davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-11-17

nary citizen. One trip down into q coal
mine aroused In me hearty sympathy
for the men who brave indescrtbable
dangers for the sake of providing for
their loved ones. Many a noble heart
beats under the rough Jackets of the
humble diggers upon whom the pluto
Gratis of the east look with contempt.
1t is not necessary to tell of the hero
ism of some Of these men. 1t is mat
ter of history that many times young
fellows have risked, and sometimes sac
rifced, their lives to save their compan-
ions from death by suffocation or other
dangers peculiar to mining life.
That the west has succeeded In alb
sorbing the best 81 the eastern miners
shows that, despite all arguments to
the contrary, the region lying west of
Chicago must henceforth and forever
more be considered the mecca of the
American wageworlker. And this holds
good not only of unshlled labor, but of
the hghest-priced artisans.
The only relief asked by the miners
of the west is the immediate passage Of
an immigration law which would eff
fectualy keep out of America the pau
per labor of Europe, and to such legis'
lation they certainly seem entitled.
G. w. WEIPPIERE
Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-11-17

Mr. Jules Guthridge, of the New Yori,
Herald, was the representative of the
Chicago News, and rendered that paper
very fine service indeed. lie IS self
made man and has been q hard worker
all his life. While he was representing
the News he was proud of his position,
proud of his work and anxiauS "a Eea-
der as good service, TO say tho least of
1t, as any other representative of a Chi
cago paper in Washington. In the judg-
ment of newspaper men here-and their
Judgment is that of maturity and ex.
perience--he was very good CORE
spondent. 1t was in 1886 or 1887 that
he received a sudden notice of his re-
moval from the paper similar to that
which was given to Mr.. Wight and to
Mr.. Powers. There was complete alb
scnce of regard for his feelings or i'm
mediate future in this matter. Fortu-
nately, however, men like Wight,
Powers and Guthridge cannot be cast
adrift upon the sea of life, because they
are industrious men with more than or
binary ability, and such men will not
long remain idle in this workaday world
where good men are always wanted.
One yearago Herbert Preston, who had
been connected with the Washington Of
fee of the New York Herald for at least
fifteen years, was as suddenly and un-
tremendously removed from his posi-
ton as either of the gentlemen named
above. He is man of great deal
more than ordinary ability, who has
been upon the lecture platform and de-
livered some of the finest discourses
ever heard upon the subject of journal
ism, because that is subject with
which he is as fully familiar as any
other man in the United States. His
writings have always been of great
value because they are and always
have been emanations from cultured
brain which has been trained, not
only in books and letters, but in the
richer and ripper field Of experience with
public men In the capital of this repub-
lie.
l have had little of the same ex.
perience. In March, 1889, was offered
a position on the Pioneer-Press, of st.
Paul, at better salary than 1 was re-
ceiving from the st. Paul Globe. tel
Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-11-17

were brought to the United States dur
ing the period from the fall of 1877 to
1885 to menace the social and economic
conditions of a number of once prosper
Gus and law-abiding communities.
Whenever these Hungarians, who at
first came in small detachments, be-
came imbued with American ideas and
asked for increased pay, they were soon
defeated by their own countrymen,
who came by thousands to take the
places of their emancipated brethren.
At the present time scores of mining
villages in Pennsylvania are inhabited
exclusively by Huns. The Welsh, English
and American miners have drifted west
ward. Lawlessness and almost incred-
ible disregard of moral and sanitary
rules and regulations prevail in COM
munities once noted for their cleani-
ness and enterprise.
The mining of coal became an inn
portant industry IN the west many
years ago, and mine owners In Illinois
and Iowa were glad to get hold of the
workmen whom stern necessity had
compelled to leave their homes in the
east.
A recent visit to Iowa, made after an
investigation of the condition of the
miners in Pennsylvania, impressed me
more than any previous comparison be-
tween the labor problem of the east
and the west. In the anthracite region
ignorance and squalor go hand in hand;
in the bituninous coal region of Iowa
fair degree of comfort makes the life
of the Woodworking digger for the
black diamonds endurable. Schools and
churches are to be found in every settle
ment, and drunkenness is, to say the
least, not prevailing vice.
The life of a coal miner is not a
healthy one. Exposure and impure air
claim thousands of victims each year.
Many who use coal every day have not
the remotest idea of how it is brought
to the light of day and made ready for
shipment.
The first descent into a coal mine
produces a sensation not easily forgot
ten. At the invitation of an Iowa mine
owner l accompanied him on down
ward trip not long ago. Stepping
from the clear air into a crazy-looking
Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-11-17

