Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-17

AAAALADELA mr. Jan 1o.-NhVlt miht
officials we're called today to tell the strike
commission that under the influence Of the
union the workers restricted the produc-
tion Of coal and otherwise interfered with
the discipline Of employees.
The Erie company closed its case early
in the day. after calling a physician. who
spoke Of the good health CT the mine work
ers.
Scranton opens Case.
The Scranton Coal company. which oper-
ates besides its own the collieries Of the
Elk Hill Coal and Iron company, then took
up the attack This company turns its coal
over to the New York. Ontario q Western
which virtually controls the mines.
Witnesses denied the existence Of a
blacklist, said contract miners worked on
an average Of six to seven hours a day.
claimed that the local unions compelled
men TO load an equal number Of cars, thus
restricting the output. and alleged that
the men were careless in obeying orders
and that frequent petty strikes occurred
because a union man was dismissed for
characterization.
One inside foreman said the employment
Of a check w%eighman, insisted upon by the
union, had proved to be a good thing for
the company, because the miners gent to
the surface cleaner coal.
The accountant Of the Scranton Coal
company presented figures to show that
since a check-docking boss was employed,
at the request Of the miners. docksge had
been reduced one-half and no friction had
arisen.
Superintendent Allen OF the Erie com
pany said few days ago that the en-
ployment of check docking bosses was not
practicable, because the two men would
not agree regarding the amount CT dirt in
a car.
Endeavors to Please Men.
James r. Burr of Scranton in opening
the case for the Scranton company said:
The company employs about 5000 men and
boys. IL pays the laborers direct, pursuing
a system always In vogue at its several
collieries. This has always been done at
show. The statements filed show that the
company Is paying fair wages, as fair as
those paid by other operators engaged in
mining I'm the region where IL operates.
We shall show that we have e"ndeavored
to pacify and c9ncilate all persons making
complaints and to adjust any serious diff
~culties. w shall further show that we
had TO guard our own property during
the recent strike at our own expense,
chiefly by our own employees, from among
whom all OF our coal and iron police were
appointed; that we suffered sewers losses
by damage done to our collieries by mobs
OF strikers and strike sympathizers, and
that we are constantly interfered with in
our efforts to preserve our property.
We shall show also that IL would not be
just to us or reasonably practicable to
change the methods of payments. now en-
ployed by us.
To compel us to change from payment by
the car TO payment by weight would entail
not only great expense but serious delays in
operating our mines, and We shall show
that IL would make no special difference
In the wages received by the miners. In
short, that II would be useless, Intellectual,
unfair and unusual.
Frank L. Northup, bookkeeper and ac-
countant, explained several statements he
handed 20 the commission. The wage
statement for 1901 showed that 1853 worked
more than four months and received less
than $500 each, 246 worked less than four
months and received between $3.50 and $500,
200 worked more, than four months and
received between $500 and $500, 1871 worked
nearly full time and received between $500
and $500. seventy-eight worked full time
and received between $500 and $500. twenty
three earned from $500 to 5000, three from
5000 to 81, 900 and three over $1,000,
Defines INSTRUMENTATION.
James Smith Of Peckville. inside fore
man of three colleries. told tales Of alleged
insubordination He said that when a
miner refused 10 work for a sum fixed by
the company it was impossible to fill his
place, because of the union rule that one
man shall not take another's place unless
discharged for good cause. Runners. he
claimed, refused to deliver cars to miners
who had not paid their dues to the union
and men, refused properly to top cars be-
cause the local" told them to do It in
another way and declined to handle cars
lowered into the mines by a ~nonunion
engineer.
Witness also claimed that while the men
stayed in the mines about an hour longer
since the company started TO keep their
time. the amount Of coal has not Increased
much.