Waterbury Democrat., 1903-01-13
OPERATORS STORY.
Officials of Delaware & Hudson Com
 panY Testify.

OAAiSidiS VI DSldWdIG ~ huuSOA SOA4-
 pany Testify,
 PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 13.-The pro ceedings before the anthracite coal strike commission yesterday consisted principally of the calling of witnesses by the Delaware and Hudson company to tell of the conditions existing in and about its collieries and to refute cer- tain testimony presented against the company when the miners side was be- ing heard. In the absence of Chairman Gray Brigadier General Wilson again assumed the duties of chairman. The Delaware and Hudson company ex- poets to continue it's case today, when the Erie company, which controls the Hillside Coal and Iron company and the Pennsylvania Coal company, will present it's side of the controversy.
 The first witness was Abel I. Culver of New York, comptroller of the Dela- ware and Hudson company. His direct examination brought out nothing new beyond what he had stated on Satur- day. On cross examination by o. s. Darrow, counsel for the miners, MT. Culver said that the Delaware and Hudson company was selling coal to middlemen at tidewater at $5 ton for prepared sizes. He did not know what prices the middlemen were receiving from the public beyond what he read in the daily newspapers. His examina- tion closed with the suggestion that the general sales agent of the company, Thomas F. Torrey of New York, should inform the commission of what he knew of this feature of the coal trade, and MT. Torrey was telegraphed to come to Philadelphia as soon as con venient
 George Anderson of Scranton, clerk in the coal department of the company, presented numerous statistics bearing upon the issues before the commission One of the statements showed that 2,8SS of the company's 13,25S employ ees have been working in or about the mines from ten to sixty years. He pro- duced data showing the workings of the company's relief fund, with which more than 5000 of the company's em- ployees are connected The workers pay to the fund one day's pay each year, the company contributing an equal amount. Men who are injured receive $6 week for three months and in case of death their heirs receive $50 for fu- neral expenses. The widows receive $3 a week for one year and dollar a week for one year for each child under twelve years of age. The company fixed $21S as the amount contract miner should contribute as a days pay.
 MT. Anderson also presented state ment showing that the twenty-eight collieries of the company lost 36S ten hour da@s in 1901, for which the em- ployees were responsible. Of these 115 were lost on account of picnics and other holidays (not including legal holi- days); ffty-nine days on account of Mitchell day. and other union days. and 194 days on account of strikes and suspensions Another statement offered by the witness showed that since the strike. ended in the latter part of Oeto- Der the twenty-eight collieries lost no. days, reducing the coal production of the company 92,5S1 tons. The men had been requested to work on Thanks giving day and New Years day, but they ignored the request, he said. None of the miners worked on Mitchell day." he added, and twelve collieries were idle the day after Christmas.
 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 pro- duced paper alleged to have been drawn up by local union 1925, which stated that any man loading more cars in the headings 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 destroyed and one of their houses was dynamited as result of not restricting their daily nntnnt