The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-02-12
Chairman Taylor States That Answer Cannot Be
Given Until the Rest Of the Congressional Com
miitee Arrives and the Inquiry Reaches That
Pont--PatriCk Dunngan Tells of Grievances

find no copy of such a report in his
files.
Congressman Howell told Attorney
Kerr that if necessary there was moth
ing IN the way of brnsiug Judge
Murphy before the committee. Chair
man Taylor said that Judge Murphy
will be asked To- furnish copy Of his
report to the committee.
Al the beginning of the session
Judge Hilton introduced a telegram
sent to the Butte Miners Onion 10 in
quire if the one man drill is i'm COM
missnon in the mines I'm Montana. Tho
reply To the telegram, signed by the
secretary Of the Butte union. was that
the one man drill is not in use and that
two men always work on drill.
\ copy of the aid fund rules was in
troduced Boy the federation. \ number
OF dockets from various mining com
panics also We're placed in the records
In this part Of the procedure Attor-
ney Rces raised objection to the plac-
ing in the record of dockcts that bore
no name Of an employe of any COM
pany. The objection was not sustain
ed. In explaining the purpose OF this
evidence. Hilton said that he wished {
introduced To show that the mining
companies stores charge arbitrary
prices. Attorney Rees again objected
saying such statement was an un-
truth. Hilton responded that he wish
ed 20 show the system" in operation
and the relation between the store
keepers, the miners ard the cumpan-
les. He said a number OF the dockets
show that the miners receive nothing
in cash for their services from the
mining companies.
At this point dockets dated i'm 1894
were introduced. Congressman How
ell asked if the matter of the mining
companies Withholding money for tho
stores was ever "A grievance Of the
miners. Attorney Kerr responded that
it never has been a grievance. that in
majority of instances such deduc-
tions were made by assignment Of
waces al the request of the miner or
by guanishcc in which event the
money was withheld from the cmploye.
Patrick Ounnigan on Stand
The first witness on the stand was
Patricl, punuigaH of Ahmcek. His
testimony On direct examination re-
ferrcd TO the operation Of the one man
drill. He said that such operations
were dangerous because the operator
was alone. that the handling of powder
was part of this and that If "a partner
We're near there would often be some
chance of saving a life. In response to
a question he said that water used i'm
the operation Of the drill flew back into
the operators face, and frequently
filled his boots with cold water. He
referred to mine facilities. and said
that men frequently were found with
their heads caved in and others were
knocked unconscious from gas. while
rigging lie spoke of one man having
been drowned, and of another falling
more than a distance Of 100 feet. be-
cause no fence had been erected around
a raise.
Testilyiug To- his wages he said ne
made q big living but he did not get
half of what he made Complaints. hc
said were useless. He told of COM
plants made 10 capt Thos Rapson.
who referred him TO Supt. smith who
in turn. turned him to capt John Knox
and he finally spoke to General Man
ager James MacNaughton. But no
said he never collected the deductions
made from his earnings He also madc
the statement that he received a fair
pay only once i'm eight years He said
the miners kept their own accounts
but they might as well not keep them
they wouldn't believe miner any
how"
Dunnigan referred to "a conversation
he had with Arthur king of the Ah-
meek mine office relative to pay. and
said that King remarked To him. WHY
not whack up with the other fellow r
your wages are too high; the other fell
low ought to set q little something"
In the cross examination II develop
ed that King was the man who spoke
10 him of "whacking up" As to the
time this remark was made he said
King made the assertion when he vis-
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