CONDITIONS IN THE COAL MINES OF COLORADO. SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON MINES AND MINING, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Denver, Colo., February 9, 1914. Present: Martin D. Foster, chairman; James F. Byrnes, John M. Evans, Richard W. Austin, Howard Sutherland, congressional committee. Chairman FOSTER. Gentlemen, I desire to read the resolution under which this committee is here to hold an investigation: IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, UNITED STATES, January 27, 1914. Resolved, That the House Committee on Mines and Mining is nereby authorized and directed to make a thorough and complete investigation of the conditions existing in the coal fields in the counties of Las Animas, Huerfano, Fremont, Grand, Routt, Boulder, Weld, and other counties in the State of Colorado; and in and about the copper mines in the counties of Houghton, Keweenaw, and Ontonagon, in the State of Michigan, for the purpose of ascertaining— First. Whether or not any system of peonage has been or is being maintained in said coal or copper fields. Second. Whether or not postal services and facilities have been or are being interferred with or obstructed in said coal or copper fields; and if so, by whom. Third. Whether or not the immigration laws of this country have been or are being violated in said coal or copper fields; and if so, by whom. Fourth. Investigate and report all facts and circumstances relating to the charge that citizens of the United States have been arrested, tried, or convicted contrary to or in violation of the Constitution or the laws of the United States. Fifth. Investigate and report whether the conditions existing in said coal fields in Colorado and in said copper fields in Michigan have been caused by agreements and combinations entered into contrary to the laws of the United States for the purpose of controlling the production, sale, and transportation of the coal and copper of these fields. Sixth. Investigate and report whether or not firearms, ammunition, and explosives have been shipped into the said coal and copper fields, with the purpose to exclude the products of the said fields from competitive markets in interstate trade; and if so, by whom and by whom paid for. Seventh. If any or all of these conditions exist, the causes leading up to said condi tions. Said committee or any subcommittee thereof is hereby empowered to sit and act during the session or recess of Congress, or either House thereof, at such time and place as it may deem necessary; to require by subpoena or otherwise the attendance of witnesses, and the production of papers, books, and documents; to employ stenographers and such other clerical assistance as may be necessary. The chairman of the committee or any member thereof may administer oaths to witnesses. Attest: SOUTH TRIMBLE, Clerk. I hereby certify that the above and foregoing is a true copy of a resolution numbered 387, passed by the House of Representatives of the United States of America. In testimony whereof witness my hand and the official seal, as Clerk of said House of Representatives, this the second day of February, 1914. SOUTH TRIMBLE, Clerk. 5 I also desire to read the following: WASHINGTON, D. C., February 3, 1914. We hereby certify that at a meeting of the Committee on Mines and Mining, held in the committee room, Saturday, January 31, 1914, M. D. Foster, a Representative from the State of Illinois, Hon. James F. Byrnes, a Representative from the State of Montana, Hon. Richard W. Austin, a Representative from the State of Tennessee, Hon. Howard Sutherland, a Representative from the State of West Virginia, were appointed a subcommittee under House resolution 387 to conduct the investigation of the coal strike in the State of Colorado, under authority of House Resolution 387. These men are now members of the Committee on Mines and Mining. Attest: H. J. ELLIOTT, M. D. FOSTER, Chairman Committee Mines and Mining. Secretary of Committee on Mines and Mining. Chairman FOSTER. I would like to state in this connection that if either side to this controversy desires to be represented by counsel, the committee would like to have those gentlemen indicate the counsel that will represent them, so that it may appear upon the record. Mr. OSGOOD (of the Victor-American Fuel Co.). Mr. Chairman, the coal operators have no general organization and we have no general attorney representing all of the operators. The three largest corporations have gotten the services of Mr. Fred Herrington, of the Colorado Fuel & Iron Co., and Mr. F. E. Gove, of the Victor-American Fuel & Iron Co., Mr. J. V. Sickman, of the Rocky Mountain Fuel Co., and Mr. J. C. Northcutt is general attorney for the three companies, and if any other operators have counsel here I do not know them. Senator Hayden is joint attorney with Mr. Northcutt as general counsel of the three companies. Mr. BREWSTER. Mr. Chairman, the United Mine Workers of America, the striking miners, will be represented in various phases of the matter by Mr. H. N. Hawkins, of Denver; Mr. E. A. McHarg, of Boulder; Mr. F. W. Clark, of Trinidad; and Mr. James H. Brewster, attorney for them in Colorado. The CHAIRMAN. Give your address, Mr. Brewster, please. Gen. CHASE. I desire to state that it may be important that the military organization of the State of Colorado be represented, and we will be represented by Maj. Edward Boughton and Capt. Banks. Mr. C. L. BAUM. The Consolidated Coal & Coke Co., of which I am president, operating the largest mine in the northern fields, has no attorney here. I should like the privilege of representing this company in this matter. The CHAIRMAN. What is your name, please? Mr. C. L. BAUM. C. L. Baum. The CHAIRMAN. And what is your address? Attorney General FRED W. FARRAR. Mr. Chairman, as the attorney general for the State, I would like to tender the services of my office. as amicus curiae and to state in that regard that my deputy, Mr. Francis E. Bought, will be in attendance to assist the committee in any way possible. The CHAIRMAN. The Chair desires to state in this connection that under the resolution there is no attorney to be employed by the