The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-03-15
BREAD OR BLOOD"

TERRIBLE DEsTIrUrroN IN sCRANToN-DENoN-
STATIONS OF THE STARVING MECHANICS
VIEWS OF PROMINENT MEN ON THE sIrUA-
TIoN-ExcITINo SCENES IN COUNCIL.
SCRANTON. Pa, March II, 1877.
The eruption OF a volcano the Moosic Mountains.
within sight OF this city could have caused greater
excitement or given rise to more CONSIDERATION
among some OF the leading business men CT Scranton
than did the sudden outburst Of the cry the starving
mechanics for bread for themselves and their families
The demonstration OF last evening" the City Coun-
eli taken by surprise and special appropria-
ton Of $50 900 demanded by q determined band
OF hungry to meet their wants, has stirred
all classes Of the community to OF tho situation
and to-day tho matter forms the principal
topic OF discussion everywhere A good many
are OF the opinion that unless something Is done
ut once to alleviate tho distress shall have riot and
bloodshcd in the open streets and general raid upon
the stores One speaker. IN addressing the Council
night said, ave must have bread or blood !" and
500 men appauded him by shouting "rhat's the talk;
and wen have it," The members Of the Council were
fairly terrified and in regular state OF trepida0n
to-day, as they accused by the workingmen with
being datory In the matter Of passing ordinances for
building sewers. and thus neeecng to hnd work for
suffering They claim that their hands tied by
taken without first making surveys and estimates Of
the cost This is necessarily slow and makes tho
workmen impatient They chaie under the delay, and,
like Jeery with the North Pole, they mutter mpreca.
against the constitution II IL Is the Of
making men starve.
AN INTERVIEW WITH MAYOR.
Your correspondent called on Mayor McKunc to-day
for tho purpose OF asceraining his opinion upon tho
situation. He says thore can be no doubt that among
tho mechanics there is much suffering and restitution
They only hungry but also IN rags, and, beng
generally of proud-splrcd class, they have shrunk
IRON the public gaze and hidden their hunger long
possible The Mayor says the great body Of tho
arc reasonable persons, and he does not
anticipate any riotng. He recommends that the cti
zens call public meeting and appoint rolief commit
toes say for each OF the twenty wards, to admns
the immediate need OF those who in distress
II is not within the power OF The Council he says, to
make any appropriation at once from the municipal
treasury to relieve the poor. He said that he
prophesied the present state Of affairs in message to
the Council four months ago, when he recommended
the passage OF ordinances Tor public improvements
building sewers and macadamizng streets, In
order to provide men with work. This has been neg
leclod, and tho working men In their desperation
mag lie that tho Council has been purposey slow.
MERCHANTS OPINION.
prominent merchant whom called on to-day, and
who requested that his should not be gwen, said
the time had come to do something Tor tho starving
mechanics They IN absolute want and he feared
there would be trouble unless they were relieved forth
with. The principal business Of the town and The
great coal corporations whose works are here ought
he SAID to act at once II they would prevent riot
Most of The would gladly cooperate in any
scheme having Tor lis object tho amelioraton OF tho
present Suffering, which, he added. IL deep and wide
spread.
Your correspondent called on A. f. Kline, the presi.
dent OF the workipgmens meeting, this morning and
competent mechanics and their children are actually
starving His family were IN tho most abject cir
cumstances and had been for some time past living on
bread and water Some men were reduced to oat meal
ana glad to get that once DAY, whilc others went
whole days without food He feared that the most
desperate OF the men would do mischief unless their
present wants were supplied from some source. They
iet inclined 10 be orderly and peaceable. but hunger
had got the upper hand and was fierce IN its demands
Mr. Knne thought the citizens ut largo ought to start
some organized means OF relief
A CITY COMMISSIONER ON THE SITUATION.
Mr.. U. q. Scnoon maker, one of the City Commits
sioners upon wnom called THIS afternoon, expressed
himself in favor OF finding the some work, and
said he would help to pay them out OF his own pocket
If the city could do 1t. Ho said the men were in
absolute need Of bread, and he would do all in his
power 10 obtain work and relief Tor them at once.
CITY SOLICITOR SAYS.
Mr.. j. H. Burns, tho City Solicitor, says that the
councils pass an ordinance Tor building tho pro-
posed within week at iurhes, under the great
pressure brought to bear by the workingmen's
demonstration He admits that largo number Of the
workngmen IN want and thinks some plan for
administering immediate relief should 10 organized at
once Your correspondent thinks the Mayor. VINO
processes the fullest sympathy with tho sufferers,
ought take the initiative IN this matter call public
meeting OF the citizens and set on foot some syste'
matte scheme for wardng of the distress. The ma
jority of the suffering poor mechanics and labor
ers who discharged from the car shops Of the Del
aware Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company
last summer, aud who been OF employment
ever since. They made up Tor the most part Of an
intelligent class Of men aud hitherto have been him
dered by their personal PRIDE from making their MIS-
cry pubic They are not only reduced 10 munger but
also rags and their condition Is wreched Ia the ex
IRENE.
OF rHE COUNCILS
held this afternoon was attended by large number Of
work ingmen. The Council Chamber and It's APP
Ing were crowded aud tue utmost Interest was
by before quorum Of The Select Council made an ap
pearance, and the general Impression was that tho
members afraiu TO encounter REPETITION OF tho
scene OF the evening previous Az hali-past TWO
o'clock, \ majority OF the members being present,
Commissioner Bushnell was chosen President IN The
absence of the Hon. George Sundcrson, and an Ord
providing tor the adoption OF new city charter
passed It's second reading IN the Select Council The
proceedings frequently Interrupted by the indg
nant CIT zens present. and during iuli in the storm
the following resolution was unanimously passed.
aesoivod by the select Council. that in view of tho
earnestly urge upon Directors tue advsab lily OF
IS the law viii allow the city authorities employ
city improvements
also earnestly the citizens Of our city to take
GLADLY work but who have no employment
The Council then adjourned, amid great confusion,
and meeting OF the Common Council was aIterward
held The proceedings OF tho Select branch was APP
proved, after which MIR. Lee, mmOn Councilman,
introduced ordinance appropriatlng $4,000 tor tho
relief OF the poor THIS met with great opposition,
anu lnaily referred to "A committee.
A worknginan obtained permission 10 address the
meeting and sad IL they did not DO anything Tor the
moor they would take the matter In their own hands
There were fine stores along Lackawanna avenue and
they would help themselves. loud cheers) Az thu
stage there was great commoton, aud Mayor Mckune
rusnng forward called the speaker TO order and said
as CHEF executive officer OF the city he could not per-
NIT such threats. Fearful uproar and cries oil "We
VIII have bread or blood! ') The meeting broke up Ia
wild disorder.
RELIEF COMMITTEE
The following relief committee has boon appointed
by the workin2men, and the list has been handed ~
me with request that DO published In the HkRALD:-
H. c. Dimmlck, George Alicn Duncan wright John
Lee, Michael Holland, George Miller, Thomas McCor-
mick, A. Dolan aud Thomas Gilroy
THE MEETING LAST NIGHT.
SCRANTON, March IA, 1877.
Despite tho snow storm the meeting OF unemployed