Show MISERIES OF THE THE COAL MINER Los Angeles Herald The statement of President Mitchell of the Mine Workers union of America has already been sent out by l y the Asso Aso Associated o so soci dated ci te Press ress and published in its sev several several eral oral newspapers Now we n have the tes testimony testimony testimony of or a Pennsylvanian a former official colliery for one of the largest workings in the tIne now notorious Hazleton district to the effect that President Mitchells statement is not only not overdrawn but bin is a mild state statement statement ment meat of grievances of which few out outside outside outside side the coal regions have any an concep tion Pennsylvanians story ap appeared apPeared in Mondays Monda s Herald but a re reproduction reProductIon reProduction production of at a few of its salient points paints calls for no apology The rhe miner lives in a company house pays pas a rent every year he lives in it that should give Ive him a clear title to his home As a matter of fact he cannot buy it Iti it is not for lor sale He Hi trades at the stores paying from 25 to 50 per percent cent more than at any other store in the place He Hc buys of the he company butcher and I have known a man to be notified that he was not using enough eno gh meat though he was getting his entire supply of or provisions from the company The miner pays paS the company from to per cent profit on his tools powder fuse and oil At the time I left powder was vas wholesaling at 90 cents a keg and the miner was paying the company 2 per keg I actually saw a man discharged who dared to buy a keg of powder from froma a local store at The miner buys his coal from the company and pays tidewater price to o 4 for coal that he has mined at from SO cents to per car 2 tons I knew of industrious men with families that had worked every working day for years Their children were in the breaker not at school such a luxury as school was not for them from the time they could carry a bucket or tell teU slate from coal and these mOn men m n have not drawn one cent in cash from the o nany in years Why Because thy not earn enough to pay their r at atthe atthe atthe the company compan store The miner min L has to pay the company physician whether he employs him or not and if ir he employs S Sa a physician of his own choice he pays pas two doctors for the services of one How far this arrangement gives scope for petty galling tyranny only a com company company pany physician can appreciate When the miner is disabled by accident or disease who supports him and his fam family family ily lly It is not the company he has worked for but his own organization to which he looks for support |