New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-09-17
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
TIE COAIrMINE MASSACRE.

states (outside the coal REGION who had sufficient
mon 20 into the merits Of the Basis Question
encourages the writer ignorant miner address you
on tho subject OF the fearful calamity which happened
here last week. Much well-meaning consolation will be
showered down the afflicted widows and orphans and
also thousands of miners. who liable TO meet
with the fate day We shall be told TO submit
ourselves the DEGREES OF mercul Providence who
doeth all things wen but few will consider 1t their duty
TO mud out Who Is 10 blame -
There is report In Plymouth which, II true, viii con-
Wet the d. L. and W. r. r. Co. before God and man OF
granddaughter murder 1t is said that the proprie-
tors OF the Union Nine which next TO the Avondae Or
steuben as we call it, months had begged the d. L.
and W. 10 drive up 70 the line from the steuoen smart
and they would drive from their own SIDE and so
open a communication through the two mines but the
reply was We have good air In the Steuben ana We
will keep il you keep the Door air TO yourselves III
the Union" II this is true, which may be- the blood OF
those poor slaughtered and boys is crying aloud 70
God for vengeance.
There can be no of the truth of this report 1t
admitted indirect way by the assertion that had
there been communication between the Avendale ana
the Union mines the Ayondale would have been drowned
Ou-an assertion that every miner in Plymouth knows 10
be lie II cannot be disputed that the steuben or
Avondae might have had more water to pump ont; but
that they would have been drowned out salse Larger
pumps might have been required and more steam 10 run
them but who but Scranton editor would JUSTIFY the
daughter OF human beings on that accounts Inc
distance TO be driven in order to open communication
between the two lie said TO be from 20 TO 5Oyads
by those who well qualified to knowa distance tnst
could be driven In two weeks by working from each end
toward tie other.
or course 1t will be argued the Company never
could have foreseen anything OF this kind but, In
order TO hold them gultless, must be deaf
dumb aud blind, all theImning accidents that have
Happened countries for years past and that
King too much of Among al the $4,000 OF u.s. there Is
man or boy who does not know the deadly peril he
fnfn mini will = 4
..fsce II there IL boss In the State 80 brutaIy
Ignorant not TO know It, the quicker he Is discharged
the better for his employers Guarding against this
danger Of the principal objects We had In view
On forming union Of the six counties People will
reckon up the loss TO the Company in dollars and cents
who shall the unutterable agony OF those
poor men, condemned to such fearful DEATH or the
misery widows and orphans now left to curse tho
State which protects nothing but Capital
During residence of seven years in Luzerne County,
the writer has known inquest to be held on
miner killed by an accident, until the calamity of last
week In one shaft in Providence men were
killed in the course of few weeks by falling from an
upper vein under mistaken idea that they were step
ping to the carriage. lamp constantly burning In
the upper vein which would not have consumed quart
Of oil in the "a hours would have saved them all In
another shaft two miles away from there, about Is
men fell down st once, and were mashed into pOmace
By the breaking OF chain Fall. in the outskirts
Of Scranton mule devoured little boy-the same
mule having previously killed a man. Mule being Cap
ital which is sacred, allowed to live; man and boy
being created Gods image, which is OF no pecu
mary value were buried without inquest While in
almost every civilized country the lives of miners are
protected as possible by laws strictly enforced in
Pennsylvania whose prosperity is owing to the miner
alone he lie of less consequence than mule unless he
commits outrage, when there newspapers to de-
nounce him, and jas TO hold him. The fearful mining
accidents which happen in Great Britain longer
Iva CHI tn Coyer which cOnscientiOusly
does everything its power guard against them they
but too often caused by the careessness OF the min
ers But here, where of the largest mines are I'M
der the superintendent OF brokendown merchants or
IN fact by anybody but fit for the position, mines
are work. defiance Of the Jaws OF natures the only
object being 10 get out the largest amount of coal at the
least possible outlay The bitter mockery OF the thing
this that gas redamp) there is some at
tempt ventilation, because property is IN danger
from explosionsi but where there ia gas and nothing
endangered but the lives Of the from working
IN bad air. there is scarcely any ventilation. Should
complain TO boss Of bad air (which could often be
remedled by the outlay Of few dollars he will be told
this free country he is not obliged to work in the
place he mt like 1t If he won't work it, plenty VIII
be glad to-"
II in NewYOrk or Philadelphia there could be found
gentleman of much public spirit the in London
who passed night In the casual ward and he would
come among us and look at things with his own eyes In
stead Of through pair of spectacles he would
ing like brues, solving the lprobem OF how little air is
possible TO live and III. would hear OF these
being cat of every day by falls Of rock COAL by
falling down shafts by explosions and by being over
by csrs and his asonshment would great at seeing
crushed and mutlated bodies brought ont Of the
mines and buried without Inquest being held on them
somebody is generally blame and 1t might be
CAPITAL Pursuing his inquiries still further he would
find that the poverty OF the miners compes them to send
their little boys work they able to walk,
either IN the breaker the mines He would find
that all the counties there company stores
Of which the miners compelled to take provisions
and clothing at the boss price, they be shaved by
company barber buried In company coffin they can
supplied with anything and everything but the money
they have worked for. He would hear much wherever
he OF the ignorance and vice OF the mining popula
ton but he would look in vain for the individual who
has taken the first step spoken the first word to dss
pate the cloud OF under which buried
Ii may be said that such state of things exist
where there a free press. Admitted but we have
free press the Anthracite coal region while In England
anewspaper may be compared 10 ring in which two
say Labor and Capita fight out and have fair
play. Here solitary line written in defense Of
the miners views will be printed because Capital might
be offended and withdraw its patronage Wehave, thank
God established paper OF our own In Tanaqua,
Schuyki County, which win inaugurate better state
Of things but want the outside public to understand
ms aud grievances. The writer has been dssauded
from sending this you any untruth
In it, but because my brother tell there Is too
much truth IT to suit the public taste but the most
Improbable abatement here be proved oath IL
cessary they are all we'll known admit Of doubt
Had the public throughout the country understood what
we have struggling for during the past four months
they would have wished Goe.speed Noman With any
moral principle charge the miners with extortion
when he understands that all ask for cutting tun OF
coal Is about the dollar which, supposng coal
the 6orpa panfa IN he