Senator WHEELER. There you are living in a house that is owned by the company? Mr. BARR. Yes. Senator WHEELER. And there is a row of houses on each side of the street, is there not? Mr. BARR. Yes. Senator WHEELER. Belonging to the company? Mr. BARR. Yes, sir. Senator WHEELER. And in these houses that are owned by the company Mr. BARR (interposing). They are owned by the company. Senator WHEELER (continuing). White families and colored families are all intermingled in these houses, are they not? Mr. BARR. Yes, sir. Senator WHEELER. Let me ask you this, Mr. Barr. How much do you receive a day, or were you receiving? Mr. BARR. $4.08. Senator WHEELER. $4.08. Are you a man that drinks? Mr. BARR. No, sir. Senator WHEELER. A drinking man? Mr. BARR. No, sir. Senator WHEELER. When the committee was there we noticed that a number of your children were without shoes and stockings. Why was it that they did not have any shoes and stockings? Mr. BARR. Well, it was because we couldn't get them, you know. I couldn't get them out of the store.. Senator WHEELER. Because you could not get them out of the store. Why could you not get them out of the store? Mr. BARR. Well, because I got hurt there once and was off there a couple of days, and I got back a little bit, and they would not let me have them. Senator WHEELER. I see. They would not let you have them. Are you able to support your family, your wife and children, and pay your bills on $4.08 a day? Mr. BARR. No, sir. Senator WHEELER. How? Mr. BARR. No, sir. Senator WHEELER. What are the ages of the children? Mr. BARR. Well, they run from 15 down. Senator WHEELER. Fifteen down. What is the youngest? Mr. BARR. It was a year old the 1st of March. Senator WHEELER. A year old the 1st of March. Senator COUZENS. Are they all your own children? Mr. BARR. No, I just got the one. The others are my step children. Senator WHEELER. When you got married you married who had Mr. BARR. Seven children. Senator WHEELER (continuing). Seven children? Mr. BARR. Yes. widow Senator WHEELER. After they called you back what have you to say as to whether or not the superintendent told you not to say anything about this matter of your being fired? Mr. BARR. He didn't say anything to me at that time. Senator WHEELER. Well, did he later? Mr. BARR. Yes, he did in about a week or so later. Senator WHEELER. What did he say to you at that time? Mr. BARR. Oh, he came to me and he said, "I kind of got owly at first." Senator WHEELER. He said what? Mr. BARR. Kind of ill and mad, you know, at first, and he said he kind of got over it, and just go ahead and say nothing. Senator WHEELER. He said to go ahead and say nothing? Mr. BARR. Yes. Senator COUZENS. Are you still working at the mine? Mr. BARR. I was; yes. Senator COUZENS. Up till when? Mr. BARR. Up till Saturday. Senator COUZENS. Are you all through now? Mr. BARR. No; Friday. Friday, I guess. Senator COUZENS. Are you all through now? Mr. BARR. Yes. Senator WHEELER. Well, did they fire you again? Mr. BARR. No. Senator WHEELER. You quit? Mr. BARR. Yes. Senator GOODING. No; they told him to get out as soon as he could get a house. to do. Senator COUZENS. And of course there was nothing else for him Have you got another house yet? Mr. BARR. NO. I have been looking for a house but I haven't got any. Senator COUZENS. You are still living in the company's house? Mr. BARR. I am still living in the company's house. Senator COUZENS. So you have not been discharged as yet? Mr. BARR. No; they have not-they have not discharged me from my work. Senator COUZENS. So you can go to work any time you want to? Mr. BARR. No; I don't think now. Senator COUZENS. Well, why do you say that? Mr. BARR. Well, they kind of got it in for us anyway. Senator COUZENS. But they have not really told you to quit yet? Mr. BARR. No. Senator WHEELER. You feel that because you have been subpœnaed down here that you will not be able to go back to work; is that it? Mr. BARR. Yes, sir. Senator WHEELER. I think that is all. (Witness excused.) Senator WHEELER. Is Mrs. Barr here? Mrs. Barr. Senator GOODING (presiding). Mrs. Barr, will you be sworn, please. TESTIMONY OF MRS. EVA BARR, PRICEDALE, PA. (The witness was duly sworn by Senator Gooding.) Senator GOODING (presiding). You can be seated. Will you give your name and address, please. Mrs. BARR. Eva Barr. Senator WHEELER. Mrs. Barr, you are the wife of the gentleman who just testified? Mrs. BARR. Yes, sir. Senator WHEELER. And you are the mother of eight children? Mrs. BARR. Yes, sir. Senator WHEELER. You remember when the committee visited your place? Mrs. BARR. Yes, sir. Senator WHEELER. We noticed at that time several of the children who did not have shoes and stockings, and their clothes were rather ragged. Why was that? Mrs. BARR. Well, that was on account they wouldn't leave us have anything out of the company store. Mister, he got hurt and he was idle a few days, and because he got a little bit behind in the store, why I sent down twice and told them that the little girl didn't have any shoes, and the store manager told me if he gave me shoes he would stop my eats on me. Senator WHEELER. He said if he gave you shoes he would stop your eats? Mrs. BARR. So I had to do that. Senator WHEELER. So it was a question of going without eating or having