Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-31
THE COAL COMMISSION
Closes Miners Case-Miners' Wit.
nesses in Rebuttai, Monday.


nesses in Rebuttal, Monday.
Philadelphia. jan 3O-With the excep-
ton of the presentation of statistics the
coal operators closed their case before
the coal strike commission, today, and il
is expected the striking miners will begin
calling witnesses in rebuttal. Monday. No
session will be held, tomorrow The ar
guments will consume the greater part
of the week beginning Feb. g.. Up to date
the commission has heard 400 witnesses,
The Philadelphia & Reading Coal and
Iron. Co. occupied all of today's session.
In the forenoon session counsel for the
miners and the paymaster of the Read
ing GO. differed in their views as to the
reliability of averages shown in the wage
statements handed to the commission by
the company. II developed during the
session that a miner who testified Before
the commission at Scranton had lost his
place because he was in Scranton and the
commission exacted promise from the
superintendent of the COMPANY that he
would reinstate him.
Adam Boyd of Shenandoah, a division
superintendent of the Philadelphia ant.
Reading Coal and Iron Co., who was on
the witness stand, Thursday. continued
his testimony when the coal strike COM
mission opened it's sessions Friday. On
cross examination by the miners counsel
ne SAID that the company would rather
let its mines drown than recognize the
union
Several of the company's mines were
flooded. It the steam men had not been
intimidated he said, there would have
been no difficulty in keeping the work
ingS free of water.
Jacob J.4Jones of Pottsville paymastor
of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal
and Iron Co., presented to the Commits
sion a statement showing the annual
earnings of the contract miners at the
Reading Co.'S. Bear Ridge Good Spring,
Rohinoor. Potts, Draper, Indian Ridge.
Preston No. 8, Richardson and Turkey
Run colieries. These were selected by
the commission from the 81 collieries 1of-
the purpose of preparing wage state
ments. The statement shows that "a men
who worked an average. of 265 shifts dur
ing 1901 earned $1,000 and over; 80 worked
254 shifts and earned from $500 to $1,000;
~ worked 249 and earned $500 to $500; Sc
w worked 30 AMID AMID esrned s sSS to ssS
worked IA and earned $500 to $500; 40
worked $50 and earned $500 to $500; 1876
worked 143 and earned $500 to $500; 1876
worked l03 and earned 500 to $500; and
90l who worked an average OF 2S earned
less than $500
Mr.. Jones presented a statement giving
the earnings for 1901 of the men who are
pad by the day. week or month, and an
other statement showing the workings of
the miners and laborers' beneficial fund
from the time it was organized by the
late FRANKLIN B. Gowen in 1877 down to
date. When the fund was started the
company contributed 100000. 1t has made
up all deficits whenever any occurred 1t
pays all expenses for clerical work rela-
tive to the fund. Nearly $2OOOOOO has
been paid out in benefits. he said
Mr.. Jones was subjected to long cross
examination on the statement of the ay-
erage ages of the miners. IT developed
lieries for compilation of the figures be-
cause the task of going over wages at
the 81 collierics would be. too great. These
collieries were Bear Ridge. Kohinoor,
Run and Maple Hill. The Reading Co.
dropped the last named from the list be-
cause 1t was. too hard to get at the aver
age wages there owing to the names OF
the many Slavs employed in that mine
In place of Maple Hill the company add
ed Good Spring, Potts and Richardson
collieries. three mines the average of
which Is above the general average of the
whole 81.
The counsel for the miners pointed out
that the nine collieries rank as follows
in the company's list of 81:
First, second, third, fourth, fifth, TENTH
twenty first. twenty-fourth and thirty
fourth. and that therefore six of the nine
collieries selected were above the general
average. Counsel, in order to show the
unreliability of averages, took the Indian
Ridge colliery as an example. The aver
age annual wages of the miners at this
coliery was $685. according to the com.
n pan ,os Counsel our, for the miners showed
that only 20 men or per cent. got the
average of $652.S2 or more. and that 476
men of 96 per cent. received wages under
the average.
Chairman Gray said that the fact that
out of the 496 men 38S worked an average
OF only % 4-l0 days during the year should
also be taken into consideration. On re-
direct examination the witness said that
the 10 men worked full time and received
an average of 1898 for the year.
If all the men had worked fun time they
would have received the same wages. The |
next witness was John Il. Davis. mine
foreman for the Potts colliery. 1t was
testified several weeks ago that a miner |
named j. p. Clark lost his position be-
at Scranton. Davis was called to give his
version OF the story. 1t developed that |
Clark was suddenly called to Scranton
and did not have time to notify the fore
filed his place. When Clark came back
and told where he had been Davis re-
fused to take him back because he had |
filled his place.
Chairman Gray said: Mr.. Davis. we
are sorry that man by reason of testi- |
flying before the commission should lose |
his place. We don't think 1t is just |
right"
TO rcinstate Clark and he said that he |
would
At the afternoon session Patrick F. |
Brennan of Shamokin, a division superin- |
the violence committee during the strike |
at the Henry Clay colliery near Shame
kin. Prior to the strike of 1900. he said |
the market regulated the output of coal |
Since then, however, the men have been
the production.
Baird Halberstadt of Pottsville, an en-
gineer and geologist explained to the |
commission the formation of the coal |
beds in the anthracite regions and pre-
scented to the commission maps bearing |
on this subject. The witness had several |
years experience in the bituminous fields
He said the anthracite miners are better
off socially. and that soft coal mining is |
more laberious
The remainder of the afternoon session
was taken up in the examination of wit
nesses to show the wages paid laborerc |
and other workmen who are employed ii,
the coal regions at occupations other thar,
mining coal The wages were generally
lower than those paid to mine workers.