The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-11-10

gle. They return to their work for the
same rate of wages they were receiving
before the strike, and in addition to this
they are three months pay out of pock-
ct, besides having suffered many keen
privations during the era of idleness just
ended. But they have learned the lesson
of endurance, and reduced their mode of
living to the most rigid principles of
economy. Extravaganza and intemper-
ance are evils now unknown among their
ranks, and a higher standard of self-re-
spect than any which obtained for many
years past prevails in their midst. 1t is
but fair to assume that the lessons of the
strike have not been wholly thrown away.
Considering their impoverished condi-
ton when the strike began it is really
marvellous to see what privations they
have endured during such long and ex-
citing conflict. The day the strike wss
first declared there were hundreds in
their ranks, many of them men of large
families, who did not have the means of
procuring weeks provisions. As an
intelligent miner remarked to me this
morning, they were in a worse condition
at the beginning of the struggle just
ended than at the close of the long strike
of 1871, and yet, owing to the thorough
harmony of action and the cooperation
by which the work of caring for the poor
was characterized, the contest just closed
was far better managed and contained
more of the elements of success. But
they had depressed market to contend
with, and they came out at time when
every industry in the land was languish-
ing under financial depression and the
demorallzing effect of the great railroad
strike.
A few strong minds in their midst to
point out the fallacy of keeping up a
strike that was not of their seeking
would have rescued them from the shall
lows in which they have been founder
ing hopelessly ever since, and from the
humiliating defeat they have just sus-
tanned. The relief stores, although fat
and tlourishing in Hyde Park, the head
quarters of the Delaware, Lackawanna
& Western mines, have long since
grown lean in other quarters, and the
work of soliciting for them among mer-
chants and others became barren and
thankless task. At Olyphant, where
some of the Delaware 81 Hudson mines
are located, this genteel system of beg
ging tizzled out several days ago. The
merchants of the place, who were among
the first and most liberal contributors,
declined to give any more, for the rea-
son that many of their number could not
afford it. If the strike had continued
much longer relief store to support
the merchants, not only of that, but of
the surrounding settlements, would have
been in order. Indeed, it is feared even
now that much suffering will ensue, as it
will be fully two months before the mi
ners receive any pay. But this is fu-
ture pain forgotten.
The Lackawanna region, the theater of
the struggle just ended, comprises that
portion of the valley lying between Car
bondale and Pittston, with Scranton in
the center. The main works of the Del,
aware & Hudson Company are located
at Carbondale, those of the Delaware
Lackawanna & Western Company at
Scranton, and those of the Pennsylvania
Coal Company at Pittston, although each
of the companies named have large coal
interests elsewhere in the region. The
pay of the three companies to those act
lively engaged in mining here averages a
million dollars month, so that during
the three months the men have been idle
this community has lost in wages alone
100000 Then there are the extern
sive iron and steel works of the Lacka-
wanna Iron & Coal Company, which have
also been idle, and give employment to a
large force of men in their various de-
partments. have been informed that
this company has orders sufficient to keep
its establishment in full operation for
several months. Superintendent Scran-
ton is actively engaged in placing the
blast furnaces and steel mill in running
order at once. ..E.
The Pennsylvania Coal Company is
working on full time anG the Lehigh Val
ley Railroad Company has resumed at
its West Pittston mines. In view of all
these facts the trade of soldier-who,
by the way, is quite numerous in our
midst-is on the wane, and it will be
safe to turn the sword into plowshare
or pick-ax so far as Scranton is con-
cerned Scranton (Pa.l Cor. PhjIadeI-
phia Times.