Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-02-14
President Of Fuel and Iron
Company Says Strikers Now
Have About 100000 With
Former Employers,
DENIES DISCHARGE OF
COMPLAINING MINERS
Houses Are Rented to Working
Men at Rate of Two Dollars
for Each Room Per Month";
No Peonage PractiCed
10. .osnsa ,ouss.. .r.e... ....rn un.r

10y MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL trAsrp wiHs1
Denver, Feb lS.--The Colorado
Fuci a IRON Co., Is custodian for
Slo00Oo Of the money of ita om-
plOyes, u considerable portion OF the
sum heing me property uf strikers.
according tO ihp abatement this uftcr-
noon OF Jessie F Welharn. president
OF the company Goo the congressional
committee INVESTIGATING the strike,
Mr.. Welnorn also testified that his
company always settled out Nof court
for deaths ana injuries In accidents,
and stated that IN the two disasters
% recent years The average sum paid
the relatives OF dead miners was
$1,000.
tie said John ID. Rockefeller was
o. stakeholder in the Colorado Fuel g.
Iron CO., but denied that he controlled
thc corporation on owned d majority
Of its stock.
Mr.. Weiborn was put on the stand
for the operators following HE testi-
mony OF John G.. OsgoOd, chairman
of the board OF Nictor-Amorican Fuel
company lie was examined by Fred
Herrington. attorney for the Colorado
Fuel q Iron Co.
The witness cmphatlcally denied
that his company has been guilty of
pconage, Interference with the mails
or violation OF the immigration laws.
He said the company had not been q
party to any Illegal arrests. but adj
mitted that It had purchased arms
and ammunition for the defense OF it's
property and the lives Of its work
men. He said there was NO comhinn-
ton TO control the output OF coal In
Colorado.
MIR. Welhorn wus led into q Discus
sion of the provision made boy his
company for the comfort and well
fare of its men. He said that in near
ly all the camps the men lived I'm
houses owned by the employers, which
were rented at uniform rate OF 81
pOr room. monthly
MANY of the miners leave their
savings on deposit with the Colorado
Supply company a subsidiary which
operates our stores ' he said I'VE
pay them per cent interest. At the
time the strike was called there was
$500 GOO on deposit with us. Not
more than 100000 has been with
drawn. OF the amount remaining. a
considerable portion belongs 20 mon
who are ON strike
Prompted by Mr. Harrington. the
witness said there never had been a
suit against the company on account
Of the death OF "a miner in O mine dis
aster All claims We're settled out Of
court, he declared.
AIR. Welhorn was questioned as to
charges that men We're discharged IL
they complained of conditions in tho
mines "One man sued us for the
loss of an eye" ho replied. "llls suit
was i'm the courts five years and dur
ing an of that time he worked for
us.
as to the alleged dismissal Of
union men, 4 can simply say that it
has not been done 10 my knowledge.
and the superlntendents always have
been instructed never TO discharge "a
man fer belonging to union ln fact
many Of our men have belonged 'o
unions and some even held office ia
labor organizations without interfer-
cnce on our part"
The employees always have the pri-
vilege Of naming check wciEhmen,
snid the witness who produced "a copy
of "a notice that was posted in the
mines April II. 1912, specifically offcr-'
ing to employees their own check
wclghmen whenever the men request.
ed ID He said the use Of scrip was
abolished by a notice posted January
J.. 1918.
Are there any saloons at your
mines2' he was asked
SALOONS are located on our prop
erty. ] am very sorry to say Well
horn replied. "Wc have found 10 all
most impossible to keep force ot
men at a mine without saloon. We
do not operate the places ana receive
no revenue z ON them except Ion rent
oft bindings.
The mine company president told of
he had With Governor
Ammons about August +. 1913. in
which he declared, he told the COVER
NOR the company was ready to agree
10 an the demands then made by the
men. except recognition of the union
us John ID, Rockefeller the princi-
nal storkholdor in your company
questioned Representative suther-
land
our records do not show that he
Docs he own majority o. tho
stock"
ii understand he does not
Mr.. Wolhorn then said that the
Gould family did not hold largo
amount of stock IN the corporation,
which hc declared WIS managed by
the officers in Colorado
IN don't think Il benefits the pub
lie to regulate business hy law" rec
pllea the Hnancier 4 think am the
hest ndue OF how TO operate my
affairs. and 10 ! do not deal fairly. ]
Win he punished through the opera
lion of natural economic laws"
Repremntative Byfnes III your
mon should form union Of their
own. moi connected with the United
Mine Workers. as You testified thia
morning. you would willingly permit
them 10 d0 would you consent
10 have Cancellation board, with
of the minors and rep
rosentatlges of yourself TO settle dis-
putes2
Mr. osgood NO, l want TO have