vel, had been transformed into fair
imitation of the style of craft of three
hundred and fifty years ago, but at her
masthead there futtered flag of alter
nate stripes of orange and red-the
merchant flag of Spain. This devia-
tion from realism or history was due to
the fact that the Spanish minister at
Washington refused to indorse our re-
quest for the courtesy of the royal flag
of Iberia, and so commercial emblem
was used instead of the flag of patriot
ism.
Could the noble discoverer, Juan
grave on the island of San Miguel in
the Santa Barbara channel, he would
no doubt have seriously objected to
this burlesque on history. At the PROV
of the vessel stood the mimic oonqueror,
waiting for the procession to arrive,
when he would land and go through
the ceremony of taking possession Of
the country.
Finally, the vast procession formed
on the beach, the central and front fig
ures being the Indians who were to
represent the aborigines. About two
hundred braves and large number of
squaws had been induced to come in
from the surrounding Indian villages
of Saints Isabel, Ramona and Pablo
canyon.
They formed in line and marched to
the beach to welcome the gran oOnquis-
tddore but not so timorously as did
their ancestors, who were only induced
to come by the liberal bestowal Of
presents. Like their ancestors theil
faces were Smeared with white bitumer
representing slashes.
Many of these latter-day braves laic
on too much paint and looked more
ridiculous than dangerous. Other;
affected red, purple and black paint II
the most fantastic designs. The
Diegueno braves wore cloths of red and
Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-11-17

hoisted up. Before the miner allows
the load to leave the gloomy vault he
attaches q metal tag to the cart, 50 that
he may receive proper credit for his
work on the books of the company.
After the coal has reached the surface
it Is weighed, and the net weight placed
% t',s credit ii Si1J faalI whose ticket
was found on the truck. It is, of course,
needless to add that all miners are paid
by the piece
After the coal hss been weighed 1t b
rolled down over long chute, at the
end of which Is an immense screen,
which separates and assorts the product.
have made mention of curtains eov-
ering the openings of the mine apart
ments. They are put up so as to allow
only limited portion of the air from
the main shaft to go into any one room.
Not particle of air is allowed to go to
waste, as carelessness in this respect
might leopard the lives of all workmen.
The tools of the miners are extremely
simple. They have picks, short and
very sharp and perfectly fat at the end.
Their drills are about an inch in diam
eter and from six to ten feet long. After
a hole is drilled to sufficient depth. the
auger is removed and powder put in the
hole. A fuse Is then attached and
lighted. The explosion following this
operation makes fearful noise. As
many as twenty tons of coal have been
loosencd by one discharge in the mine
of which | am writing.
Most of the coal now taken from
American mines is blown loose by pow
der or some other explosive. In former
years this work was performed by hand,
and in some portions of Europe the old
system still prevails. After the coal
has been looSened it is broken into
pieces Of various sizes by the miners
with the aid of their picks.
The social life in mine is, of course,
restricted and monotonous, but still the
busy workers find time to exchange an
occasional call with their fellows. When
one of the miners stands in need of
little gossip he simply shoulders his
pick and visits one of his chums in an
adjoining hole or takes stroll through
the main street, where he can always
find more or less company.
From the description of these social
functions it must not be supposed that
a miners life is an easy one, for such is
certainly not the case. To earn one
dollar and fifty cents a day a miner
must labor most industriously ten hours
a day amid surroundings that would
strike terror to the heart of the ordi
Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-11-17

