The New York herald., 1876-12-26
POVERTY IN THE COAL FIELDS.

A cHEElLEss CHRISTMAS EVE FOR THE POOR
HOLLOW MocKERY OF THEIR MISERY.
SCRANTON, Pa, Dec. %, 1876
when the very air should be meodious with tho
nosannas of happy Christian people 1t is a sad
thing to see want and sorrow widespread and so
wou as they are the coal fields OF Pennsylvania
day on the eve OF Christmas In the miserable huts
along the mountain sides and valleys OF the great
hracite be destituton and despair, the twin tcrrors
OF a poverty stricken people, skuk grim and ghastly
proportions. while the signs and sounds OF ies.ivity
that fall from favored places come like a hollow
mockcry 10 Intensity the miserics OF the detected
poor.
The snow lies ueep and is falling fast The atmos-
phere cold and piercing and to add 10 tho panrs OF
hunger those who in want wreichedly clad IN
such an Indictment season this In the suburus Of
Scranton the Rembrandt effect OF the gloomy picture
is shown TO all its sad advantage There is wea tn
within the city, but IS crccd by sorrow SO intense
as TO melt the hardest heart in pity.
Hundreds. nay thousands OF instances OF wrctchcd
people might be enumerated were there space and
time for such task. 1 cannot however refrain from
citing the case OF poor mother, who, with her family
SIX small children has been struggling in wrctchcd
in place called Mud row. among others equally
poor.
The other day the poor mother, maddcned by the
hunger OF herself and little ones, went out with the
determnat,on Of procuring something 10 eat for them.
She into the store OF the Lackawauna Iron and
Coal Company for which her husband worked in tho
iron works more prosperous tines but now the in
dustries idle and her husband being away-God
knows where, looking In vain tor something 10 do
the poor woman's sorrowful condition scarcely
noticed
An opportunity at length presented itself to her, and
sezng she snatched up piece OF dress goods, and
concealng under her ragged shawl escaped, intend
ing sell for food Tor herself and children he goods
were missed Immediately alter she lett, and consta-
BILE sent after her with search warrant As soon
the officer went her house the woman surrendered
the stolen article and confessed that II the first
time in her LIE that she had been tempted TO steal
She was taken before an Alderman, but owing TO
her sad condition Mr. Henry kingsbury, the
cute. In the same OF houses In which this woman
wretohed apology Tor bed. HIS case was re-
ported 10 the Guardians OF the Poor, but
NOT enough, MS he cannot possibly recover.
The poor Is about seventy years of age To shew
that the misery not entirely confined TO scranton
let mo quote from La-erae Jaion OF this week. a
reliable paper published at Wilkesbsrre, the county
seat some twenty mnes distant IL says:-'Withn
sight OF nur oMu cy Court House and church steopcs
aud within the sound OF the bells within them which
cali our people prayers and to justice hundreds OF
me n women and children are thus early IN the long
and pinching destitute ot the comforts of life
Without employment without means, without credit
they confronted by the hungry wolf at their doors
The article proceeds to show startling state OF affairs
ana gives a vlvia portion OF the thrilling picture which
preyalls all TIE coal fields, making this gloomy
Christmas indeed.