The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-22
He WILL not TELL
Mr.. Merour Refuses TO Give the
Names of Miners Who Deny
a Coal Famine.
Counsel Before the Coal Commission
To-day Have Some Warm
Controversy.

Philadelphia, Jan. 22-Thomas Ihomas.
a district superintendent Of the Lehigh
Valley Coal company, the first witness
before the coal strike commission to-
day. stated that prior. to the strike Of
1900 the company had no difficulty in
getting the contract miners to produce
extra cars Of coal when necessary to meet
the demand. After the strike the COM
pany was unable to get the men to load
more than a certain number Of cars each
day. -. 3. 60. NJ
R. S. Mercur, q district superintendent
of the Lehigh Valley company said that
in very cold weather the production is
sometimes seriously curtailed because Of
the shutdown Of the breakers. He
thought ten hours q day was not too
long for miner to work in the mines.
The witness said he was now short of
outside laborers at Centralia and could
put some to work if he could get them.
The rate of pay is $1.45 day.
Mercur was asked by the miners coun-
sci to give the names Of the miners who
had told the witness that no coal famine
existed. giving this as their excuse for
refusing to cut more coal. Mr.. Mercur
refused on the ground that the union
would make trouble for the men.
Miners counsel asked the commission
to have Mr.. Mercur's statement stricken
from the records, but Chairman Gray re-
fused to do so. .5.f g.,
Counsel Torrey. of the Delaware & Hud-
son company, challenged Mr.. Mitchelrs
statement that 5000 miners were idle In
the anthracite region. He had Finvestl-
gated and said Mr.. Mitchell could not pro-
duce 10 per cent of the number and that
his remarks were irresponsible, because
they could not be based on facts.
Counsel for the miners said if Mitchell S
statements were irresponsible 1t was due
to his association with Baer and Markle. -
These men, counsel said. made statements
to the president Of the United States that
were absolutely false-''extremely and in
excusably false" He said that before the
commission adjourns he would show that
the companies and not the miners are
guilty of restricting the output III ]
DON'T" he exclaimed, II will go back tc
| Chicago and ask the commission to find
against U.S."
The Lehigh & Wilkesbarre company
which Is controlled by the Central Rail
road Of New Jersey, then presented Its
case. A preliminary statement was made
by A. II. McClintock, counsel for the com.
pany. He said: rt
Lehigh g. WIIkesbarre Statement.
'"They Lehigh & Wilkesbarre company
is tho largest owner and lessee of Goa
lands In the Wyoming region, and is the
largest taxpayer in Luzerne county. NJ
attack or complaints have been made be-
lure lie cOI1tltASSlCI dSdAuSI lHlS ColllpdIl.
of any consequence whatever. All Of ou
miners who have applied are back a
| work; we have refused no one and dis
eliminated against nobody.
"Our statements will show that our ne1
earn fair wages. We pay by the car ant
have always done so; we deem it thu
fairest method. Our system Of docking
| is the same as is in vogue throughout th
region and for the year 1901 our state
| rnent of the docking at all our collerie
| shows that 1t amounted to 2.85 per cent o
! the cars dumped at the breakers. w
| have no check docking bosses. We do no
object to their appointment by, the men
\ but we ,have"neVer been requested to per
! nit their employment. ~> i
\ Our relations with our men have al
! ways been of the most pleasant char
acter. They have ever been free, in
dividually or by committee. to call upo
| the foreman, division superintendent o
| general superintendent with any griev
ances or requests; and no man has eve
been Disseminated against for so appear
| ing for other causes. g. - ";>
| Notwithstanding our efforts in this re
gard during the period Of the genera
strike of 1900 and 1902 we have found
| much more difficult to control our me
and rs have had thirteen local strike
in our mines, This spirit Of .;restlessnes
| shows its effect in loss of the efficienc
of the men as we'll as the time lost b
reasons Of these ainterferences with reg
ular and systematic labor .>.., e.,