The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-07-26
IN THE con REGIONS.
The HRirstnrved Miners and Unpaid Rail-
rond Men Threatening an Outbreak.

PoTTsvILLE, Pa, July pa serious time
is expected at almost an moment along the
line oithc Philadelphia and Reading Railroad.
Most OF the hands have not yet been paid their
wages for May. the company now having three
months wages in hand. and the excitement
among the men and the business men who de-
pend upon them is running extremely high.
The company is well informed of the feel
ing among the men. and no doubt. wish
ing - obviatc trouble. has issued posters
promising to pay on the Goth inst. but saying
nothing about how much of the wages will be
paid whether one or two months. In the mean
time the men have made "A demand upon the
company. through a committee. for full pay for
the two months in arrears including July. and
for prompt pay hereafter. not Inter than the
middle Of the month. The men assert that the
company cXHcts cash for everything from It's
customers and there can be no reason why they
month.
The samc demands were made several weeks
ago. with what success Is seen by the above
statement of affairs. 1t also shows how much
Mr.. Gowcn's ilnan 'ial success IN England WAS
worth. and fully establishes the correctness of
THE SUNS assertion. some weeks ago. that It
would have been better tor tho company 10 ac-
knowledge ts insolvency than TO continue
piling up upon its debts which were even tn N
greater than i could reasonably he expected to
carry for any length OF time unless a very ma
tcrml Improvement should take place in busi-
TIE cond ton OF affairs in this section ia COM
plicated The miners are being paid some
whit promptly every MONTH and the fat that
the rnliroaders have always been moro submis-
sve than the miners mny partly explain this
apparently ambiguous action OF the company.
Ii would be dangerous Tor both to strike at once
and II tho miners had been kept out of their pay
ms long ns the raj lroadsis have, they would have
struck long before this. Ii the rnilrondcrs
strike the miners will necessarily hc thrown
| out of work. Some Of the men strongly urge an
| immediate strike. while the strike on Ia" Penn
| ~ trttlN hta n A n
| favor The extreme poverty among the mnSs Of
the men. however. has induced them 10 act mora
| gunrdndy and to make their demands Ilrst
are respectful way. But they declare ositiNrly
that strike viii surely follow any further delay.
W of their duties and 10 the lenginrnlng Of
| their working hours, ns well ns To the heavy re-
! durtlon OF wages, hui they 4re d,trrmlncd t.
| have tn" sn all sums due paid TO them prompt
! ly. or strike. They are very guarded in giving
express on To their feelings, knowing that the
! paid spies of the company are ever moving
among them. not only To watch their actions,
| but also 10 pick up every expression Of discon-
tent. Now the question asked mere by outsiders
| il. " II the company is conscious of treating its
men ialrly. what 10 the necessity Of this espion-
| ag ~
very serious consequences, Ih" militia OF tho
coal regions cnnnut he relied upon in such a
case t. do effective service. Many ot tho
/ mllltihmen. who nre mostly workingn"n them
| selves. have left their companies. and ! have
known men of prominence-busincss men.-to
persuade others 10 leave also The reason they
give Tor this is thW row n inevitable sooner
or later, and that they cnnnot be persuaded 10
nrr upon starving men.
Poverty In IN 'rtilsing nlarmingly in the coal
regions. and ther" II stNrNato in many quar-
t'rs, while merchants are 40 NJ into bankrupt
cyund banks are suspenlns all around
To show the cause of the rNtrenr poverty
among the minors have gathered the follow
II tsen DAYS work last month Tho high,
| est pay WIS az, Hnd many oi "a" others RANGED
down - -, S,yeral mot a llle WAY to mimnnW
| an r paying for the powder nI, paper, sharp