Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-23
COAL SHORTAGE.
Miners Counsel EmphaticaIl>
Charge It to Operators.
They in Turn Deny That There Arr
ManypIdie Miners J.
And Claim the. Men WlfsNot DO Any
10y fe lesss. sgsaY@soxesss ynt Srsb 8
- Ga Extra Work. Q, ~ s'5s
~ lg-Drf NALL We u = q
--<-------8 ~ sttEsssS

|
philadelphia, Jan.,, g22sS2 The. question
of who is responsible for the apparent
shortage in the supply of anthracite
coal was the subject of considerable
debate, today, by the attorneys repre-
senting the parties before the strike
| commission,
The Lehigh Valley Coal Co. closed
| it's case, today, and the Lehigh. and
| Wilkesbarre Co. consumed a few hours
| in presenting its evidence. This com
panv closed shortly before adjourn
ment and the independent operators
of the upper region then took up the
operators side of the controversy.
Thomas Thomas, a district superin-
tendent of the Lehigh Valley Coal
Col was the first witness before
the coal strike commission, today.
He testified that prior to the
strike of 1900 the company had
no difficulty in getting the con-
tract miners to produce extra cars
of coal when necessary to meet the
demand. After the strike he said the
company was unable to get the men
to load more than a certain number of
cars each day.
ent of the Lehigh Valley Co., who was
on the witness stand, yesterday, was
recalled for cross-examination. He
said that in very cold weather the
production of coal is sometimes seri-
ously curtailed because of the shut
down of the breakers. He thought
10 hours a day was not too long for
miner to stay in the mines. The wit
ness said that he was short of outside
laborers al Centralia and could put
some at work if he could get them. The
rate of pay is $1.45 a day.
In reply to Commissioner Parker,
Mr.. Mercur said that as a result of the
late strike No. Packer Shaft, one
lift in No. packer, one in No. 2 packer
and one lift in No. packer were still
under water, thus preventing the en-
ployment of about 500 men and boys.
During the cross examination of Mr..
Mercur, representatives of the miners
informed the commission that in cases
where contract miners bid for work
the contract is given to the lowest bid
der. In one instance a saloon keeper
who was not employed in the mines
was awarded a contract to cut coal.
He never entered the mine, but had
other men do the work for him.
Fred NJ. Chase, chief accountant of
the Lehigh Valley Coal Co., was re-
called and denied that he or any of his
assistants took torn pages from the
statement submitted by the company.
Supt. Mercur was recalled and was
asked by the miners counsel to give
the names of the miners who told him
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 state
ment stricken from the records but
Chairman Gray refused to do so.
Attorney Torrey, of the Delaware &
Hudson Co.. challenged Mr.. Mitchelrs
statement that 5000 miners were idle in
the anthracite region. He had inveSti-
gated the statement, he said and Mr..
Mitchell could not produce 10 per cent.
of the number His remarks, therefore,
were Irresponsible because they could
not be based on facts.
Counsel for the miners said if Mitch
ellis statements were irresponsible it
was due to his association with Baer