The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-07-19
talk said to . gentleman who was in
vestigating the matter:

It has been horrible. When these men took
sick, there was no place for them to go except
to lie in the shack. Well, sir. I've seen sick
men-men suffering from pneumonia and from
typhoid fever-tossing on their bunks eaten
up with fever, and no one to give them 8 drink
Of water. -he other men were compelled to
sleep under the same roof. I've seen men in
delirium moan and talk and gable and no.
body pay any attention to them. They had
doctors, for the boss assesses every man 50
cents . month for doctors attendance, but
what could they do? They would come and
visit the men, leave medicine for them and di-
rections what to do. When they would return
the next day, the medicine was standing where
they had left 1t. unopened and untouched.
There was no one to give the sick and dying
fellows glass of water even. unless the cook
or q scullion would 60 to attend to them.
I've heard the doctors order food and nour-
tshment for the men, and when the doctors
were gone that was the end of it. No atten-
ton was paid to their orders. I've heard doc
tors-I guess there was one to each camp-beg
and pray that the men be given some attea-
ton, but that was all the good it did.
My Godl 1t was awful to come into that
shack day after day and see those poor fell
lows white and thin and so weak they couldn't
speak, roll their eyes around. Some of us
would do what we could. but it was mighty
little at best The bosses charged the men for
medical attendance and yet provided no at
tendants for them in case of sickness
There have been mysterious shootings
in these camps. Negroes have been shot
By their bosses for the slightest offenses
or no ofense at all. The bodies have
been mysteriously buried on the noun
tainside. The graves bear no headboards
or other marks to tell whose remains lie
beneath, and it is doubtful if any one
can fit the names to the graves.
The following ringing arraignment of
the murderers and the authorities of
Monroe county is from the Scranton
Truth:
treatment Of the workmen employed in the
construction of the Wilkesbarre and Eastern
railroad through Monroe county show a condi-
ton of affairs more heartless and inhuman
than any that ever existed under the shadow
of slavery in the south. That men who labor
should be subjected to such cruelty in this age
OF enlightenment seems Incredible, but the
facts brought to light appear to be too well au-
thenticated to leave room for doubt on the
subject, and it would seem that opportunity is
all some selfish bosses and men drivers need in
order to assert their sway in a manner as in
famous as that which obtains in Siberia under
the rule of the car.
Of the men, women and children who fled into
the Pocono wilderness to escape the horrors of
the Wyoming massacre won for that inhos-
pitable region the uninviting name of the
shades of DEATH but the advent Of railroads
and summer homes in various parts of the
grimly titled territory has done rluch to con-
sign the old title to oblivion. 1t will be revived
however, by this latest story Of cruelty, which
tells of the tyrannical treatment of the poor
men employed to build the WilkeSbarre and
Eastern road. The manner in which they have
been housed, fed, starved. whipped and in
some instances done to death and consigned to
desOlate graves in the wilderness forms one of
the most thrilling chapters of real life that
have been recently given to the public, and it
is high time the authorities called q firm halt
upon such brutality.
The arrest Of the tyrannical bosses and the
forfeiture of the cOmpany's charter ought to
be possible without delay. 1t is burning dis
grace to Pennsylvania that so gross an outrage
can be perpetrated upon its soil in this Column
bian year, while Liberty bell invites the admira-
ton of the world in the White City at Chicago,
and societies for the prevention of cruelty to
animals are laboring SO zealously TO see that
the horses employed in the great cowboy race
are treated with consideration and kindness.
Surely our civilization has not reached such
pass that our humanitarians, who show so
much solicitude for animals, can be indj fferent
to the sufferings of men who are treated worse
than dumb, driven cattle; worse than the helots
Of ancient Sparta. without protest and with
out such action as will bring the brutal task
masters of these humble breadwinners to &C
count. The exposure Of the cruelty practiced
upon the wretched laborers employed in con-
structing the Wilkesbarre and Eastern road
should be followed swiftly by the prosecution
of every man who is responsible for the out
rage.