Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-09-05
WOMEN AT THE OVENS.
Men Whose Half-Clad Wives Toll
Near Blazing Furnaces.
Hungarian Employees I'm tho Pennsyl-
vania Coke Re2iops-rhcirC Com
slant Coming and Going
A Disgusting Spectacle.


as the Connoisvile coke region ape among
the richest and uot tlickly -s"tted 81. u"u.
of the state. Iinmlets, Villages, towns
and miniature cities are crowded closely
together From a'most every emlncnce may II"
seen the spire of a score of churches or school
houses or tie flame and smoke of n thousand
coke-uvens Evidences of an advanced state
of civilization are Everywhere abundant.
Yet side hN side with these, and part of the
whole. are sght, and sounds which suggest
the most oppressed peasants OF Europe.
Women bearing heavy burdens ON their
heads and whose Costumes consist OF loose
calico sacks skirts Of dark, coarse material,
that scarcely cover their knees. with heavy,
high-top, { Wilde boots, are seen trudging
along the streets. working like men in
the hot glare of the coke oven. or,
perhaus. mailing known their wants to the
merchant. by signs or guttcral cxclalna
lions.
Somr'irl they are accompanied to the
stores lv sWalthy. thirk-set men, wearing
heavy rcd slii'>. instead of coats, curiously
shaped caps, AND high boots or woodeh shoes.
But tie two eve are rarely seen together ii
the towns Til, mon do not often leave the
vicinity Of their homes, which are ustr J
close To the coke ovens.
The, ,triu reope are Hungarians, rep
resent" N'' VI "''N ~ " w.,
lheir h."i" '"' " I'''I ii." A..
nav ~ ~ Wv ,nn - ,,''.'
III ''''N { '' Nm " v, ~ ~.
are ho" - ,'.;,..,, .,,.
ieiio" w.. a..
equ"'" - nv - nr III'',,.;..,,,
'o""'' - cd" ~, n,,,'' .i:.
are H' n ,9 ,'.I
hapi'S ~ 'I''oI'' nav NV "iio"'
eoee "'" i'' '', "i''' -.
ltles i''iS MANI "o "
learn W., u '''' VI "'''i'''i" |.'n '"o
peoP' .'' wa ~ "'''' I'''" " nave ~
alhpi'i' '.' i'i','''H V''' '',''
theih !. VI 49, 'e" "'''' VI s'''''''' III
III tleil l''!'I'e IAN
iiuhE"i itii,s mo- V'nI"O; 20 III Wv o""
lnouslfN '' lhe hioie"o''i "oihS' III 'iie Jul
sklrts q lhiS '""h' III Ine spring VI i'7"' Inc
former mi i"Nc' we're OH s'r'he' All" mum
Der OF u 'reii u'i'N'o"h '"'e'H'" II were LUZ
nlshed ~ IN employ mem aSo'A' 10 'ahe c'ie
places q me strikers lie year thi' ioi-
lowed as the ll"St l'iosl eroua III lhe HI 'oiy
OF the co"e 'riM,. ne number vi oven, III
creased from ",oo" III ,iie spring oi lN'' 10
sou Ill the tall OF ioSl' ana tne demand ior
workm'h was so great .iiat hulgarh'ns'
CONDITION OF aHairH' l"uio e'ifioy iieht Will
out dltHcul'E'
Few "i mos VINO came nes! are III the re-
gion now me earnings o. three years ana
sometimes less eriou' were usually SUN,
Gent 10 SatisiE ''i''' uIeaiiS VI WEALTH. aii'.
as a rcSu L. my are constantly coming ana
gong Inc i''trl't'oi VI Pio"uctoh when
mas pe''l' Eoill9 on ior year past mas hao
tne enc - oi C''i'iisi'ie 'he hul,'"er Vi ar
rivals somewhat ana az present theie are Ill
tnis region lI' more 'noh ooo ri'iiiguiiahS'
ABOUT "'e' iHth Vi ,ie 'o'a' nuii,oe, vi men
eihpioSe"' ~ ha "coh ohaiseu Una. t'ey
"eie "u''i" ui"i'i 'a''' VI. V',i' -
enph'''aiiS ue''ied ny 'he sulerii'eiioeii's
vi 'le '"l 'o'' COMPANIES inoJ ie'ei'e 'iie
saine "''?o' "' ei''i'ioye' Vi ''iei i.n'loiuii-
W. u'''' al '''i'o '"'e' gain Aio'e '-'"' 'he
,....,.i... A., . .,..
- . ~
80 - 80 NV
-. ~ -, .,. Wv 'r1'
Wv w., 80 =: - va.
81 'ioN. ~ '-.N - - - "''' q
eo Iml', p-"o1 su'I'I' -.
,,,] lmi-'7 "'o"a we .ii'o VI o'e''H ~
e.'tiS i , " "on'e,i "cie sen
o' 1;' "ei ,', VNoiS Vi io'''ii'5 ',ie
NoNe M ''' - -. ''Doi VI ""MihS c"Ne
'.4u4'oS i,u ''i,o'. nU'ro Hhih' pu' -
~ 'i''I 'n". VI any o'nc, nia'ici'
=. '-t io .'No 10 ~ Soiiu mas
49,, ' ., .''.' ia ~. ". .'io w q" WIN
a s 49,, ,: noe' anu ~ y
n9 'l'a' u" 1i''' NE. an "oii'ei' "o"i''
'n Tha v, "Is ~ i,' ;,, :. .,
Inc "i'eH VI 'ie''o N'"sS" ais ",eiu IL WIN
apparent c"'e' inoy a'c an Po"eri III
Woi'icL' amt u'uahS "nei a' "orh peioie
we o.eis " r',''''s '''e 1".s' a,e
WIN 'N'ii '''''' eNpo''' W ,n' Nii'o' anu
Win pouleo cpNeie" "H s'"H,iit "S possible
lhey are i'"t III ,he employ oi 'lle company
ana II Is Sl'lea una. ',e s"pcr'h'e,i''eH'o nave
frequently a.t'i''p'''' 10 heeP .ieiii ou' Vi
the yards lhese orders were issued now
ever, "heh the SlSht Oh woman dong a
man WORK was novel lhey were dlsre'
garded theh ana are not Thought OF now
rev OF the women WORK all day lhey
come AT noon WIN their husbahds dhher,
ana Whle'the latter eats ana rests the worn
goes on II There are small children IN the
laihily they are taken u the yards WIN the
ulnlef- bucket ana lelt u lake care OF them