little structure, dignified with the
name of ''tower," we entered sort of
elevator, which in the twinkling of an
eye landed us on the main thoroughfare
of the subterranean industrial city. Al
though supplied with miners lamp,
the unsophisticated visitor viii remain
virtually blind for several minutes after
reaching the bottom.
The mine itself is divided into streets
and alleys. East street was the name
of the main artery invaded by the
writer. 1t was nothing more than a
long, narrow passage about eight feet
wide and six feet high. Slate forms the
top of the halls, and this is held up by
rafters at intervals varying from five to
six feet. A railroad, whose cars are
propelled by mule power, runs through
the hall. Along the street. are in
Vulnerable small openings closed with
heavy curtains. Rolling back one of
these the discovery wus made that II
concealed small apartment in which
two miners were busily at work.
When the men in one of these aper-
lures have dug two or three loads of
coal they ring bell for the mule train.
The equipment Of this primitive trans
portation line consists of q truck
mounted on wheels and pair Of dis
reputable looking mules. After the
car has been loaded 1t is taken
to the ift~ The tsamster - or
engineer" II you please--rings the
mine ben once, the inkernational min
ing kgnal that : Led waits to be
Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-11-17

INDIAN BRUSH CHURCH, SANTA ISABEL.
bodies were painted In red, blue, black,
green and yellow.
This combination of colors made some
of them look picturesque, and some who
were painted like clowns dress, with
one leg blue, the other black, and tho
body spotted red and black, looked
rather grotesque. Below the waist tho
men wore gee-strings and skirt, tl0
latter being an addition to their Coz
tune out of Difference to their mona
civilized spectators. After the orcheS
ira had become seated, Chief Pedra
Pablo gave the signal for the fssto to
begin by shaking q tomato can half
filed with pebbles. One of the floor
managers responded with grunt; then
there was another shake of the tomato
can, and another brave, evidently the
''stage manager" gave q louder and
more prolonged grunt, and In tone OF
command. The chant began, and, aftes
few bars, a young brave, q sub-chief.
and evidently the premiere, sprang QUE
from the crowd into the circle to lead
the dance. At times his steps had .
waltz motion, at others kind of dog
trot, and at others mincing gait, like
fashionable woman with high-heeled
shoes trying to walk gracefully.
His solo was impromptu, for the
movements were regulated by the
chant. He accompanied himself with
evolutions and tricks with his war club
The chant was harsh and inharmonious,
but it gradually became bearable. The
men in the circle danced in their tracks.
merely jumping up and down, joining
in the chant, and once and awhile giv-
ing whoop and a grunt. Every few
minutes, when the young chief would
execute some fantastic movement with
his club, which he brandished over his
head, he would stop a second, grunt
aud assume an attitude peculiar to
Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-11-17
NO. 45.

Then followed the eight oarsmen, like
wise in black, black hats with black
plumes, black hose and doublets-ths
somber colors being relieved only by
white ruffs around tho neck.
Immediately on stepping ashore
Cabrillo traced the sign Of the cross
upon the sand with his WORD, turned
toward the sea, or, rather, bay, rever-
emily took of his hat, and after an Inn
ploring look toward Heaven, as II asis-
ing Divine guidance, bowed before tke
sacred symbol Then, by his orderss
his standard bearer planted the flag 6s
the base of tho cross, Cabrillo stu<S
his cross-hilted sword at its head and
all knelt before 1t with barred heada
He then approached the Indians and
with signs led out each chief In turn
and compelled him to kneel before the
cross and flag as sign of submission
Then, stepping TO the front, Cabrill6
saluted the sea, the land and the sky.
The chiefs had not been we'll rehearsed
in this part of the programme, or else
did not relish the act of being forcibly
seized and compelled to kneel, and there
was some little rebellion.
His pilot handed him the parchment
scroll and the mock discoverer read
the translated proclamation of dis
covery: 81, Cabrillo, in the name of
Charles ", king of Spain and of the
Indies, take possession of this land,
these waters and this port"
That ended the grand mimic cere-
monial-the bay was rediscovered, and
the usual feasting, dancing and other
entertainments followed.
These grasshopper and root-eating
drones who had so well personated
their ancestors now adjourned to
their corral" where, after hearty
meal, they proceeded with their festd>
This corral, or stockyard, is inclosed by
an adobe wall seven or eight feet in
height. The admission was ten cents
and the place was crowded almost to
suffosation. A rope was placed around
an inclosure of fifty by one hundred and
fifty feet for the dancers. The Indian men
and women filed into the inclosure, and
in full costumes went through a series
Of mystical steps and weird incanta-
tions, which they called the spirit
dance. This lasted perhaps fifteen min
utes, and was the overture to the regu-
lar performance. After few minutes
intermission they reentered in single
file, and after the grand entry of ono
promenade around the inclosure the
women sat down upon the ground along
the sides of the space, where they were
to act as chanters or the chorus. The
men then formed In large circle. They
were naked to the waist, and their
Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-11-17

