The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-20
IMPORTING WELSH MINERS.
MANY VIOLATIONS or ALIEN
CONTRACT LAEOR Law.
AllurinS Inducements offered TO the Miners
to Come to the Pennsylvania Coal
Fields--'The Firm Of Ellsworth & Co.
OF Ellsworth, Pa, to lie Prosecuted.

Fields--The Firm Of Ellsworth & Co.
OF Ellsworth, Pa. to lie Prosecuted
WASHINGTON, Oct 19.-Commissioner-
General of Immigration Sargent received
to-day a long report from Inspector
Burche Of Philadelphia containing evil
dence affidavits and exhibits to show that
the Alien Contract Labor law is being sys-
tematically violated. The report shows
a remarkable condition Of affairs. Mr..
Sargent, after receiving the report, issued
all order OBTAINING at Philadelphia for
deportation about forty immigrants who
arrived at that port on Saturday on the
steamship Haverford and who were bound
from the mining districts Of South Wales
to tho mining town Of Ellsworth. Pa Other
contract mir ers are now on their way to
this country.
MIR. Sargent requested the Depart
ment Of Justice to institute prosecutions
against Ellsworth Co., under that section
OF the Alien Contract Labor law which
provides fine Of 81 900 for each violation
The exact number Of violations is not yet
known to the Bureau Of immigration, but
is thought to run well up III the hundreds.
INSPECTOR Burche's report treats the
scheme of systematic violation in great
detail The principals in the scheme were
the firm Of Jones Bros Of Craig post Office,
Pontypridd, South Wales. and Ellsworth Il
Co. Of Ellsworth, Pa, about forty miles
from Pittsburg.
Jones Bros. are agents for the Union.
Castle, Cunard, White Star, American,
Dominion and Allan ocean steamship lines,
and as such inserted advertisements in
various newspapers Ia South Wales, setting
forth in alluring terms the advantages,
tina ncial and otherwise, OF Ellsworth, the
Garden of America, located In the State OF
Pennsylvania One of these advertise
ments said that 5000 men were wanted at
once in the PENNSYLVANIA coal fields to take
the places of Hungarian miners whose work
had not proved satisfactory, and that the
daily wage in America was from 10 TO 70
shillings (13 "a to So. Other allurlng In
ducements were offered.
The Bureau Of immigration has ample
evidence that those who we're led to emil
CRATE by Jones Bros. came here under con-
tract with. Ellsworth 4 Co. 1t Is known also
that parties Of these contract miners, to the
number OF one hundred or more, arrived
In this country on the steamship FTiesland
on Sept. IS of this year, the Cunard liner
Aurania, Sept. 20; the Westmoreland, Oct.
4; tho Majestic, oot.. 8; the Beigenland.
Oct. IL, and the Haverioru, oct. ~.
One OF the exhibits attached to Inspector
Burche's report Is letter written by ID. G.
Jones of the firm Of Jones Bros. to Ii. J.
Miller of the firm Of Ellsworth i Co. The
letter is az follows:
This Is to introduce you to bearers (threel.
Mr.. Evans. &C.. who are experienced miners.
az Davies. &C. Please see that they are put
to work upon arrival.
Another letter written by D. G. Jones,
now in the possession OF the immigration
officers, is addressed to Mr.. Miller, and
reads as follows:
Please have the bearer. Mr.. Evans. put on
as coal loader as soon as he arrives. He Is
wei. used to timbering and repairing US we'll
According to the inspectors report -,
when a Welsh miner decided to emigrate
| to America he WAS consigned through
by the Jones Bros. from Pontypridd
to Ellsworth. paying a certain amount
generally sent in parties OF from three to
| fftv. RI was through the fact that the
work given by the Ellsworth company
| was not the same In character or COM
pensation as that promised by the Jones
| Bros, that the immigration officers were
able to learn from disgruntled miners the
facts concerning the systematic violation
| of the Contract Labor law.
When the Welsh miners were assigned
| to work they soon found that their pay
would DO even less tlan at home. Some
Of them made less than enough to live on
and soon became greatly in debt at the
company's store.
Tie Jones Bros apparently spared
no efforts to increase the immigration
from Pontypridd to Ellsworth. Several
miners testified before Inspector Burche
that they were induced to go to Ellsworth
because the Jones Bros. let it be known
in Pontypridd that Patsy traits had
saved $63 in six weeks while working in
the mines at Ellsworth. Traits, when
| Questioned by his friend on the latter's ar
rival, said that the Ellsworth company had
promised bin 1925 a day, but that 30 far
| lie hadn't seen damned cent"
1t Is understood that at least two more
| parties OF contract miners are already
on their way to this country. Immigra-
| ton officers have been instructed 10 detain
all immigrants bound for Ellsworth until
their cases can he investigated separately.
! Commissioner Sargent has expressed his
| determination to apply the law vigorously
and his urgent appeal to the Department
Of Justice, he believes, will produce quicr,
results. The members Of the firm Of Ellis
worth a. ca. will be proceeded aga inst
as will also their agents and other persons
| Implicated In the evasion Of tie law.