New Britain herald., 1915-09-21
JOHN D., JR., DIMES
 WITH COAL MINERS
Personally Investigating Condi.
 tions in Colorado Camps

Trinidad, Olo., Sept. |A.7Jo ohn H Rockefeller, jr, began his long prom ised inspection of the properties Of the Colorado FCel and Iron company yesterday by visiting the scene of the Ludlow battle aud the mining camps of Berwind and Tobasco.
 When Mr. Rockefeller was wit ness before the !ndustrial Relations commission at it's New York hear ings early in tho year he was Invited by Mother" Jones, a labor enthu- siast, to visit Cobra do and see for himself the conditions oescrloea be- fore the commission
 After talking freely with the miners MT Rockefeller went into the1r homes, questioning their wives about working and living conditions and making suggestions for improve ments.
 Eats at Boarding House.
 For luncheon MT. Rockefeller stopped at the miners boarding house at Berwind. Tom Davis, superinten- dent of the mine, who sat at his right hand, clad in blt.e overalls and with coal dust ground into his face, while doing justice to the beefsteak. beans and mashed potatoes, was en-
  MT. Rockefeller.
 After the luncheon :he party went to Tabasco, stopping on the way to visit school, where MT. Rockefeller inspected some extensive improve ments contributed last winter by the Rockefeller Foundation to furnish work for unemployed miners follow ing the strike. A sheer-like hill had been graded to make a playground
 Interested fin School Work.
 MT. Rockefeller was apparently greatly interested i'll the work being done in the school.
 They do not *;og very well, sir,' apologized the pre:ty school :na'a,n. You see, they haze just started and haven't had time 10 learn much. And, then, they are 50 littlc.''
 They're doing fin.-fine.'' rcpl!rd John D. Rockefeller, ir., smiling broadly. And sixty miners sons and daughters of an average age of six and of perhaps a dozen nation alities, sang lustily, in good United States, the song in which they had been carefully drilled by Miss Edna Campbell, their teacher.
 Gives Advice to Children.
 Then MT. Rockefeller made speech to the school children, ir which he told rhem to study hard and obey their teacher. And when next I come to Colorado, perhaps some of you will be teachers .your- selves," he added.
 1T have six children myself" con- tinued tine oil ,nagnate. Sometimes they are not as mannerly as yo: seem to be. Maybe I'll bring few of them along the next time l come to Colorauo."
 MT. Rockefeller asked the miners and their wives how they were satis- fled with the houses rented from the company, how much rent they paid ard whether the houses were worth the money.
 ~ Why don't you have garden?" he demanded of one miner. You could fix this place up so it would look much better"
 Eearly in the round of inspection, MT. Rockefeller. hunted up Dan Nor elli, a coal digger, who had been elected by the men of the Berwind camp to represent them in confer ences with the officers of the conl- pany. Dan had just come from the mine and his face was grimed with black dust. The two sat down side by side on the mine office and talked earnestly for perhaps twenty minutes MT. Rockefeller questioned the miner closely on the practical working of the scheme recently cearted for con- ferences between officers of the com- pany and representatives of the miners.
 Leaving the canon late in the af- ternoon, the party returned to Trini- dad, where MT. Rockefeller was en- tertained at picture show and saw a filmed representation of a parade at the recent field and track meet given by employees of the Colorado Fuel and Iron company.
 During his trip MT. Rockefeller was accompanied by President J. r. Welborn and other officers of the company.
 Asked about 8 recent rumor that the J. J. Hill interests were negotiat- 1 ing Colorado Fdel and Iron company. 1 MT. Rockefeller said: "If there is any, 1 thing in this report, I know noth- l Ing about it.''