The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-01-13
Testimony Before Commission
Shows Big Loss Of Time
PRICE OF COAL BROUGHT UP
Anthracite Coal of Prepared Sizes
Were Sold to the MiddIemen at
SIS Per Ton-NeW Question
Sprung by Union Men.

Philadelphia, January 12.-The proceed
ings before the anthracite coal strike
commission today consisted principally of
the calling of witnesses by the Delaware
and Hudson company, to tell of the condi-
lions existing in and about its collieries
and to refute certain testimony presented
against the company when the miner side
was heard. In the absence of Chairman
Gray, who is i'll, Brigader General Will
son again assumed the duties of chair
man. The Delaware and Hudson COM
pany expects to conclude its case tomor-
row when the Erie company will present
its testimony.
Abel l. Culver of New York, controller
of the Delaware and Hudson company, on
cross examination said today that the
Delaware and Hudson company was sell
ing coal to middlemen at Underwater at
s. ton for prepared sizes. He does not
know what prices the middlemen were re-
ceiving from the public, beyond what he
read in the daily newspapers. 1t was de-
cided to ask Thomas F. Torrey of New
York, general sales agent to the COM
pany, to come to Philadelphia and inform
the committee what he knew on this
feature of the coal trade
Galleries Were Flooded.
C. c. Rose of Scranton, superintendent
of the coal department of the Delaware
and Hudson company said several of the
company's collieries were flooded as a re-
suit of the strike of the steamer men on
June 1. On cross-examination he said
he would rather let the mines fill with
water than to submit to unreasonable de-
mands made by the union.
George Anderson of Scranton, a clerk In
the coal department of the company, pre-
sented numerous statistics bearing upon
the issues before the commission.
One of the statements showed that 1888
of the company's 1928 employees have
been working in or about the mines for
from ten to sixty years. He produced
data showing the workings of the COM
pany relief fund, with which more than
5000 of the companys employees are con-
rected
Mr.. Anderson also presented a state
ment showing that the twenty eight col
| lieries OF the company lost 36S ten-hour
days in 1901 for which the employees were
responsible. OF these, 1l5 were lost on ac-
count of plcnics and other holidays mot
| including legal holidays; fifty-nine days
on account of Mitchell day and other
! days and 1914 days on account of strikes
| and suspensions Another statement or
| fered by the witness showed that since
the strike ended in the latter part of Oc-
tober, the twenty-eight collieries lost lie
days. reducing the coal production of the
company 92,511 tons. Cross by
Mr.. Darrow, the witness said he pro-
cured most of his information regarding
the loss of time for which the men were
responsible from the foreman of the
company.
Would Not Work Hard.
Thomas r. Thomas, outside foreman at
the Jermyn colliery of the company, told
of the difficulty he had in inducing the
men to mine more COAL He produced a
paper alleged to have been drawn up oy
local union No. 1875 which stated that
any man loading more cars in the head
ing than are loaded in the chambers
would be expelled from the union. Two
men, he said, violated this alleged rule
Of the union and their tools were de-
stroyed and one of their houses was
dynamited.
The two miners referred to, Michael
McHale and Harry Gilbert, corroborated
the testimony of Mr. Thomas, who on
cross examination, said he was always
NilHilB TO meet grievance committees OF
his own employees, but he would refuse
to meet officials of the union who arc
not employed in the mine over which he
had charge.
Henry Birkbeck, inside foreman of the
Vonstorch colliery, told of the injury OF
a boy In the mines and of discharging
the man who was responsible for the ac-
cident. The union men in the colliery,
he said, struck for the reinstatement OF
the dismissed man. The injured boy cor
roborated the testimony.
Dettery Never Said II.
William II. Dettery of Neuremberg, the
newly elected president of District No. Z
of the miners union, denied he had said
nom union men should have their threats
cut or should receive a good humping, -
and several witnesses were called who
corroborated his statements.
President Dettery said his family was
annoyed and his house stoned by ene-
mics of the union while he was away
from home on business connected with
the union.
David Davis foreman of the Longlffe
colliery: T. H. Hughes, foreman of the
Plymouth No. 5 colliery. and Frederick
Badman, foreman of Plymouth No. g. all
I testified that since the strike of 1900 the
miners and laborers will not load as
many cars as they did prior to that
strike, fearing expulsion from the union
James P. Dickson, freight agent of the
Delaware and Hudson company at
Wilkesbarre, handed up statement
showing that the prices of groceries.
meats and other necessaries of life during