Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-04-05
MISERY AT THE MINES.

picturesque squullol'
The Panther Creek mines probably
present more of outward signs OF want
and suffering than is 10 be
witnessed in the entire coal region. A
visit paid by The New YORK. Herald
correspondent to II mining-patch now
on strike revealed chamber of hor-
rors, as it were, that would try the
Jtoutcst heart and nerve.
When the correspondent visited Pan
;her Creek he asked miner who was
Gaming against n broken paling, with n
lace white with an utterly dispirited
mind and an ill-fed stomach, if there
vas much sickness abroad.
He gazed inquiringly, as if endeavor-
nc to decide whether the speaker was
IN emssary of the coal operators or a
riend. Every miner is suspicious and
! iistrustful. He constantly is on the
ookout for enemies, and he finds the M
>ftener than friends.
After pause the man said in low
Voice. Coon with me-" and then he
ed the way to an adjacent cabin.
The building was constructed of
'ough boards which one day had been
painted dull red. the same color and
description of paint used on the iron
hinges and Lighthouses of railways.
| The boards were fastened on the frame
10 as to leave a crack between each
! oint, which was covered by narrow
oatten loosely nailed on. The sun had
warped the green wood, and it had
| lifted so as to permit the penetrating
Wind to find entrance to the interior.
4 thin. implanted door opened directly
nto the living room, 1t was small
affair, perhaps twelve feet square.
The walls were the reverse side of
he covering boards of the house. Time
and perhaps the careless habits of the
occupants had blackened the walls. so
that they were but a shade less grimy
Than the gloomy coal-breaker without.
Pennsylvania farmer in this state
If great, roomy, comfortable barns.
would not stable his cattle in such a
] len.
A cheap stove stood red-hot in the
center of the room.
"The super lets us get refuse from
The culm pile" explained the man as
The visitor glanced toward the stove.
A tall, raw-boned woman, shabbily
! dressed in a calico peticoat and loose,
faded sacque of the same material,
/ busted herself about the stove and cast
anxious chances toward an open
doorway leading into an adjoining
room. She was frowsy and unkempt
/ but her face was honest and her eyes
we're yearning and sal. With cor
ler of her skirt she brushed off the
,eat of splint chair, which she prolfer-
ed.
NO" said her husband. "ho's COON
20 find out about the sick. ;"
Three half-nalled children played on
The floor. One, little girl of 3. had a
Toll. And such doll, oh. ye children
If luxury! Her father was the manu-
acturer He had whitfield q block of
pine wood so as to leave the impress
lion of n face. Then with some black
material the eyebrows and hair were
udely represented. A single bit of
iirty calico was tied around the
piece of wood so as TO form the gown.
Had it been a French doll, with q
wardrobe costing 800, the little red
haired child could not have regarded it
with greater interest. rs she sat hold
nc it in her arms with an air of pride
md pleasure.
In the next room were two beds.
On one Law two children. One, a girl
)f 10, rolled and tossed her head about
IN dirty pillow. The eyes were wide
open and staring rs eXpressionless as
he eyes of an idiot.
She's got the fever" said the moth
n. "She's been sick three weeks"
The other child was convaescent
rom n severe attack of diptheria. Both
we're wasted aud thin. The eldest was
evidently doomed.
How do YOU get onP Do you have
enough to eatP"
Sorry living we have" answered
.he woman. We've had "a during
the last month. 1t came from the
Wyoming miners contribution, I sup
pose"
Her voice was as sad as if coming
from tomb.
"How long have you been without
vorkP" the man was asked.
al went out with the other bows last
year.
He was one of the Lehigh strikers,
who have now held out against the
operators nearly six months.
Suppose YOU all get the advance you
claim and 90 back. how long will you
have 10 work before you make up what
you have lost during striker
The question was too abstruse for the
miners arithmetic. He puzzled over
{ moment and then replied:
Its the principle, like, of the thing
we're fighting for. We will lose. We
always lose in fights with the bosses,
out we know we're right, and we mean
% fight to the last"
How about your suffering familiesi
You yourself are only half fed. You
ire Furnishing Yourself and your chill
iren. Those two sick ones in the 9TH
II room need medicine and nOurishine
God. Can you not obtain help by
going to workp"
A dark shade passed over the rug
ged features of the striking miner. Il
amounted to scowl. The very ides
Of surrender was maddening.
ttIVa 1ixac I'M IN what MO tliply :,