The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-07-20
Mine LAWS Violated
Attributed Principally 10 The AVarlCe Of The
Parents
BOYS UNDER AGE EMPLOYED
Condition of Affairs Not the Fault of
the Operators, Who Have Been De-
liberately Imposed Upon-A Serious
Question from a Medical and Moral
Point Of vew-Many Physicians
Express Themselves Freely.

The article in this department of
The TRIBUNE week ago, calling at
tention to the fact that many boys were
employed in and about the mines of the
North End who have not yet attained
the age required by law. attract ed
much attention and was commented
upon extensively. An old man, an ex-
perienced miner. who has been en-
ployed in digging dusky diamonds for
the greater part of his life. said to the
reporter yesterday:
1T makes me quite sick to see the
mere children who are working in and
about the mines hereabOuts. The pa
rents Of these children are the ones
who are to blame. Instead of sending
their offspring to school. avaricious-
ness and in some cases poverty. causes
these parents to send the boys to work
at a. very tender age. 1t is not the
fault of the operators. for it is no ad-
vantage to them to employ these
youths. They are deliberately imposed
upon by parents and guardians who
wilfully misrepresent the age of the
boys for the purpose of securing en-
ploymsnt for them"
"The matter is worthy OF attention;
first because there is q clear infringe
ment of the law which states that boys
under IA shall not be employed IN the
mines and boys under IL in the break
ers. Notwithstanding this many boys
are met returning home from work
who freely confess to ages OF 0, 10 and
II years"
MEDICAL ASPECT OF CASE.
From medical point of view there
is still more ground to attack the sys
tenn, as the future Of these poor boys is
decided and the decision is cruel one.
Crippled in the years when their de-
velopment should be free and unre-
strained the effects upon their whole
lives is pitiable. In mentioning the
matter to some North End medical
men THE TRIBUNE reporter elected the
following remarks
DR.. Sullivan, one Of ttN Oldest prac-
titiouers, stated: "The employment of
these little boys at such an early age
and under SUCH unhealthy conditions
must tend to deter very much their
physical and mental development and, ,
l might add, moral development also. ="
DR.. Dome: "From my professional
experience among these boys, l have
had every opportunity Of witnessing
the great harm wrought upon them in
preventing the maturing of their physi d.
cal and mental faculties. Their I'D
vancement is checked and as a result
their employment is dangerous to their
present health, and especially does it
SOW the seeds of disease for the future.
1t must be condemned from the physi.
cal aspects Of the matter"
DR.. Smith: mot only does it inter-
fere with the present development of
the boys but their future welfare as
well as that of their offsprings is a,
stake, For example one of the first
questions asked when a child is brought
to physician is the family history OF
the patient and probably heart OF
lung trouble may be directly traced to
abuse in the early days of the father
due to inhalation Of the dust of coal
breaker or lifting Of heavy weights in
the mine while the organs were devel.
oping. This feature alone from a ply =
sicsl standpoint is sufficient to con-
denim the employment Of these little
boys in the breakers and mines to say
nothing from moral po Mt of view"