The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1894-03-17
FROM HOMESTEAD.
Samuel Dunlap Sends Greeting to Old
M0rgantown Friends.

HOMESTEAD, Pa, Mar. I2-ATriv-
ing here as stranger about the first
thing that strikes you is mud; and
the last thing is the cinder smasher
of your boarding house proprietor,
in case you attempt to jump your
board bill (this am told by friend
as a warning).
Some of the streets are well grad
ed, and macadamized. Where this is
done, those owning property on eth
er side pay one third of the expense
leaving only the one third to be paid
by the city. Owners then have the
privilege of paving the side walks of
their property adjoining such streets
or not paving just as it may suit
their inclination or circumstances
Some are laying down first class paw
ing stone; some use brick. / am told
there is nothing compulsory about
laying pavements so far as the Dor
ough is concerned.
| am reliably informed that bust
ness here is steadily improving; this
the officers say, is shown by the dali
ly increase ofmaterial shipped away,
such increase aggregating as much
as twenty car loads per day; as com
pared with shipments two months
past.
have not yet met Mr. Carnegie;
perhaps he does not even know that
am here, but nevertheless | intend
to apply for pass, in order to visit
the works inside the enclosure, and
if l am successful will at some fu-
ture time give you an account of
such observations as may seem worth
writing. | do not find such hide
Gus looking class of people here as |
had expected, judging from reading
the Pittsburg dailies and other pub
locations purporting to give the sit
uation of business at such manufac-
turing centers as this. The workmen
and towns-people are quite a social
and genteel class, so far as my ex-
perience has gone. | notice a great
many colored laborers here, and am
told they are much more numerous
now, than previous to the great strike
in 1892 There is also an absence
of loafers; every one seems to be EN-
ployed, and when the half past five
whistle sounds and some two thous
and men take up their dinner pals
and start out, and are met at the
gate by a similar number passing in
to go on the night turn, it looks to
corner loafer, aud grumbler as
though he had better stand "leetle
round if he does not want to be
trodden underfoot by an honest son
of toll. Did you ever notice the diff
ference in the countenance of man
going TO, or returning from his work
when compared with that of daily
growler2
Rents here have been lowered con
siderably. This is chiefly owing to
the steel company purchasing
tract of land and building during
the dull period over two hundred
and fifty houses; not cheap and I'M
tidy shanties, but neat and substan
tial buildings with six and eight
and some ten rooms, furnished with
modern appliances for health and
convenience. This was certainly a
most commendable move on the part
of the company. They purchased
the material at low figures and yet
lumber dealers were pleased with the
opportunity afforded for selling, as
many of them were from necessity
quite anxious to realize. And then
the workmen employed on these
buildings were also fortunate during
such dull times. And last, but not
least, now the employers are furnish
ed comfortable homes, at less rent
than at any previous period And
since we have them so pleasantly To-
Gated perhaps it would be best to
let them enjoy their rest, promising
to again write and tell what we learn
inside the "Steel Works at Home
stead"
SAMUEL DUNLAP.