The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-20
Condition Of the Unemployed Miners
in Pennsylvania.
THE MOLLY MAGUIRES AGAIN
Four Thousand Men in PitSt0n Seem
Ready 10 Strike.
MONEY FOR MAICONTENTS.
Poor People in Luzerne County
Fed by the Farmers.

EeQ Dy the dIIuoIS.
IN THE SCHUYLKILL VALLEY.
yMpLoYEs OF THE PHILADELPHIA AND READ
ING RAILROAD AvERsE TO STRIKE.
INK TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.
READING, Pa, August 49, 1877.
As general thing the locomotive engineers and
bremen who left the employ oil the Philadelphia and
Reading Railroad Company rdicue tho idea Of gen.
era strike any strike whatever on any line OF rail-
way at the present time, and their to DO
of the very best They say that tho Locomotive
Brotherhood has squarey deserted them. II Will be
remembered that four months ago tho Phil
,dephia and Reading Company issued a notice
to all Its engineers that they should either
rclinquish their connection with the Brotherhood
pr quit work. The Reading company anticipated a
strike among their employees and they determined to
iorcc the ISSUE agreeing to provide insurance fund
TO take the place Of the existence with the
brotherhood. The engineers, after some considera-
ton and alter being promised their monthly wages
from tho Brotherhoods grand treasury, determined
quit work and stick to the Brotherhood. Tho engi.
also induced the remen to quit the service of
tho company, ami to do this they guaranteed them
$50 per month The Reading company experienced
considerable difficulty at first, but 1t not long be
fore all their trains were running regularly with
complete set oil men from top to bottom.
REGRETS THE
-Four months have since elapsed aud there are NUT
tcrings loud and Deep From what your correspondent
can learn nearly every rairoads is disguised with the
situation, and they thoroughly sorry Tor what they
call the very FOOLISH step taken They have lost their
Jobs and instead OF receiving $50 per month, they
were promised, they have been paid on an average
Gbout $40 Tor the entire four months OF idlencss
This figure represents what tho hremen received and
the old engineers say they have not received that
much Tho hremen are given most Of
strong effort has been made TO keep
the true condition Of the under the surface, but
want and destuuiion Is forcing them to make these
things known Three engineers yesterday applied TO
the Mayor oftho city for aid and number have been
that the money Is not DIVIDED is because
the Grand Treasurer in the West has not forwarded It,
and that they are unable 10 forward because the on.
sineers in various sections have been able pay
her heir assessments The engineers IN the scnuykill
SAY that tine ' to in int the
hood aud that they withholding their
wages in order 10 proven; engineers from paying their
assessments promptly, thus preventing the Brother
hood from supporting the engineers who are now out
on Srike The engineers now out Of employment
here are nearly all Of The opinion that engineers and
iremen on other roads Know what Is best for them
They will keep their jobs rather than stand by and
schuylkil Valley and coal regions are hundreds of
men out OF employment who were Induced TO give up
their employment by alleged false promises, aud who
arc suffering the pangs OF want and desttutton
It's not probable that the Reading Company will re-
employ single one OF them.
THE PENNSYLVANIA COAL COMPANY.
SUPERINTENDENT RRYDEN's RusE TO ADJUST
THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE EMPLOYEES
AND THE coMPANY-THE FORMER pIssAT1s-
FIED-THE PETITION NOT SIGNED.
BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
PIrrsToN, August 10, 1871
-Four thousand miuers anu employees of the Penn.
sylvania Coal Company arc now main tanning posi-
ton not inconsistent with the first steps toward pro-
road operated on the gravity system, has large
shops and work some twenty coleries Just two
weeks ago the men were invountarily compelled 10
suspend work by the act of inccndiarism that de-
stroyed OF the compapy's engine houses. During
these weeks of forced ideness several of the small
companies here made an advance OF ten per cent on
wages. anu, with the single exception OF the Butler
Coery, are pushing the business. On Friday notices
were given the bosses to call a meeting O. their men
at Their respective companies for the purpose OF re-
ceiving communication from the company. Thirteen
meetings held and the following petition read
We the undersigned, miners and laborers aud other
employees of tho Pennsylvania Coal Company, do
hereby agree to resume work immediately upon the
same rate OF compensation as was paid for the month
OF july 1877, leaving 1t TO our company make an
advance IN prico should they in their judgment deem
expodcnt so 10 do.
EFFECT OF THE
This move OF the company was an unusual course
and surprise to the men, II gave rise to n suspicion
That trap had been set by adroit officers for the
10 walk into. Everywhere the employed 10 OBJ
tain the sentiment of the men upon resumption was
most vigorously denounced and the result there
are no more than one hundred and ty signatures the
petition, while IT vas almost unanimously asserted that
had the men been ordered into In the usual
manner there would have been no dissensions An
Did miner, who has worked for the company for
twenty years, and who, like many of the compan,'s
has ,,i.t
established himself in good society told the HERALD
reporter tLat the petition an insult TO the men.
The latter had not left work OF their voltiou but
this means OF getting them back the mines with
their honor pledged not TO demand an advance any
time to come was trick altogether too transparent.
EXPLANATION.
At the No. 10 shaft the gathering tho largest and
the discussion animated The men recognized Super
Intendent Dryden in the assembly, and be called
upon TO give Interpretation OF this remarkable
document Stepping TO the front he said:-
GESTLEMEy-Iu coming before you to-day cannot
say that am dsin teresed spectator, a. certainly
ieel to you retain the good position
which you now occupy with the company. You have
taken no part with Others IN asking Tor an advance in
wages. and have therefore not put yourselves IN
"a, n position 10 pe refused Us others nave
Keep yourselves IN that position, as am
satisfied that any demand made AT the present time
would be met by refusal Then you would put your.
sc.ves IN such position that you would either have
10 back down from The demand made or go upon "A
strike as the others havo. done. This would Ike to
savc you IRON II possible by asking you tho
matter OF advance AT The present time TO the company
AS stated III The heading VI the Peuon now presented
Tor your signatures The company well pleased ut
the sensible course you have pursued thus far and
am satisfied that II you leave the matter IN their
hands they will do you justice. IL is not tue first
time you have trusted 10 them, and believe you have
never found them anything out lar and honorable
with you all your dealings with them If you start
upon the terms proposed you, ~ well The company
will have great dca of opposition, but II "a
~ IN lnrk mn tur1lpl fgita
have done before and out better In the end than
those who have taken the other course. am well
aware OF the embarrassing circumstances under which
you are placed al the present time account OF the
temporary advance gwen by the small companies
The agreement, as ] understand II, Is to last until
you resume work again. Alter that they are
TO be guided by the prices paid by tho
Pcnnsy lvania Coal Company. IL you 70 10
work the terms ior;h the petition you will
don liz. LIZ. IL