, 1874-06-22
The Miners Deny Any Riot
ing or Intimidation. -
They Simply Decline to Work for " STAR
walton Wages"
Whi1o the Companies Say They Cannot
Afford to Pay More.
State Of Public Sentiment.

fFoHe UuY ITCH toF[sdHohH:"t%
DnA1DwooD, ILL.,, Juno 81.
The trouble between the mining companies |
and the miners at tho Brnidwood, ILL.,. mining !
11odB, has attracted considerable public attention
during the past fortnight.
a MINING TOWN.
Braidwood is situatod on tic lsno of tho
Chicsgo !; Alton Railroad, four milcs south Of
Wilmington, and twenty miles south Of Joliet.
Tho settlement, although hardly moro thnn a
dozen years old. is qnito populous and decidedly
thriving. Tho town boastp of 5000 inhabitants,
mostly minors and their families, md IL,
in sono respects, superior IN appearance
and livolinoss to many places OF tho same
sixo In this State. Draldwood lioa upon
vhst prairie, and is scattered over large
area but the main Atreot prosents solid
aspect, and SLOWS TINT the people have como
thoro to stay. Tho vegetation Of the district, MS
Is the case in all mining localities ls Bickly and
the soil yory poor.
THE COAL DEDs
aro Of grent extent, and show no eisn Of OK
naustIon, although thcy hayo bosn worked with
moro or less assduity during tho Inst ton years.
The companies operating at Draldwood are
known as the Chicago, Wilmington l. Vermillion,
tho Wilmington Star, and the Wilmington Coal
Mining and Manufacturing, or Diamond Com
| pany, Tho three mines, when In full working
ordor, employ about 1000 minors, made up
mostly from tho nativoa Of Europe, tho American
elomont being In smnll minority.
| THE PRINCIPAL NAT1oNALrrtEs
represented arc tho Scotch, Engligh, Irish.
Welsh, french. Belgian, and Bohemian. Thoro
ore a few Germaus, principally from Bavaria
and Badon, and a worry small clement lay claim
to Russia and poland. Tho Town Of Brailwood
is therefore, nearly akin to BRbol Of old, as ro-
CARDS tho confusion Of tongues. but thcro is d
remarkable unanimity OF sentiment among the
minera, who regard themselves rs moanbors Of a
rudo Republic, aud are disposed to foster tho In
ternational aentinont to tho extent Of toloratinG
each othor and esohewing political prejudioes
for tho common good. Most Of these mon have
succeeded IN saving enough from thoir hard
earnings to buy
THEIR LITTLE uoMEsrHAnB,
which arc, as rule plent'fuliy tenanted by tht
children Of tue eubterranean toilora. Many OF tht
houses arc quito comfortable, and aspire to pro
portions beyond tho mere ehantes, uhile othor1
arc rough, unknown tenements, bearlng striking
resemblance to Lighthouses in tho baokwoods
Tho average miner keops very fair table,-no
many Injuries. but plenty Of wholesome, aoll'
= barbarc Indifference. LIE has no uso for fin
: clothes, and la satislod, after his hard work
], over to put on frosh, dry, coarse underoloshin
and tue common 6uo blouse; when IL ne mt ta'G, 81
miners, although for tho most part unedncatot
ore not neglsotful Of the coming genozation c
the growing ono. There arc alroedy
FOUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
In Draidwood, all Of which tare well attende
and sustained. There tho offspring {
J tho miner is taught to aspire TO- aome
thing more pleasant and profitable thu
ae n tho e19s %gsoa of il na of Safa 1o5
hardly relieved by tho Bmoly lamp. which. in
il decd, only makes that darkness moro viaibl
~ and working up to tho lnoeo IN tho water Of =
q roadways, which tho pumping system III unab
9 entirely 10 conquer,
!" omergiug from his burrow to have his "picl
20 pointoti Ut tho blaokamlth'a shop,-,ono OF VIII
T. Is attached to oyory mine-ls Pltlaple OPS
,a aro saturated with sweat; Lis hoots are oovor
~ thick with glutinous sQooleB Of mn
y" hiA panta arc wet up to mid.tha
and bis features nro 30 blackened with coal as
- rolatiyeh. Added to thlB, lo runs the momonta
- risk Of being oruBhol to death by tho caying
Of tho mlne-roof, BY tho falling ct q rook, Or
=. the giving waY OF tho propplng t!mbeT5. All
II explosion, or souao accident to tho shaft
y ukoly to imprson him in living tomb: auc1
q the ohoerlcaa, woariHome, portlouB life Of
- men who supply tho country With that mater
space and timo, aud Which Is tho bread OF ltfe
II, lie eno1gios of this and a other civilized natio
up. Uut Drailwood is not ent}roly gwen up to
miners and their families Tho town proper
TIE nusHEsH ronV1oN-
}: Ia garriBoned by d Hmall army OF shop and
. loon-koopera, grocarH, tRllors, shoomake1s, .
others, who may ba called the camp-followors
~" labor. Btll, it ia asserted by frlonan and +
between tue miners and tho traders, altho,
/, =, thn latter manage to tax their customers pro
|tes heavily, aud, as for drinking, although the
looms are By no meapH loft unemployed, Dra