Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-09-24
Our Pennsylvania Letter.

Our Pennsylvania Letter.
l notice that "Vox Populi' in the FAR
MER Of September 10, discusses military
Power" taking for text an editorial arti-
Gle Of the FARMERS published before the
6nal severance Of my connection with its
editorial columns, but as he takes the very
ground should don't see as | can get into
dispute with him, "pugnaciOus" as am in
DR. Hoskins' estimation. But, will say
that the classification of Britain as a third
class power, with Prussia, Austria, Russia
and France in the FIRST class and Italy ahead
Of Britain in the second, was made by Que Of
the highest military authorities in England,
a late officer in the British army, and from
the data he gave in an address from which |
get my figures, l am satisfied be is right.
But, as the FARMER remarked in another
article, a nation is better of without large
army than with in time Of peace, and at
home, why, "every Yankee knows he can
whip dozeo Of any other nationality with
out any training"
see you read our Mauch Chunk papers,
and can fully agree with you that the fact
revealed by the paragraph you quote from
the Democrat is humiliating. Beer and all
other liquors are freely dispensed all over
the state, under stringent license law
and the people wonder why il is that one
murder follows upon the heels Of another
SO fast that the newspapers have no trouble
in finding fresh tragedy to furnish interest
for each issue.
As people in one section Of country are
generally interested in the ways and habits
Of another, propose to close this letter with
description of mining village.
Lansford is in the northern part Of this
county, about ten miles from here 1t is in
valley, and all around it are the Mines
small black tunnels entering the mountain
about dozen Of them, within perhaps a
mile and a half Of the village, up the val
ley at intervals. Odd enough it looks, to
see these small black holes in the mountain
side, just large enough to admit the traini
Of cars drawn by mules, which are constantly
passing in and out. These cars are regular
coal cars used on the railroad, which hole
from Eve To six tons each. The Ashton
mines--I might say Ashton in toto -
belongs to the Lehigh and Wilkcsbarre Goa
company, which virtually means that they
belong to the New Jersey Genital railroad
Outside these tunnels, called Slopes, anc
designated as slope one, slope two, and 81
on, are the breakers, where the coal is broken
up. These are far enough down the noun
tain side from the tunnel 80 that, though they
are built up from thirty to City feet high
| should judge, the cars come down gentI
slope from the tunnel to the breaker
Around the breaker Ia . small sized noun
tain foot 50 very small either) Of coal dus
and refuse as high as the breaker, an
with spurs running out in all direction
where tracks have been laid to run out tn
car loads of waste upon. OF course with 8
much waste there is some good coal throw
away, and all about one will 500 women an
children with tin pals and pans picking u
coal. Where their houses are near enoug
they carry the coal home, but in good man
places noticed that they were piling Il a
to be hauled home with teams or taken HON
in a wheelbarrOw by papa" when the day
work is done.
There are some quite comfortable lookin
houses, but most of the habitatlOns are sinai
rickety novels such as an average Vernon
farmers hog would turn up his nose at !
disdain. am speaking now Of the dwell
ings close among the ''slOpes." Outside eac
house is the oven, huge, stone affair. wher
| suppose the coal FIRE seldom goes gu
Coal being so easily had "a basket Of col
costing about as much as a basket Of chiE
: at hOme) they can afford to burn as much
they please, and judging from the looks
the houses think they find Ooal cheap
: than boards, shingles aud plaster, in the wi
5 ter.
: understand these miners make on an
T erage sixty dollars a months or upward
r and, living as they do, should think the
: must lay up money, but they assure me Oh
J, they find it all they can do to snake Sri
I and buckle meet" What becomes Of Il
7, money don't see. l didn't ask what re
It they paid (all thoss houses and shAnties b
long to the company, pretty much), bat
:. cannot be very high, and SO far as l COu
o observe they could not pay much for olOt
Il ing, so venture 10 guess that there is SOT
Q connection between the "stri1gsDt lioan
e law and the inability Of the minerS 10 ke
II their families in potatoes and salt on SIX