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CONDITIONS IN THE COAL FIELDS OF PENNSYLVANIA,

WEST VIRGINIA, AND OHIO

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1928

UNITED STATES SENATE,

SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE

COMMITTEE ON INTERSTATE COMMERCE,

Pittsburgh, Pa.

in

The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10 o'clock a. m., the William Penn Hotel, Senator Frank R. Gooding presiding. Present: Senators Gooding (chairman of the subcommittee), Pine, Wheeler, and Wagner.

Present also: Mr. J. D. A. Morrow, president of the Pittsburgh Coal Co., and Mr. Horace F. Baker, president of the Pittsburgh Terminal Coal Corporation.

Senator GOODING. Gentlemen, in accordance with notice given to the parties interested, this subcommittee was appointed by the Committee on Interstate Commerce of the United States Senate, for the purpose of conferring with representatives or committees of the operators and of the United Mine Workers of America, and of making an inspection in the field of the conditions existing here. Have you gentlemen any suggestions that you wish to make before we start out on a tour of inspection?

Mr. MORROW. We wanted to show to you gentlemen of the subcommittee before you started on your trip a map which will give you picture of western Pennsylvania territory that you are interested in, and especially to help you in making such arrangements as you may wish to make by way of seeing the properties.

Senator PINE. Whom do you represent?

Mr. MORROW. We are speaking in behalf of the operators in this field. This map represents the Pittsburgh district. These colored spots represent mines that are now running nonunion. The red pots represent mines of the Pittsburgh Coal Co., and the green spots are mines of other companies, 71 mines being shown on the map, all of them except four having been previously union mines and now operating nonunion, and employing now about 20,000 men, somewhere between 20,000 and 21,000 men.

Senator PINE. Near what place.

Mr. MORROW. They are near Brownsville, between there and Connellsville.

Senator WAGNER, Are any of these mines represented by colored spots now union mines?

Mr. MORROW. Yes, sir; there are two mines operating the checkoff. Here are those mines on the map.

Senator GOODING. At one time all were working union labor?
Mr. MORROW. Except these four.

Senator GoODING. Is there any strike on in this district?

Mr. MORROW. The miners will say that all these are on strike. Senator GoODING. This is the district in which it exists?

Mr. MORROw. Yes, sir; we are on strike according to what is the definition of the term.

Senator WHEELER. Of course.

Mr. MORROW. Adjoining the Pittsburgh field is the Bessemer or Freeport field. These two match together right here, as shown on Here is the Oakmont mine. This field was formerly union. With this map put together this way, you have a visual picture of the strike territory in western Pennsylvania. These little black marks show the locations of the barracks in which the striking miners are housed.

Senator GoODING. Which marks?

Mr. MORROW. The little black marks. There are not so many in the Pittsburgh district-two or three here, and one there, and one out there. The idle mines are shown by the small black circles not colored.

Senator GOODING. Why are those mines not running?

Mr. MORROW. Merely because they are unable to sell their coal. Some of these mines have been closed down for this reason for four or five years. And to show you how this fits into the State of Pennsylvania as a whole in the mining district, this larger map will give you the larger picture. Those are the mining fields of Pennsylvania, and this is the Pittsburgh district in this square, and this is the Bessemer or Freeport that I spoke of.

Operating mines, Pittsburgh district, February, 1928

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