Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-01-03
MINERS EXPECT TO
WIN ON 3 COUNTS
Questions Of Wages, Hours and
Recognition Of Union viii
Be in Their Favor
DARRoW TALKS OF RESULT
Miners Legal Representative Is Conf
dent a Decision Will Be Made
by the Strike Commits
sioners Soon.

Chicago, Dec. give expect to win
on the question of wages, hours and
recognition of the union" declared
Clarence S. barrow, the miners legal
representative In the anthracite strike
hearing.
1.-The hearing" he continued, will
probably last about -four weeks more.
The miners case has been completed.
The operators thus far have attempted
only to prove violence on the part OF the
men during the strike. The point is m
material, SO far as 1t relates TO the ques-
ion Of wages and hours. But the oper-
ators are pressing 1t to show that the
character OF the union is not such as to
sntitle 1t to recognition They charged
between twenty-five and thlrty-five
murders against the men. Before the
BOARD they have proved only one kill
ng. They will probably prove two or
:hree more. We can prove two killings
oy the coal and iron police for every
one that is proved against us.
con the other hand it has been es-
tablished that the unions maintained
excellent control over the men. Leading
clergymen through the coal districts
testified that there was never so little
thinking, that many saloons were closed
for lac of patronage, that the whole
region was never so peaceful before
except for these occasional outbreaks.
Miners Average Wages.
1.-The average wages for an expert.
snced miner last year-and 1 take my
igures from the schedules filed with the
BOARD by the operators themselves-was
from $500 to $500. other w~orkmen-in-
Guiding helpers, drivers, doortenders,
out not including boys-earned from
koDO IN gA00 nov NyaoV A fauy man 81 ra
fairly paid, but, generally speaking,
hey do not average SEQ per year. We
also ask an eight instead OF ten hour
lay, and we think we have shown that
eight hours in the mines are enough
For any man. The dangers Of the work
are appalling. Few men spend as much
rs six years in the mines without a
fatal accident or a serious injury.
Every miner a his face and hands
Scared by powder explosions. 1t Is
seldom that one of them passes a day
without receiving an injury sufficiently
serious to draw blood.
And when a man Is hurt he must
shift for himself. The operators never
give him a thought. A damage suit Is
never heard or thought of. 1t would
De impossible to get n through a
Pennsylvania court.
Bosses Are State Officers"
Under the state law the foremen.
superintendents and bosses must pass
an examination previous to employ
1lent. The courts have held that this
makes them officers of the state, so
hat suit on account of their careless
ness cannot be brought. The fellow
servants rule is strictly interpreted.
The injured man cannot base an action
IN an accident resulting from the fault
IF a fellow employe. The doctrine OF
assumed risk Is also rigidly adhered to.
THE average mindr lives In q house
IF four rooms-two above and two be-
.ow. 1t is poorly built and miserably
furnished and the rent is high. Most
Of them live on an almost purely vege-
able diet, and not too much of that.
The children always work. Few of
Them attend school beyond the age of
II or II. The boys go into the break
ars; the girls into the mills or stores.
with the character of the arbitra-
ion board we are greatly pleased. The
members are men OF ability and broad
sympathies. The miners were for
unate In doing so well. Naturally we
nave received no expression of opinion
from the members OF the board. They
are at present in recess for the holi-
lays, but will resume the hearing jan
larry 6. ] anticipate O decision very
soon"