Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-21
President ELEPHANTS Contention.

President ELEPHANTS Contention.
President ELEPHANT of this road has been
the loudest in complaining that the miners
cannot be induced to work reasonable
number of hours each day. During the last
three months, when there has been such
crying need of coal IN the large cities. this
same company has been allowing specu-
lators to send all the coal they can sell over
its road. This is the coal which is now be-
ing sold in Washington and Boston at such
high prices. Why this company holds thou
sands of tons in reserve on its tracks mere
in the anthracite region and permits reck-
less specula tors to send an unlimited num-
Der of coal cars over its lines is hard to
explain.
The relative Importance of the coal spec
ulator will probably become a matter of
much greater concern when large cities
like Washington and Boston demand to
know why the speculator has been given
preference in car facilities over the rail-
road owners themselves.
1t can be said of one road, however-the
Delaware. Lackawanna and Western-that
this company has refused absolutely to
permit dishonest spectators to enrich
themselves by sending their coal over its
lines.
In the mining towns of the Delaware and
Hudson there are more than SEQ miners
who are out of work. The majority OF these
men have been Disseminated against for
petty reasons during the recent coal strike,
but there seems no possible excuse for this
company to smut these men out now WHtH
the country is crying for coal
The colleries of the New York. Ontario
and Western are also in this section of the
anthracite region. This road operates its
collieries under the name of the Scranton
Coal Company. 1t is also one of the own
ers of the 100000 tons of coal now stand
ing on the tracks of this road and the Della
ware and Hudson.
Miners Output Restricted.
Miners who are employed in the coll 'eries
CT this company declare they never get more
than four day, although they could
mine nine and ten cars if they could get
them. The output of this road for Decem-
Der was 1892 tons. This is an Increase
Of 1900 tons over the same month last
year, SO that it can be seen that the miner
in normal periods of the coal year does not
average over two cars day.
The Erie railroad and the former big
independent company j. Pierpont Morgan
purchased for this road-the pennsylvania
Coal Company.operate In this district. The
Hillside Coal and Iron Company and the
Temple Coal Company are also operated by
the Erie.
During the past week Major Everett War
rem, who is the legal representative before
the strike commission of this company, has
had several warm clashes with President
Mitchell over the question of the alleged
limitation of cars. Major Warren declared
that his company never restricted the num-
Der of cars the miner should have each day,
and President Mitchell has been emphatic
In declaring that the miners were limited
to four cars.
At Forest City the miners assured The
Star correspondent that they were unable
to secure more than four cars a day, al
though the mines OF this company are ex-
ceedingiy rich and could be worked that
each miner could get out ten cars day.
The surprise came, however. when the col
lieries of this company at Pittston, Avoca
and other small towns between this city and
Wilkesbarre were visited.
Situation at Pittston.
At Pittston, for instance. all the collieries
of this company. operated under the name
of the Pennsylvania Coal Company, were
closed on Friday and Saturday because, as
| IT. was stated, there was a scarcity of cars
| On the day that the legal representative of
| this company addressed the strike commits
company was not able to produce any more
| coal because the miners would not cooperate
| with them the company miners at Pittston.
| after walking through the cold morning air
| for several miles, were told when they ar
| rived at the places where they work that
1 the collieries were not to open that day. In
| the collieries OF this company the miners
| work double, that Is. instead of there being
| one miner and a laborer in one chamber, as
| Is the rule in most coliieries. two miners
| and two laborers work together. 1t was
found that not more than six cars day
| were sent to any of these chambers. so that
| the number Of cars per miner was three.
| 1t is very apparent that the drawback
/ with this road is the fact that It does not
have a sufficient number Of cars. This COM
i pany. however. has made no effort to use