committee, and so we have taken the liberty of saying that so far as the committee is concerned we will consult our former colleague, Judge Rucker, but we thank the attorney general for his kind offer and if we need his services we will be glad to call upon him. The committee thought best that as the first witness we would like to call-if he is present-the State geologist, Mr. George, who will be able to give the committee some idea of the general condition as to the coal fields of the State of Colorado. Is Mr. George present? Mr. EVANS (one of the committee). Mr. Chairman, I would like to have the record show that these meetings are to be open to the public and to the press. Anybody may have the right to hear and see what is said and done here. The CHAIRMAN. That is well stated; I did not state it because I thought it was understood that these hearings are always open to the public, and whatever testimony is taken here is public testimony and shall be so considered. There is nothing private about it and the actions of the committee want to be so understood. RUSSELL D. GEORGE, being first duly sworn, testified as follows: The CHAIRMAN. Please state your full name. Mr. GEORGE. Russell D. George. The CHAIRMAN. And what is your business, Mr. George? Mr. GEORGE. State geologist of Colorado and head of the department of geology in the State University. I have taken the liberty of borrowing some one's cane to use as a pointer. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. George, if you will, kindly indicate to the committee in a general way the coal fields of the State of Colorado, so that the committee may get an idea of what they are and where they are located. Mr. GEORGE. The large map before you shows the areas of Colorado which are underlain by coal and the names of the fields as they are given here. This [indicating on the map] is known as the South Platte, or South Platte River, field. This [indicating] the Canon City field. This [indicating] the Trinidad field which is a part of the larger field, known as the Raton field, which extends into Mexico. The Colorado part is commonly called the Trinidad field and is in two subsections, the southern part, or Trinidad part, and the northern part, or the Walsenburg field. Mr. EVANS. Do I understand that the copy of this map will be incorporated in the record; if not, the testimony is of no value. The CHAIRMAN. I will state for the benefit of the gentleman from Montana that it is very likely that in making up the report of this committee these maps will be shown-these maps showing the locations of the coal fields will be incorporated. Mr. SUTHERLAND. Mr. George, will you file this map? Mr. GEORGE. Yes. The CHAIRMAN. Indicate by counties, if you will, the location as you go along section of the State in which they are located. Mr. AUSTIN. Will you also please state the location of the anthrasite and the bituminous coal? Mr. GEORGE. Yes, sir; I will do so as I go along. The CHAIRMAN. Is that map issued by the Geological Department of the Federal Government? Mr. GEORGE. No, sir; this is a map prepared by the State geological survey of Colorado from a survey and worked out largely in connection with the Geological Survey of the Federal Government. The South Platte field extends from near the northern border of the State and down to a point a little beyond the middle of the State, and touches the counties of Weld, Larimer, Boulder, Jefferson, Gilpin, Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert, and El Paso Counties. It lies mainly between the meridians of 104 and 105, but it extends beyond 105 in Boulder County. Mr. AUSTIN. Give us the number of acres, if you have it. Mr. GEORGE. I can give it to you by reference to Mr. AUSTIN. That is known as the northern field? Mr. GEORGE. It includes the northern field. What is commonly known as the northern field is a part of this larger area the Denver, what is sometimes known as the Denver region-and has an area of 4,300 square miles-4,300 square miles. Mr. AUSTIN. And what is the estimated amount of coal? Mr. GEORGE. The estimated amount of coal by the United States Government is 13,590,000,000 tons. Mr. AUSTIN. How much of that land is owned by the Government and how much by the State? Mr. GEORGE. I can not give you the details as to that. Various sections of State lands occur all through this, and the State has sold some of these lands to private operators, but I can not give you the figures of the State lands there. Mr. SUTHERLAND. Nor the privately owned lands? Can you give that? Mr. GEORGE. I can not say. I can give you those data if you require them. Mr. SUTHERLAND. Can you tell us about the character of that coal-the variety? Mr. GEORGE. I will just run over them first; then we will give you a full descriptive statement-a full description with each State. The region here [indicating] at the top of the map indicates the type of the coal. These areas marked in this way [indicating], as well as the Raton field, are bituminous. This here [indicating] indicates bituminous coal which is of questionable depth-a depth possibly beyond the present reach of satisfactory mining; and the areaswill not touch that just now. Mr. AUSTIN. The question I asked as to this North Platte coal field was, What kind of coal? Mr. GEORGE. The field as a whole is subbituminous coal-that is, it is something a little inferior to the regular bituminous coal of Pennsylvania and West Virginia, but better than that which is commonly known as lignite. It is a class between the two. Mr. AUSTIN. Is that used for steam and domestic purposes? Mr. GEORGE. Yes; both for gas manufacturing and producing gas, etc., or the ordinary purposes of coal, but is not a coking coal. There is no coking coal in this area. The areas that are indicated in the west here [indicating] in the northern field are productive. This area here to the south [indicating] in the vicinity of Colorado Springs is also a productive area. The greater part of the field, however, is undeveloped. There are coal mines in Weld County, in the northern part here [indicating], where the development is inferior. There are coal mines in Weld County-in the northern part here-but the |