Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-19
FEW At THE HEARING
Interest in Strike Investiga-
tion is Waning.
COL. PHILLIPS RESUMES
BLAMES MINERS UNION FOR ALL
THE TROUBLE.
Declares the Men Are Now Earning
Less Money Than They
Used To-

PHILADELPHIA, January 10.-That in
terest in the proceedings of the anthracite
coal strike commission is waning was strik-
ingly illustrated today when the comm.s-
sion opened Its thirty-seventh days ses-
sion. There were eighteen spectators pres
ent, more than half of whom were wit
nesses. OF the twenty-five lawyers repre-
senting the coal companies only five were in
attendance, and only one Of the nine at
torneys for the miners was on hand when
the proceedings began.
Col. r. A. Phillips, general superintendent
Of the mining department OF the Delaware,
Lackawanna and Western Railroad Com
pany, who was on the witness stand on
Saturday, was the first witness called today.
He testified that the company never heard
any complaints against paying the men by
the instead of by weight until the ad-
vent Of the United Mine Workers. He said
it makes no difference whether the miners
are paid by the car or by weight. so long as
the rate paid is fair. The company, he said,
never had any trouble regarding wages
until the union came into the field.
Output Restricted.
Col. Phillips said the contract miners. will,
instead of six or seven, as they did previous
to the strike of 1900. In consequence the
company, he said, has to employ 10 per cent
more men now than 1t did two years ago
in order to get out the same amount Of
coal.
The men at the company's mines have an
accident beneficial society After the 1900
strike the society was dissolved and imme-
dfately reorganiZed. This was done, he
says, to keep out the non-unisn men, who
were "b1ackballed.
the men and the company were pleasant
and during that period there were no
strikes. The wages Of the workmen, he
said were voluntarily increased 35 per cent
the 1900 strike, the wages of the men have
been increased As per cent since 1877
The witness said the miners are in the
mines on an average Of six hours a day,
which is contrary to a rule established by
the company requiring the men to remain
underground until noon..
Companies Ready 10 Handle Coal.
He said the miners had been in no way
restricted and that the company was well
equipped to handle All coal blown down.
Because of the restrictions placed upon the
men by the union they could not make any
more money now even with the 10 per cent
increase than they did prior to 1900.
Under the semi-monthly pay rule Col.
Laekawanna company had been curtailed
about $4,000 tons year. This. he said, Is
due to the men failing to report on the day
following pay day.
The witness told of the union men going
on strike last May at the Jersey mine at
Plymouth. This mine has been on fire for a
year, and the men told the witness they
would rather remain and fight the fire. but
as general strike had been called they
would have to quit work or else be called
'scabs. These men. the witness said, were
working eight hours a day and receiving
ten hours pay.
From the best reports obtainable he learn
ed that 80 per cent of the Lackawanna men
mad voted against a strike. and that 40 per
cent OF the local unions had voted unani-
mously against a suspension of work.
Richard Walsh, a miner said he could not
earn as much money as he did two years
ago because the union restricts the earning
capacity. He produced due-bills showing
That he earned from $40 to $54 every two
weeks since the strike ended He said he
only worked two or three hours a day.