The New York herald., 1877-03-16
STARVING MINERS.
Dislressts Of the Unemployed Workmen in The
Pennsylvania COlieries.
r. E L I + F OR RIOT
Popular Sympathy for the Hungry Me.
chanics and Miners.
SMALL WAGES AND SHORT WORK.
[BY TELKoRAPH TO THE HERALD

[BY TELKGRAPH TO THE HERALD
SCRANTON. Pa, March Is, 1877
Tho committee appointed at the mass meeting OF the
unemployed mechanics and !aborcrs for the purpose
obtaining relief for the starving poor waited on tho
Mayor this morning 10 ask his cooperation. They
told most pathetic story OF their struggles. and
OF thcm big, strong man. with aded look and tat
tered clothes, said his family had had nothing but
bread and for tho last four weeks. ''Now." ho
added. "the -four has given out and have only the
watcr aud God only knows where We will get the next
crust" The remainder of tho committee detailed
their distressing condition, and brought tears to the
eyes OF every ono who heard their story. II
there Is anything than another that COOS
straight to the strongest heart Is to hear that llte
children and their mothers starving, and this was
the burden of the narrowing tale told by tho working
mems committee this morning. Tho Mayor pledged
himself 10 his bcst Efforts In their behalf and as.
sured them that the sympahes OF the business men OF
the city with them and assistance would be
granted without delay.
RELI.P COMMITTEES TO yoRxEn
A meeting Of the business VIII bc held at tho
Council Chamber tomorrow evening to form relief
committees and take such other action MS may DO
necessary to give immediate assistance TO the suffering
poor
RELIEP OR RIOT.
Mr.. Kline, chairman OF the workingmen's meeting
assured mo to-day that the men wero growing IN, pa-
tent, and that nothing but prompt rclet would ro.
strain thom from riot and plunder. Even now IL is
difficult matter to pacity the most desperate their
number, who have been driven almost 10 madness by
the walls their and children CRYING for bread
To those who arc happily removed from such har.
rowing scenes this may seem unnecessarily dramatic,
but It IS terribly true.
WORK on THE NEW CHARTER
The Select Council held another special meeting
day Tor tho final adoption OF new city CHARTER, which
public improvements. Tho ordinance adopting the
charter was passed. but 1t has TO 60 through good
elective in any way for hopng the destitute In this
nearly month will bo exhausted before the build
Ing OF sewers can be begun and by that time unless
some other action is taken, will have had such
OF riot and punder As never witnessed hero
before
Nearly all the papers outside OF Scranton, with the
exception Of the HERALD. which have treated this
matter represent the miners In starving and rotous
condition This Is not correct for the miners although
In docp distress, have not made any demonstration
thus far. The suffering workmen arc made up prin-
cpay Of mechanics aud iaoorors who we're dschnreed
last summer from the shops OF the Delaware, Lacka-
wanna and Western Company, aud who number nearly
1000 men. II will be safe TO say that the number
VIII be increased before a week passes, as
the miners are ienriuly restive under
went into effect to-day. Meetings arc behs held at
the various colleres, and Is not yet known whether
orderly, but the repeated reductions have mado them
desperate, and we may yet have q wild timc IN tho
coai regions The miners have no organization, and II
they strike II will be without system aud without
der CONTROL and It rs bard to predict tho TO-
suit may be. Tho rumor OF an increase OF work In
Wyoming region simultaneous with reduction OF
wagcs has turned out TO DO inacous, and tho work.
men now claim that it was NO moro than a set
them 10 work.
STARVATION WAGES
The miners are now working about onethird OF the
t%me time and earn on an average sixty cents day With
uli time under the reduction. their wages would be
nearly SO day. The laborers who form an important
factor Ia the anthracite industry, are carnug about
forty cents lay, working onethird OF the time and
the majority of them have large fsmlies be easily
seen TO what destitute they reduced
Even II the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Rail-
road Company felt disposed TO increase the work Mt
their mines, t would be impossible Tor them do 20,
as S ,nes Toa no.. .urn,sn sumcient humber OF cars
over 5000 cars lay loaded ON switch at Hoboken. and
there is now no prospect whatever that work will be
increased any moro than 1t has been during tho past
winter crisis has evidently been reached in the
coal regions, and the climax is awaited with anxiety.
wILKEsBARnE COMPANY TO ACCEPT THE RE-
DUcED RATES.
By TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
wILKEsBARRE, Pa. March Is, 1877.
To-day the order recently promulgated by the largo
coal companies reducing the pay OF mon employed In
their coeries went into effect but tho minors OF tho
Lehieh and wikosbarre Coal Company have rebelIed
Tho have been expecting the order OF reduction
and were not altogether unpreparcd for it, and tho chief
given to-day for their action In refusing to 20
into the mines that If they 60 work oil they
want Mr. Psrrsh tho Icssec OF the mines to
them their wages. This Is feature OF tho striking
business and one which is not likely to excite much
attention, as Mr.. Parrish, II necessary could furnish
any amount OF bonds
DISCUSSING THE SITUATION
On Tuesday and last evening the miners held mauy
informal meetings and discussed tho matter OF q
strike, and nearly all the men employed in the collier
OF tho Lehigh and Wilkesbarre Coal Company re.
fused TO work to-day. This includes the employees Of
many mines IN this immediate locality and in other
locations, at Sugar Notch and Plymouth. Tho men
claim that the reduction In rents and the price OF
powder, coal and OIL included In the order is quite in
significant and not sufficient to cqualzc tho reduction
In wages.
THE FEELING AT rrTsroy.
At PittstOn, among the miners Of tho Pcnnsylyan,a
Coal Company better feeling exists and though
tnerc much grumbling still the will not quit
work.
FURTHER CONFERENCE TO BIZ HAD
meeting Of the miners OF this city, IN conjunction
with those 0t several towns here is called for
morrow morning, when the matter will be more fully
diq gscd