The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1871-05-11
oUR SCRANTON LETTER.
SCRANTON, May Sth, Is


FRIEND ScHocH The subjects, "Suspen-
sion," and Resumption" have been handled
so much for the past FIVE months, by both
pen and speech, that they are really becoming
disgusting. But the end is not yet, and, as
long as the trouble exist, it will probably be
of interest to your many readers to be kept
thoroughly posted in the progress of affairs in
the anthricite coal regions.
For the past two weeks the miners laborers,
who are employed by the miners at loading the
coal in the cars after it has been blasted loose
by the miner, and for which they receive one
third of the profits, thinking they arejustly en-
titled to as much pay as the miner, have been
holding series of meetings with a view TO
securing their rights. When the fact is con-
sidered that the laborer requires from nine to
eleven hours to perform his days work, while
the miner requires but from four to five hours,
it certainly does seem as though the former
should receive fully as much, if not more, than
the latter, according to the labor he performs
These laborers are also very anxious to re-
sumo work at once, but are debarred from SO
doing, by the refusal Of the miners to resume
except they get the basis for which they sus-
pended. The former, however, in justice to
their famishing wives and children, seem de-
termined to commence operations at all haz-
ards, and to this end have proposed to the
companies to open their collieries immediate
ly, without any stipulation as to wages, they
signifying their willingness to trust to the COM
punies honor in being fairly and honestly
dealt with; the experienced among them to
have charge of the chambers. This sudden
and very defiant change in the aspect of affairs
has caused no small amount of ill-feeling
among those who are determined that work
shall not be resumed, and, as a consequence,
tinually made against these honest men. And
thus the situation stands in that quarter.
On Saturday last, the Grand Mogul of the
w. B. A, President Kealy, arrived in this
city, and is guest at the Wyoming House.
Immediately upon his arrival, the exciteme mt
among the miners grew intense, which finally
terminated in what was termed by them a
grand demonstration" on Monday. A pro-
cession, headed by bands of music, and num-
bering about $780, a large number of whom
were Juveniles, employed as 'slate-pickers"
and ''mule-drivers" about the mines, and bear
ing banners in profuson, marched through
ont principal thoroughfares. On this occasion
they made themselves utterly obnoxious to all
well-thinking people, by hooting, and groan-
ing as they passed any public place of business
who had not coincided with them in their views
thereby expressing their ignorant and arro-
CANT natures to the fullest extent The pro-
cession finally marched to Hyde Park where a
general meeting was held, President Kealy
addressing them on the occasion. In the
course of his remarks he informed the miners
that general resumption throughout the en-.
tire Schuylkill region would take place within
a few DAYS, and they would then be supplied
with wu.k and means on which to subsst, un-
til such time as the three large companies in
this region were forced to succumb to their de-
mands: Thus it would seem that the day OF
resumption is as far distant as ever, both par
ties appearing determined not to yield
p. S.-Another disgraceful riot occurred
near Scranton on Tuesday, w. B. A. miners
who continue on the strike assaulting the
laborers who had resolved to take their vacant
places in the mines.
CRITIC