egraphed to the Globe Office that had
received this offer and, without waiting
to receive reply from them, declined
the proposition which had been made to
me by Mr.. Carle, of the PioneerPress,
because had been with the st. Paul
Globe continuously for three years and
did not care to make a change. On the
evening of April 1, within two weeks
of that occurrence, 1 received tele-
gram from the St. Paul Globe inform
ing me that they would close their
Washington Office on that day and date.
had received no other warning and no
intimation that any change was to be
made In Washington, and the telegram
came, as you may well imagine, as a
great surprise and shock to me. Un-
fortunately the place upon the Pioneer
Press had already been filed, upon my
rejection of the offer which had been
made to me. Thus was left, so far as
the st. Paul Globe knew or was con-
cerned, without any support for myself
and family.
The gem ntlemen named above are still
in Washington representing good news
papers and making very good livings
for themselves; some of them, indeed,
accommodating fortunes. Not one OF
them, 80 far as know, has suffered the
least inconvenience from the treatment
which he has received, and none Of
them has any complaint to make con-
cerning the manner in which he was
unceremoniously dismissed from the
employment In which he was engaged.
The gentlemen who have been ap-
pointed to succeed those who were re-
moved from their positions are men of
ability and render their papers good
service.
I do not presume that the managing
editors who caused their dismissals
ever gave any thought to what might
become of them or what effect their ar
bitrary removals might have upon them.
This letter is not written for the pur-
pose of finding fault with or question
ing the right of the managing. editors
to treat their employees as they choose.
Simple statements of fact have been
made as they have occurred before me
during my experience here. l will
venture to say, however, that the judg-
ment of ninety-nine readers out of
every hundred who learn of these oc-
currences, and the manner in which
faithful workers are treated by their
employers in the newspaper world, will
undoubtedly say that it is little less
than brutal to treat any class of work
ers with such degree of disrespect, not
to say disregard, for their welfare
When the organized laborers of the
country rise in rebellion against the
dismissal of their fellow worlxmen with
out cause, they may be assured that,
as long as they are within the law in
all of their actions, they have the SYM
pathy'ef the newspaper workers at the
national capital; particularly those who
have been here for a long time and have
had similar experiences.
SsuTH d. Fry.
Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-11-17
Queen victoria's Kindness.

Queen Victoria's kindness to the poor
people about Balmoral forms the sub
1ect of an incident recorded by the
London correspondent of an English
provincial paper. On the confines of
the old estate lives an old retainer
who had for many years been familiar
to her majesty during her visits to
Scotland. On arriving at Balmoral the
queen learned that this poor old fellow
had been stricken down by serious
illness. Not long time elapsed ere
her majesty's little pony-chaise had
stopped at the cottage door and she had
inquired as to the progress of the suf-
ferer. Since then baskets of fruit have
daily found their way to the cottage,
the gift in each case being accompanied
by an inquiry. In addition, her majes-
ty has made another personal call.
Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-11-17

