Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-01-13
UNION RESTRICTS OUTPUT
Operators Witnesses Tell Strike Commission
Of Miners Shortcomings
FLOOD; ARE BETTER THAN RECOGNITION
OBciaI Says He would Rather Have
Pits FILLED with water Than Listen
10 DictntiOn of Strik-
ing Men.

PHILADELPHIA Jan. 12.-The Delaware
g. Hudson continued to call evidence be-
fore the strike commission today to refute
testimony presented by the miners.
In the absence of Judge Gray, BTigadier
General Wilson again presided.
The first witness called was Abel l. Cul-
yer Of New York, controller Of the Della
ware & Hudson company, who on cross
! examination said the company was selling
coal to middlemen at tidewater at s. a
| ton for prepared sizes. He did not know
what prices the middlemen we're receiving
from the public beyond what he read in
the daily papers.
strikers Dictate to BRrOns.
C. @. Rose of Scranton, superintendent
OF the coal department, was recalled. He
| said several of the company's collieries
| we're flooded as the result of the strike,
but admitted he would rather let the mines
! fill with water than submit to unreasonable
| demands made by a union. He considered
that the strikers were debating to the
company and rather than surrender a prin-
! ciple he would let the property deteriorate.
George Anderson Of Scranton, a clerk in
| the coal department Of the company, pro-
duced a statement showing that 2,SsS Of
the ccmpany's employees had been working
in or about the mines for from ten to sixty
! years, and another showing that the twenty
eight collieries of the company lost 1858
| ten-hour days in 1901, for which the en-
| ployes were responsible. OF these 115 were
| lost on account of picnics and other holl-
| days. hfty-nine on account of Mitchell
! day and 1874 on account Of strikes and
suspensions.
Another statement offered by the witness
showed that since the strike ended the
| twenty eight collieries lost 11O days, re-
| ducing the coal production Of the company
92,15l tons. The men had been requested
to work on Thanksgiving day and New
Years day, but they ignored the request.
None of the miners worked on Mitchell
day." and twelve collieries were idle the
day after Christmas.
Mr.. Darrow, on oss-examination, dis
puted the conclusions contained in the
statement. Witness said he procured most
| of his information from the foreman and
admitted that he never knew a foreman
to turn In a report showing that he was
responsible for coIdery being idle.
Union Restricts Output.
Thomas r. Thomas, outside foreman at
the Jermyn colliery, told of the difficulty
he had in inducing men to mine more coal.
He produced paper, alleged to have been
drawn up by Union No. 121, which stated
that any man loading more coal on the
cars in the headings than was 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 a result of not restricting
their daily output.
The two miners referred to, Michael Nc
Hale and Harry Gilbert, were put on the
witness stand and corroborated this testi-
mony.
William H. Dettrey OF Neuremburg. who
witness alleged last week had said non
union men should have their throats cut
or receive good humping" was next
called to deny the charges absolutely and
several other witnesses were called who
corroborated his statements. He added that
on one occasion his house was stoned while
he was away on union business.
Fred Badman, another foreman, told o.
difficulties he had in filling a place where
a union man had been discharged. He SAID
} 1t was the rule of the union that no unior
man should take anothers place.