company requires the NEIL 10 lCa0
from ESQ to 1850 hundred weight to
y car. that the size ot mine cars diff
fer at various coal collieries LrId that
the prices paid the men vary with tre
snZe OF the cars. He knew of nC bla cll-
list in the anthracite regions. MIR. Rose
concluded his testimony by producing
a letter written to him by President
Olyphant, of the company, after the
strike ended. The letter Told him 10
stand by the men who stood by tie
company during the strike. He was
instructed to warn those employees ID
be careful and ''if reViled, reVile not
against" Regarding the returning
strikers, the letter said:
Give them Il goOd welcome; they are
not all bad who are misled.'
= The communication also instructed
the superintendent to take back all
men where places could be found foc
them. but no men should be taken back
Who had been guilty Of committing a
crime.
Mr.. Mitchell examined the witness
and asked If the company could not
find better system for paying the
men than the one now in force. 1t 1;
now the custom, Mr.. Mitchell said, fol
the company to pay the contract min
er and the latter in turn pays the la
bprer. In order to make change ant
divide the earnings. the miner and Ia
borer usually goes to saloon. Mr.
Rose replied that it was not necessar!
for them to do that, but if a reques
was made the company would gladl.
furnish place where the men coul(
divide their earnings without Visitin:
drinking places.
The commissioners asked Mr.. Ros
many questions. and in reply to SOM
OF them he said that since the uniol
entered the field the company wa
having trouble in getting an homes
topping on it's mine cars. In reply t
Mr.. Mitchell, he said the men were no
loading as much coal now as they di
before the 1900 strike. You have tn
power to dock them, hav'nt you?" ask
ed Mr.. Mitchell
owe have, but we don't fully exer
else it." was the reply.
When Mr. Culver took the witnes
stand. he first presented two larg