Daily Kennebec journal., 1903-01-16
i'm CORROB0RATI0N.
Operators Bring Evidence to
Strengthen Their Points.
Place Blame for Coal Shortage Wholly
Isa5 ID o. = ION Miners Union
Witnesses Tell How Union Restricted
E. fss1 M Their Labor,

testimony DreSeHteu u lie ditii aNil-
coal strike commission, today, was OF
corroborative nature, the Erie Co.,
which has not yet concluded its case,
tproducing numerous witnesses 10 prove
that the Miners Union is responsible
for the alleged restriction of the hard
lcoal production. The Erie Co. controls
4 the Hillside Coal and Iron Co. and the
! Pennsylvania Coal Co.
During the examination of Edward
| Hutton foreman employed by the
latter company, the fact was adduced
/ that the practice of restricting the
| number of cars to be loaded daily by
/ one man had been in operation as faf
back as 1895. long before the United
Mine Workers of America entered the
anthracite region. The unions respon-
sibility rests with the enforcement OF
this rule and not with its inception.
| Chairman Gray, of the commission
who has been i'll for several days, was
present at today's sessions.
| The majority of the witnesses We're
mine foremen who testified that the
union was detrimental to discipline at
the colleries; that mining is a compare
lively healthful occupation, and further
to acts of lawlessness committed dur
| ing the recent strike.
| A contract miner testified that he
| had been prevented by the union from
! carrying out a certain contract, the
driver refusing to furnish him with a
sufficient number of cars.
| President Mitchell explained to the
commission that the union regarded
with disfavor the practice of miners
securing certain work by proposal. In
the first place he said, the lowest bid
der always secured the contract and he
employs as many helpers as he deems
necessary paying them smaller wages
than they would otherwise receive. In
man cases the contract miner has em-
lployed from II to IS laborers to do the
work while he would act as a superin-
tendent, performing no part Of the ac-
| tual mining. This the union considers
unjust to the other men besides in
creasing the liability of accidents, as
the contract miners could not pay prop
er attention to so many different jobs.
Mr. Mitchell stated also that he had
I been informed that saloon keepers
sometimes secured these contracts and
never enter the mines but leave the
| work to the laborers.
| NJ P Blauvelt, auditor of the Hill
side Coal and Iron Co. and of the
pennsylvania Coal Co, offered nurner-
Gus taistics showing the average
earnings of the men in the companies
lempley and produced the figures to
show what the earnings would be if
the collieries worked full time at the
rate of 10 hours day for year
| +laA oh
this as evidence, but Chairman Gray
| decided that as the statements were
computed from office records, they We're
| admissible
] Counsel for the Erie Company. also
counsel for the Hillside Coal and Iron
Co. and the Pennsylvania Coal Co., in
troduced as evidence extracts from re-
ports of state mine inspectors tending
to show that most mine accidents are
| due to the negligence of the workmen
themselves.
Victor L. Peterson of Scranton. SUI
perintendent of the Hillside Company,
and formerly president of the Forest
City Bank, presented statement
showing the deposits in that bank.
Miners counsel objected to its sub
mission because it did not specifically
show how many of the directors were
mine workers. The commission sus-
tanned the objection. Witness prom
ised to present a statement which
would overcome the objection. Nc
Peterson corroborated the testimony
that the union miners do not load as
lnany cars now as before the strike of
1900.
Witness described the lawlessness in
the vicinity of Forest City during the
late strike.
Mr.. Peterson on cross
said that foremen and other bosses
sometimes make mistakes. He cited
instances of INSTRUMENTATION by the
miners. Some of these instances he said
were due to the influence of the Union.
The witness thought the union ought to
change some of its ways.
| on the question of the unio restrict
ing the number of cars each miner
should load the witness admitted that
he did not think the total output of the
mines was restricted, ~
| He did not know why the 'workmen