The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-12-17
STARVING MINERS.
Terrible Situation in Pennsylvania
fscranton. Pc, Letter NOV. 26th) New York
Herald


and beautiful city, just over there,
across the rayine-nay, SO close that
can see it's crumbling huts and rock
cries as | gaze from the windows OF my
hotels a strange and wild locality,
which. from its earliest existence, has
known no other name than Shanty Hill.
1t is here that the miner has his mlser-
able abode. here only that we can lind
him at home.
The hillside upon which stand the |
cabins is so precipitons that, as all the
seats Of theatre can be seen from the
stage, so can all the huts OF Shanty |
Hill be viewed from the opposite SIDE |
OF the gorge. This gorge is the divid- |
ing line of two classes Of society, which |
present the strangest and at the same
time most melancholy contrasts.
On the one side l see
wealth, luxury, comfort and ease,
on the other poverty, hunger, death
and despair. On the one side all the
blessings of Christianity and education,
on the other all the curses Of ignorance
and woe. On the one side capital, on
the other side labor not labor, noble.
enterprising, dignified; not labor that
delves down into the mines and with
it's tawny, muscular hands drags forth
the coal for million cracking tires
not labor tina. turns the iron hot and
bristling from the mills, to grid our
country with railways; but labor IN
anguish and in tears lator driven IN
despair from mill and mine; discharged,
jndofent and ridiculed, baffied
bounded and pursued until turned
from every other quarter 1t
groyels into the huts Of Shanty Hill,
where it riots, hungers and finally ex-
hires. Of late the readers of the Her.
nld have read of pillage, outrage, and
murder. They haye heard how men
have been waylayed, mutilated, cruci-
fed. Scarcely day has marked the
past few weeks but some blood-curdling
tale of horror has flashed over the wires
from this point that has startled every
brain and sent a pang of anguish to
every heart; nay, that has so aroused
their bitter Indignation that were they
to meet one of these dusky, dlrt-be-
grim ed dcnizens of the mines their
first impulse would be to shoot HIM IN
his tracks. But | ask these readers,
before they pass judgment upon these
miserable breaking men, to view the
terrible condition in which they are
compelled to live to appreciate. If they
can, the piercing agony of those who
idle upon the verge Of winter, and with
their wives and furnishing children
clutching at their knees, stand SILVER
inc without loaf. | would have them
listen to the cries that we'll up from
thousands of crushed or breaking
hearts, no. for comfort, not for ralment,
not for fire, but for bread. Few who
arc not compelled, ever visit Shanty
Hills.. 1t is right over there across the
frozen stream, but yet as little known
to these good Scranton folk as some IN
explored wild Of Africa.
VISIT TO sHAETY HILL.
In order to thoroughly farniliarizc
myself with the locality ! engaged a
miner for guide-one who lives IN the
neighborhood, and to whom many OF
its inhabitants are companions le
have gone there alone at night woulo
have been dangerous and foolhardy
for some have journeyed thither ane
never returned. Following the entire
length of the main avenue OF this city
and descending deep ravine file will
blast furnaces and rolling mills,
climbed the rugged sleeps OF the hill
side beyond, and in about one hou
after the time Of my departure foun'
myself in the heart of Shanty Hill.
was the eve Of Thanksgiving: the al
was cold and biting, but the skies wer
clear and bright. with their moon AM
stars. Upon looking around me dis
covered that was standing in broa
thoroughfare. running mountalnward'
rugged and filled with stones, upo
either side of which were crowded hui
dreds of. crumbling cabins. TO tn
right. to the left. above and below,
far as the eye could reach, saw noti
ing but huts, for the population I
Shanty Hill. all told, is 10000. In an
out Of these lowly places. and I'll
ting like shadows here and there, me-
women and children were moving, VIII
the neisnborhood resounded with man
unpleasant sounds. In some lnstanc
the people were decently clad, but Il
clothes upon most of them was slmp
wilderness Of tatters. The faces ia
lifted their eyes upon me as they pas
cd were dark and sullen, while Fl
bore traces Of distress and tears.
fiance caused many to pause and rega
me savagely, while few who hurrl
along with bowed heads and achi
hearts seemed utterly Inundated a
broken dswn. | saw nowhere arou
me. among the many thousand hon
that crowded the sleeps. single c
that was decent or respectable, or
in which could consider it possible
human being to live; yet around
and g,ovelling in these dreary. unhs
thv huts were 10000 souls. to VIII
comfort was as dear and life as preci
IS to myself.
IIFE IN RooKERr.
The first place to which my guide
rected me was cabin, literally fall
60 pieces. the entrance Of which
guarded by hungry, snarling q
The door was unbolted, and. with
knocking. we two passed In.
apartment was small and it was c
1t was lighted partly by . dim, fiut
ing lamp and partly by the mconsh
which glided in through the chinks
openings Of the thin and leaky J