Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-12-28

DESPERATE MINERS
The Shutting Down Of the Penn
syIyania Ceal Mines Causes
Much Suffering.
Poverty Prevails to a Startling
Extent Among the Idle
Miners.
Unless the Mine Owners Recedc
From Their Lofty Attitude There
Ar Fears That Boodshed
will Follow.
pcnnsylvani min Miners Desperate.

HAREIsBUE0, Pa, Dec. 2l.-The
policy OF .he great coal barons of Penn
sylvania OF closing down their mines
Mt the beginning Of winter has driven
the hungry miners 20 a state Of despera-
ton which may eliminate in mad acts
of violence. Hundreds Of these an
fortunate men are without food or the
means of obtaining 1t, and unless the
mine owners recede FROM their lofty
attitude they have heretofore main
tanned there are fears that bloodshed
will follow. The miners are in large
part foreigners who have b.en imported
in former times OF trouble to take the
place of strikers. Reduction has fol-
lowed reduction so rapidly for years
that hundreds Of the better classes of
workmen have deserted the region.
The wisdom or folly Of the course which
has driven them from the coal fields
may perhaps be more apparent to the
mine owners II the men whom they have
now deprived OF employment forget the
rights OF their masters and inaugurate
the reign OF terror TO which even con
sorvative men are looking forward.
Poverty prevails 10 a startling extent
among the miners in certain portions of
Northumberland county, and the conai-
ton OF affairs about Treyorton, Shame
kin and MI Carmel, and in Coal town
ship is causing uneasincss among the
Substantial citizens OF those places. En-
forced idleaess has created distrust and
has bred discomfort everywhere. Ire
vorton, q prosperous village of 5000 in
habitants oRly two months ago, now has
hardly 2,o0O souls within its borders.
Actual hunger has forced the people 70
quit the place, leaving unpaid bills and
house rent. At Mt. Carmel thousands
OF men and boys are idle, and IN alarm
ing state of affairs exists at Shamokin
and in Coal township.
The number OF idle men at each OF
these places is augmented daily. The
foreign element composes most OF this
idle army and the men are in many
cases becoming sullen and angry.
Through sheer fear the call for bread
was at first needed, as the men, women
and children begged from door 10 door.
Since food has been denied them threat,
of violence and murder are heard.
Hungarians and Italians by the hun
dred have left these places. Many have
gone 10 New York, Philadelphia and
Boston, as their friends have sent them
money. othsrs have crossed the Allan
tic cursing the land OF the free"
Tho Philadelphia and Reading Coal
and Iron company own nearly all the
mines in Northumberland county and
Che shutting down of the North Frank
lin c~olliery No. 2 is the cause OF the dis.
tress at Trevorton, as it was the only
Industry at that place. Miners there
during the summer and early fall were
able TO earn only $50 a moth. Many
Of them remained with the hope that
times would get better, and when the
crisis came they were left almost penni-
less. The idle men eDigrated TO sham
okin, only 10 find hat there was no en-
ployment there. Then they went 10
Coal township, and subsequently, TO Mt.
Carmel, eas district, but encountered
the same condition of things.
w. l. Scott's Hickory Swamp and
Hickory Ridge coiiieries are closed, and
the Pennsylvania, also SCOTS, employ
ing over one thousand men and boys,
will stop work in a short time. The
stoppage in all the mines which have
ceased work will be for an indefinite
period. Individual collieries are shut
ting down daily, and the outlook is that
the restitution and distress will steadily
increase until the starved people are
driven to deeds Of desperation.