the children go without shoes? Mrs. BARR. Yes, sir. So then the school board, as I told you men, they come on to me about the child and said she must tend to her school. Well, she couldn't go barefooted. So then you people come there, of course I got the blame for that, Mr. Baughman he told me, for doing all this trouble, causing it all. Senator WHEELER. Did he say anything to you? Mrs. BARR. He didn't say anything to me, but he told the mister about it. Senator GOODING. Well, you did not know anything about the committee visiting in your home at all, did you? Mrs. BARR. No, sir; I didn't know a thing about it. Senator GOODING. And you only answered such questions as the committee asked you to answer? Mrs. BARR. Yes, sir, just as you-uns asked me, why I answered. Senator WHEELER. You had nothing to do with inviting the committee to come there and visit? Mrs. BARR. No, sir; no, I didn't. Senator WHEELER. And only answered such questions as were propounded to you by the members of the committee? Mrs. BARR. Just as you talked to me there I told you the circumstances of the children. Senator WHEELER. That is all. Senator GOODING (presiding). That is all, Mrs. Barr. (Witness excused.) Senator GOODING (presiding). The committee will now stand adjourned until 10.15 Monday morning. (Thereupon, at 3.40 p. m. Saturday, March 10, 1928, an adjournment was taken until 10.15 a. m. Monday, March 12, 1928.) CONDITIONS IN THE COAL FIELDS OF PENNSYLVANIA, WEST VIRGINIA, AND OHIO MONDAY, MARCH 12, 1928 UNITED STATES SENATE, COMMITTEE ON INTERSTATE COMMERCE, Wahsington, D. C. The committee met, pursuant to adjournment, at 10.15 o'clock a. m., March 10, 1928, in room 212, Senate Office Building, Senator Frank R. Gooding presiding. Present: Senators Watson (chairman), Gooding, Couzens, Fess, Sackett, Bruce, Wheeler, and Wagner. Senator GOODING (presiding). The committee will come to order. The Chair would like to ask if the attorney for the Pittsburgh Coal Co. is in the room this morning, or anyone representing the Pittsburgh Coal Co., as the Chair would like to say that I will ask you to read the statement made by Mr. Barr in the record, and then if you want Mr. Barr recalled the committee will be very glad to issue a subpoena to recall Mr. Barr. The committee would not care to recall Mrs. Barr, because she has eight children, and should not be taken away from her home more than is absolutely necessary. [After a pause.] Are you ready to proceed? Mr. WARRUM. Yes. TESTIMONY OF THOMAS SAGLE, GENERAL MANAGER, ROSEVILLE COAL CO., ROSEVILLE, OHIO (The witness was duly sworn by Senator Gooding.) Mr. WARRUM. State your name. Mr. SAGLE. Thomas Sagle. Mr. WARRUM. Where do you live? At Roseville, Ohio? Mr. SAGLE. Roseville, Ohio. Mr. WARRUM. Are you interested in any mining property at that point? Mr. SAGLE. Yes, sir. Mr. WARRUM. What is the name of the company? Mr. SAGLE. Roseville Coal Co. Mr. WARRUM. How long have you been interested in and what official connection have you with that company? Mr. SAGLE. General manager for 12 years. Mr. WARRUM. What is the normal daily tonnage of that mine? Mr. SAGLE. Two hundred and fifty. Mr. WARRUM. Have you ever furnished railroad fuel to any railroad from that mine? Mr. SAGLE. Yes, sir, Mr. WARRUM. What railroad? Mr. SAGLE. Pennsylvania Railroad. Mr. WARRUM. Is your mine alongside the Pennsylvania Railroad line? Mr. SAGLE. Yes, sir. Mr. WARRUM. How long have you furnished fuel for the Pennsylvania Railroad? Mr. WARRUM. How long did you operate after 1917 until you closed down? Mr. SAGLE. 1926. Mr. WARRUM. 1926? Mr. SAGLE. March 23. Mr. WARRUM. What was the occasion for your closing down of your mine? Mr. SAGLE. We came in contact with the stream pollution bill, threatened by injunction on the north side of our property, relative to drainage. Mr. WARRUM. Then your closing had nothing to do with any labor trouble or market trouble? It was a controversy with land owners over Mr. SAGLE. Absolutely. Mr. WARRUM (continuing). Over a question of stream pollution? Mr. SAGLE. Yes, sir. (At this point Chairman Watson took the chair.) Mr. WARRUM. When did you reopen your mine after that? Mr. WARRUM. September, 1926. During all this period did you employ union labor? Mr. SAGLE. Yes, sir. Mr. WARRUM. And you had a contract with the union when you reopened? Mr. SAGLE. Yes, sir. Mr. WARRUM. After reopening your mine, did you make any attempt to renew your fuel service contract with the Pennsylvania Railroad? Mr. SAGLE. Yes, sir. Tell the committee. Mr. WARRUM. What did you do? Mr. SAGLE. Well, I went over to see Mr. Owens, the purchasing agent, and he asked me as to how I intended to operate. I told him as to how we intended to operate. His reply was Mr. WARRUM. How did you tell him? What did you say to him? Mr. SAGLE. I told him that there were six practical men in that company which intended to fill practical places in or around that mine. Along with that we intended to hire enough men to furnish a certain tonnage and pay the price, the Jacksonville scale. Mr. WARRUM. The union scale? Mr. SAGLE. The union scale. Mr. WARRUM. What was his response to that? Mr. SAGLE. His reply was that he would pay me nor no other operator any price that would justify the Jacksonville scale. Mr. WARRUM. Had you met Mr. Owens before? |