The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-06-22
TREATED LIKE BRUTES.
Work Of Heartless Contractors
Near Stroudsburg.
LABORBRs STARVED TO DEATH.

Driven TO Their Work on Railroad in the
Mountains at the Points of Revolvcrs.
Pennsylvania Laws Being violated by
the Employers.
STRoUDsBURG, Pa, June 19.-Investi-
cation proves that horrible condition
of affairs prevails in Monroe county, on
the now building Wilkesbarre, Susque-
hanna and Western railroad. The work
is being done by McCabe, Noble and
Strong, contractors. The treatment of
their men, Italians, Hungarians and
1rishmen, is something terrible.
The men were hired in New York to
come to Monroe county, transportation
furnished and TO be taken out of their
earnings. The wages were to be $3.50
per day, with no stipulation as to hours,
the contractors to board the men at $3.50
per week or so cents per day.
Ever since the work of grading and
filling for this railroad began in Monroe
county, last September, there have been
rumors from the mountains where the
men were engaged in blasting and ex-
cavating of terrible brutalities prac-
ticed; of dishonest methods whereby
the laborers' lost their money; of dis
reputable commercial practices in the
management of the commissary: of men
left to starve and die. Finally the
rumors were proven true by the poor
men dragging into Stroudsburg, trying
to bring the law down on their oppres-
sors, which proved of no avail. If more
was wanted the penniless crowds came
in weekly to ask the authorities TO help
them wiring their pittance from the con-
tractors, the men who applied for relief
to the directors of the poor the misera-
BILE victims with frozen feet who were
housed in an old sch d house in this
town at the expense of the citizens was
evidence and to spare.
The system upon which McCabe,
Noble and Strong have operated is in
violation of the laws of Pennsylvania,
as those laws now stand upon the
statute books. The law COmpels semi
monthly payments. Messrs. McCable,
Noble and Strong pay their employees
after deducting their purchases at the
commissary department, 80 cents for
medical attendance and other extras
on the Goth of every month, and no
oftener. Then they retain in hand 20
udOb pay VI tiCu llldu. w ltu lublT
unfortunate victim quits work he not
only has to invoke the aid of a justice
of the peace, but the contractors de-
duct go per cent from the money then
due the individual. There are scores of
labor unions in Pennsylvania; there are
factory inspectors and mine inspectors
and other kinds of inspectors, but nc
hand has been stretched forth to even
demand by what right this system of
employment, payment and usury is con.
Quoted.
1t can be proved by outside testimony
that these men were actually starved tC
death; that they, and others, were left
like poisoned dogs in horrible sheds
without fire and unattended TO die with
no hand to keep, no arm to save. 1t can
be proven that men were forced at the
point Of the revolver to work; that there
have been buried on the slopes Of these
mountains men who were inferred under
false pretense of disease when death
came from other causes. There are
men In these camps yet who can tell OF
unprovoked assaults; of men who had
to flee for their lives; of others who
sick of the tainted putrid food, who
were forced to lie out at night under the
stars because they could not endure the
horrible stencil and vermin in the habi
tations which were provided for them
and for which they paid the contractors