The Elbert County tribune., 1915-09-24
ARRIVES UNHERALDED; STARTS
INSPECTION OF c. F&I.co.
PROPERTIES.
IN INTERVIEWS MIN ERS
TALKS TO BOSSES AND sUPERIN.
= TENDENTs TO LEARN WHAT
CONDITIONS ARE.
Western New.psper Union News Service.

Trinidad, Colo.-There IL nothing
suggestive of the casual or perfume
tory in the examination that John d.
Rockefeller Jr. is making of condi-
tions of the coal companies operated
by the Colorado Fuel and Iron Com
pany in southern Colorado
Nothing escapes the keen, alert
young man of millions who is here to
learn for himself the exact situation
as to the surroundings and working
conditions of men employed in the
southern coal fields, especially in con
nection with the company of which he
is director
Mr. Rockefeller, who had Travelled
all the way from New York without
his destination becoming known.
stepped from an ordinary sleeping car
on Santa Fe train arriving from
Chicago Monday morning. He was ac-
companied' only by his secretary,
Charles o. Heydt. Mr.. Rockefeller
was welcomed at the station by Jesse
F. Welborn. president of the Colorado
Fuel and Iron Company, and others.
1t is not in any sense a personally
Mr.. Rockefeller is led by officials who
show what they want him to see, but
the young magnate leads for himself.
He seeks the truth concerning the liv-
ing conditions of the miners and man
ifests the greatest interest in the wa
ter they drink, the conditions at the
trading places, the roads and high
ways, the comfort of the homes and
the facilities provided for the enter
tainment of the residents of the coal
camps.
He doesn't seek figures as to out
put or concern himself with means for
increasing production, but talks to the
miners as one with an interest In
their welfare.
He asks pointed questions soncen-
ing the character of the wt.fk, and
seeks suggestions from miner, fire
boss. the clerk behind the store coun-
ers, the housewife and the camp doc
tors.
He ate lunch with the camp super
intendent fresh from the mines. at
tired in overalls.
He talked to the school children,
and throughout showed the interest
that he undoubtedly feels in the gen
eral welfare and social betterment of
the workers in the mines.
At Berwind Mr. Rockefeller entered
a number of the houses inhabited by
the miners. made inquiries concerning
the heating, lighting and home condi-
tions generally, visited the camp hos
pital and made numerous inquiries
concerning the health and comfort of
the camp and commended the work
on the roads and grounds accom-
plished by means of the money con-
tributed by the Rockefeller founda-
tion.
He stopped George Smith. fire
boss who has been with the company
for twelve years. and talked to him
for an hour. No one knows the con-
versation except Mr.. Rockefeller and
the 5egrimed fire boss.
Similar interviews were had with
Tom Dayis, superintendent of the Ber-
wind camp, Charles Mcneil. super
intendent of the Tabasco camp, the
town marshal and numerous other Of
ficials and employees of the company
Mr. Rockefeller and his party prob
ably will spend two or three weeks in
Colorado. No definite itinerary has
been planned. 1t is expected that the
program will be arranged from day
to dav in accordance with Mr.. Rookie
feller's wishes and convenience