Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-04-09
OUR CORRESPONDENCE.
THE CLEARFIELD REGION.
FRosTBURG, April 5, 1881.

promised to give some Of your readers
the benefit of my observations regard
ing Houizdale.
On returning from the franklin
mine to my hotel judge of my surprise
in learning that l had been placed
upon the government detective list by
some of the business men Of the town.
l took it good humoredly, and threat
ened the full penalties of the law
upon all dealers in crooked whiskey
and tobacco. In the evening my old
and respected friend, Joseph Martin,
miner well.known in Allegany
county, called to see me, and, after a
warm shake of the hand, a social chat
was the next business upon the roll !;
| was pleased to learn that the gener'
Gus and kind hearted Joe was coal
operator upon small scale, as he
owned FIVE acres of coal located upon
the outskirts of the town with an
opening upon it from which the town
was supplied with fuel. Friend Mar
tin sends his respects to all of his old
friends in Allegany, and any Of them
visiting Houtziale are invited to call
and zee him; they may rest assured
they will receive a hearty welcom ;.
AS per arrangement he called uron
me next morning for the purpose OF
paying visit to his mine, which |
found to be in frst.class condition,
and also learned some valuable infor-
nation regarding the coal field. |
received warm reception from his
kind hearted lady and family, and,
after partaking Of a substantial din
ner bid them goodbye and wendell
my way towards the Centennial Ho-
tel, and was there pleased to find
Messrs. Flanagan and McGibeny,
two old miners from Maryland, they
were glad to see me and treated me
with kindness and respect. I next
met Mr.. Radcliffe and son, also Mr..
Coleman and son, all old Marylanders,
and was warmly greeted by the Whole
of them. William Radcliffe has been
hurt by fall Of coal and is not able
to work in the mines he lie trying to
support himself and family from the
patronage he receives in the notion
and toy business; he is a deserving
gentlemen and ought to be encouraged.
In the evening | ascertained that
Captain Clark and the Jew truck
storekeepers had discovered the true
character of my mission to Clearfeld
from my signature on the hotel regis
ter, and they were in doubt for some
time whether I was member of the
Chinese Legation, or the ghost of
Horace Greeley risen from the tomb
to demand Fy his signature justice for
the Houtzdale miners. There was
quite an excitement in the House of
Israel when it had been ciphered out
that had come at the instance of the
Maryland coal operators for the pur-
pose Of getting up strike among the
miners Of their coal field, when not
an operator or miner in Maryland
knew that was in Houtzdale. Hav-
ing some idea of Clearfeld law that
sent Park to the renitentiary, when
it was proven in court that he was
not in the county, and knowing that
if was arrested I could not prove an
abb, l had almost cume TO the con-
clusion to take the first train for "My
Maryland" but after reflection I de-
termined to risk another day in TIE
State founded by William Penn.
Next morning with one eye on bus
mess and the other on the Captain
soon ferreted out the cause of all this
suspicion among the Hosanna Jeru-
salemltes. 1t appears that all miners
from Maryland undergoes the same
suspicion for the simple reason that
those generous.hearted men con-
tributed towards the support of the
Clearfeld miners during their last
strike, when they were struggling for
fair remuneration for their labor
and to free themselves from the bond
age CT these truck-store wolves.
Let me give your readers an idea
of how this business is carried on by
these money-sharks. They agree with
the coal operator to pay him ten per
cent. on all his orders sent to their
stores, and bonus of one to four
thousand dollars per annum over and
above, for the privilege of getting
those orders. Now where does all
this percentage and bonus come from ?
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