Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-16
ERIE RESTS ITS CASE
Scranton and Elk Hill Com
.panies Testifying.
THEIR CASE OUTLINED
CLAIMED THAT THEY TREAT
THEIR MEN FAIRLY.
Counsel Declared That Any Change in
Methods Would Entail
Great Hardship.
THEIR CASE OUTLINED

PHILADELPHIA, January 16--The Erie
Company. which operates the Hillside Coal
and Iron Company and the Pennsylvania
Coal Company. closed Its case before the
coal strike commission today, and was fol-
lowed by the Scranton Coal Company and
the Elk Hill Coal and Iron Company. which
turn their coal over to the New York, On
tario and Western railroad.
When the session opened today counsel
for both the miners and the Erie Company
announced that the difference existing be-
tween the two parties regarding the COM
pilation Of certain wage statements to be
presented to the commission are being
amicably adjusted by the experts repre-
senting each side.
The Erie then rested It's case, with the
exception of the calling Of one witness, and
the Scranton Coal Company and the Elk
Hill Coal and Iron Company then present
ed its side of the controversy.
Mr.. Burr's Preliminary Statement.
James E. Burr of Scranton, of counsel for
the two companies, made preliminary
statement. He said: 1.-The facts which will
be shown by the Scranton Coal Company,
on behalf of the Elk Hill Coal and Iron
Company, whose properties it operates, will
relate to the question Of wages and hours
and the conditions hitherto and now pre-
vailing at the several collieries Of both
companies.
The company employs about 5000 men
and boys. It pays the laborers direct, pur-
suing a system always in vogue at Its sew
eral collieries This has always been done
at the request Of the miners, as we shall
show. The statements filed show that the
company Is paying fair wages, as fair as
those paid by other operators engaged In
mining in the region where it operates
1--WE shall show that we have endeavored
to pacify and conciliate all persons making
complaints, and to adjust any serious diff
cufties. We shall further show that we had
to guard our own properties during the re-
cent 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 severe losses by damage
done to our collieries by mobs of strikers
and strike sympathizers and that we were
constantly interfered with In our efforts to
preserve our properties.
/, Want No Changes Made.
/ 1--WE shall show also that it would not be
just to US or reasonably practicable to
change the methods Of payments now en-
ployed by us.
ITO 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, in order to provide
the necessary appliances for effecting such
changes, and we shall show that 1t would
make no practical difference with the net
wages 0eceived by the miners. In short,
that itNwould be useless, Intellectual, unfair
and unusual"
William Allen. inside division superintend-
emit of the Elk Hnl Coal and Iron Company,
was called. He told Of the conditions about
that company's collieries, and said adjust
ments had always been made in miners
wages where special work on account of
varying conditions Is done. Witness said
the size of the mine cars of the company
had not been increased.
Never Heard Of Blacklist.
He said that during his twenty-nine years
experience in the coal region he had never
heard Of the existence of blacklist None
of the companies he has been connected
with has ever told him to discriminate
against any man. On the contrary. he was
instructed to treat all men alike AS a rule,
he said. the miners work on an average Of
six hours per day.
Witness told Of INSTRUMENTATION The COM
pany promised to give breaker boys q sleigh
ride. The snow melted and because they
did not get the ride all Of them struck tying
up the colliery. Another colliery shut down
because the men struck upon the refusal of
one man to show a union card. Another
case: A driver wilfully crippled mule be-
cause he was discharged and all drivers
struck. closing the mine.
The witness said since the strike Of 1900
the men had become careless about carry
ing out orders and for the last two years
had refused to cut coal when the breaker
was not working He also told of laWless-
ness existing about the company's mines
during the recent strike.
A recess was then taken.