eleven years. He was gentleman OF
education, culture, refinement, wide
acquaintance with public men, had a
perfect knowledge of the executive de-
partment in the national capital, and
was one of the best equipped correspon-
dents upon Newspaper row.
Two or three years ago the managing
editor of the Chicago Times, without
giving Mr.. Powers any notification
whatever, removed him from his posi-
ton as Washington correspondent of
the Times and turned the paper over to
another gentleman, whose name / do
not now recall. During the past two
years there have been several corre-
spoudents Of the paper which Mr.. Pow
ers represented for so many years; but
recently the Times has been under the
nnanaxement of other men and Mr..
Powers has been reappointed Washing
ton correspondent of that paper. His
dismissal from the Times q few years
ago was regarded by all Of the news
paper men In Washington as an excep-
tional piece Of unl<indness, to say the
least Of n
Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-11-17
County Alliances.

coniab-- President, T. J. Millsaps, Crystal
srrncs. Secretary, r. w. Matheny, Hazlehurst.
Claiborne President, John Andrews, ror'
Gibson; Secretary, Caleb Lobdel, Port Gibson.
Frankln-Presldent, A. M. Newman HAM
burg; Secretary, Juan Nix, Mccall Creek.
Hinds-President, d. X. Brown, Utica; secre-
tary,C 5. Spann, Raymond.
.Jederson--Prcsident, j. M. Simmons, Union
Church: Secretary, T. l.. Darden, Fayette.
Lincoln-President, f. L. Douglass, Wesson;
Secretary, Edward Smith, Brookhayen
Nadison-Presdent, I. j Alsworth, Canton;
Secretary. David f. Wood, sharon.
Rankin--President, Jas. l.. Buchanan, Pela-
batchie: Secretary, X. Z. Knight, Pelahatchie.
Simnson-Presldent. S. Nj. Williamson. West
Vile: Secretary, J J. Hilton, Harrisville
Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-11-17
The Ocala Deman ds.

Ia. We demand the abolition of national
banks
0. We demand that tile government shall
establish Sub-Treasuries or repositories in the
se'eial States, which shall issue money direct to
uie people at low rate of interest, not to ex-
.0ou per cent per annum, on non-perishable
.Stll products, and also upon real estate, with
aOper limitations upon the quality of land and
VIC amount Of money
y we demand that the amonnt OF the cir
vuiallhg medium be speedily increased to not
"ss lllan $50 per capita
:, ihat We demand that Congress shall pass
Sucn laws as will effectually prevent the dealing
ia'ures OF all agricultural and mechanical
p.OuuctionS providing a stringent system Of
r.OOeeuure In trials that will secure prompt
sOu'lction' and imposing such penalties as shall
law. so'pA"oo
r., we condemn the silver bifl recently passed
-. eongress, and demand in lieu thereof the
aia unlimited coinage OF silver.
,ra = We demand the passage of laws prohibiting
s'n ownership of land, and that Congress take
Sssl Hp' action to devise some plan to obtain all
s.,e~ as now owned by aliens and foreign syndi-
~ 49,, anu that all lands now held by railroads
selesiained by the government, and held for
'c'ual settlers only.
~ : heheving in the doctrine of equal rights to
"Hu special privileges to none, we demand
,,s. inat our national legislation shall be SO
as-.N eu IN The future as not to build up one in
as The expense of another.
ius - W further demand removal of the exist
,bsy usasy tariff tax from the necessities Of life
poor OF our land must have.
ss. we further demand just and equitable
'e~ ol graduated tax on incomes.
sAa.," y We believe that the money Of the country
y uu ,a De Kept as much as possible In the hands
s,sa ae people, and hence we demand that all
nssah ana State revenues shall be limited to
omlaans olessary expenses of the government econ
s sa and honestly administered.
saa,a ~ aeinand the most rigid, honest and just
mas ana national governmental control and
nIes,s, nIssion Of the means OF public commu-
es, a10n and transportation, and II this con-
= ~ n supervision does not remove the abus-
oras.s, S existing. wedemand the government
aaa transportation.
ststa' aelnand that the Congress OF the United
p,oss,' submit an amendment TO the Constitutions
Sepssals Tor the election Of United states
shae " direet vote OF the people OF each