The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-03-24
HuNGERs AND COLD.
Scenes Among the Stricken Wards OF
Scranton.
THE MEN TOO HELPLESS TO STRIKE.

The Lchign ana WHkcaohTEe Sooi COMPANY 10
bankrupt and behind In the payment of wages. Tho
Delaware Lackawanna and Western Company Is In
straits and employs less than one-third tho usual
number of bands Eight thousand OF its cars, loaded
with coal stand idle a switch ut Hoboken. OF the
four thousand ard odd remaining good many
arc loaded and idle here While much coal lies in
these cars aud elsewhere the surface there Is no
use IN mining more than enough TO insure sac mar
Gin The Delaware and Hudson Canal Company IS
comparatively Inactive although II has a
dumping ground OF 100000 or 1000 tons
capacity at Honesdnlc. where canal ship.
ments will begin about the 10th Of next
month. The Pennsylvania Company, drawing coal
from Pttston AMI Scranton BOTH Is not hauling any
where the old fashioned quantities TO market,
ana no wonder. The coal market is gutted The tall
OF pricos continues. Tho auction sacs have not
tended to encourage companies. The effect among
the mining populations is bitter indeed.
THE MINERS AND LABoRBRs.
They have been the prey OF long procession OF ad.
verse crcum stances and mistakes. In war times and
for few years the close OF the wages were
high aud miners were flush. Whom the price OF coal
declined and their wages had to 80 down in the same
SCALE they perorcc submitted for time but refusing
TO admit the justice Of the reduction, organized the
guild and labor unions which subsequently instigaed
strike alter strike At the end OF every strike they
were worstcd-at the end OF the long strike OF two
years ago they well nigh Impoverished All their
labor went then to the Winds Since the
winter of 1915 they have, like the schuylkil and
Malanoy mon, taken no mutual measures OF de-
fence or aggression. While the number OF
miners has increased, wages have steadily fallen.
The process OF increase IN numbers is Gu.
rioutbne 1t is confined to the growth OF offspring
In families: neither has 1t been due to frequent
srrshes into the coal region like those into gold and
silver mining regions and into the oil regions OF West
ern Pcnusy vana. There was never any attraction
here except capitalists beyond tho chance OF maxi
ing a living. Men who came here as aborers or help
ers to miners in time became miners themselves and
earned more money. They wrote to their friends to
come on and be their 'helpers' and learn the trade.
In thus way fresh aborcrs have constantly poured into
the region becoming miners IN their turn, others
compelled by force OF circumstances or natural in
capacity to stay in tho net they fell into on their ar
rival.
STARVATION WAGES.
In seasons of tive demand for coal thero have mover
been too many men for all the colleries In seasons
of depression and especially in the present unprece
dcnted uncturc there are far too many Of them here
For the past six months the men in this region have
not averaged third of the time at work.
Nav. am assured on excellent authority
that at least 1000 heads Of families in Scranton
alone had no work at all during that period. The mon
who had n little work to do were badly enough of,
and their condition has been aggravated by whole
sale reduction OF fifteen per cent OF the wages OF
miners and laborers, which took effect on the 10th
inst Working at full time under this reduction,
miners wages would range from 81 IS TO SO day,
and Iaborcrs' wages from 81 ID 10 81 30 day. But
under the reduction OF time an" wages both, miner
can barely earn sixty cents day, and laborer's
average Is iorty-hvc cents On the railroads aborcrs
receive 81 day. and learn that the Delaware and
Hudson Canal Company has hxed the rate Tor labor Oh
canal at lily cents DAY. Wneu tuOusan0S OF
cars are standing idle only limited number OF rail-
road hands be employed, and canal navigation has
not yet begun.
Indcatons It is true, point TO greater activity in the
coal trade withm the next month In New England
the mills are gong work. and the iron interest IN
all the great centres maniicsis signs Of revival The
opening OF navigation will afford new outlet. Still,
mpanles will be wary At present, far the OPP
craIvcs are concerned the facts TO be considered
that they suffering aud starving, some on meagre
wages, some ca no wages NJ all
MEASURES OF RELIEF.
The municipal authorities and a few private relief
committees have been occasionally at work through
out the winter IN the poor wards OF Scranton. The
mani assistance which the needy have received has
c,ic however from their immediate and slightly more
fortunate relatives anu neghbors. The ability OF the
latter roner such aid has been gradually exhausted,
mi ,he ia,c recurrence of cold weather ana heavy
snow storms drew forth the groans and complaints OF
hundreds of unsupported sufferers. As usual, the
demagogucs ana vagabonds appeared at the front.
The first shouted Tor 'work, bread or blood" Tho
latter begged for soap disgrime themselves wthal,
and went and pawned IT, not Tor bread but whskcy.
rendered almost desperate by privatOD,
talked low, but omnously One approached the
Mayor ana said :--"Your Honor, l have u family OF
eight children who have been living for two weeks Oh
bread and water. They can get water stu, but the
Lord knows where the bread is coming from must
have bread inside of iorty-cght hours, whether got
Il by lair means or foul. i"
Met by appeals like these the Mayor and number
OF representative citizens explored for truth and
found it. A public meeting was called last Friday
which a Citizens' Relief Association was formed and
committees were appointed TO receive subscriptions
and dtspcnsc provisions and clothing to the poor. A
store was hired. ana since Monday II has been be-
scgcd. From $50 500 applications for relief are
made daily The articles supplied o1nsss o. ii9ar,
on au from of the committees OF inquiry who
arc patrollIng the several wards.
sCENRs RESTITUTION
As happens generally In such emergencies some un-
deserving ores push forward and obtain what many y
starving outcast too ccbe proud or sensitive to ask
here men, and children, IN miserable
want. yet those who are the w0rs. oT are
and this fact renders the task of visiting
committeeman delicate aud difficult He o.
tuIns the bottom facts concerning the most destitute
families only from their Dcghb0rs, and there are some
Touching revelations vi unscshncss along bis path
way. To-day for example q visitor entered room
where q woman, haggard wyh hunger and pinched
with cold gathered TO her chill breast ghost Of baby,
while hail naked children cuddled under her thin
skirt against nor sockngIess legs.
'Ah am, they tell me you arc suffering that Tho
children haven't enough to eat
A faint angry Hush rose TO the poor woman's checks
.. nj mad cess 10 Thin that said IT, said she. Sand
In, NV Mcnacl--an honest manhear OF itthai's all
who tho divvlc told yc, ;hinT'
"a KIND ncghbor OF yours, ma'am, who wished you
"Harm is i'll" (bristlingl "a foiuc sthory for a
pobor 10 toll I'll 20 bail, now II was that Bddy Nc
Alarms fornipst A purity huzzy. via her eight
s,srv,n brnis TO be sandhern her bctters wild three
meals ~ day in their gullcts. -,
.Och mothcr, sure an wo hadn't taste since yes
,crday y cried piicous little voice
Hush darlin'; hush! Sure, sir they We appcttcs
ike pigs And as for Biddy's childhor, inc virgin
xs1dr ~.
Ella horscf-wnat am thinking OF the poor thing
~ SICK. May the Lord save ye, sr-couion.. ye &c
sonnet NJ tor poor, starving cratur Ike tna' ana mel
babbicsp'
III think So"
s'God bess ye, srl" mai,
ssBut you must nrst allow me TO make you ll''
go co,,forisnlc sTherc-nevcr mind; wo arc nj
liable 10 havo a pull back In life some time we mus !,
hclp each other There will DO somethiug norc Ia na'
an hour--all that you will require LOT some ''o ''n'