Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-09
With the National Guard of Mary
land.
EFFECT OF THEIR new EXPERIENCE
What Are the Demands of the
Miners.
THEIR SIDE OF THE CASE
Special From a Staff Correspondent.

Il L
en- half an hours notice. and did not have
time to buy even a sandwich, and, in fact,
l had only forty cents in my pocket when
came to this cruel war. l had a pair of
shoes on, but they have seen wear and
they show it,"
The condition of this one soldier gives an
idea of the condition of the men who were
suddenly called out to suppress disorders
in the Maryland coal fields at this point,
ard the general lack Of clean collars,
changes of raiment. etc.. among the soldiers
is the one thing that mars the general good
feeling.
The two regiments now here have gone
into what will serve as their summer en-
campment and there is no doubt that the
planned encampment at Frederick junction
In July Will be abandoned. The encamD-
ment will be. therefore, one of the most
business-like affairs in the history of the
National Guard. Opinion among the SOL
diers as to how they like turning the affair
varied character. Gen. Douglass in speak
ing to me today on the subject, stated that
this camp would certainly be the only out
ing that these two regiments would get
this year. The state. he thought. would
not be justified in paying for an additional
camp OF instruction. The troops were
necessary here, and no better training could
be found for the men than the practical
work to be done
The general paid q high tribute to the
Maryland guard, which, he said, with a few
weeks service, would harden into as fine
body of troops as there were In the world.
In praising the troops the general was
performing only an oct Of justice 1t was
= o'clock on Tuesday before the actual ORDER
was issued for the troops to move; by I
O'Clock the men we're at the armories; by
O'Clock the next morning they were at
Frostburg, and al daylight they were guard
mines having m n aH x,aila
through driving and cold rain. and with
empty stomachs at that This encampment
VIII instill more real soldier into the troops
fhan haif dozen Of the ordinary affairs.
instead of clashng bands and bevies of ad-
miring girls. the troops have a lone drum
corps and the wives and daughters of the
miners, who peep curiousiy at the boys In
blue. Instead of glittering morning drill the
program takes in a daybreak march TO the
mines and a two hours guard. Instead of
tancy guard mounts there are ali-night
patrols or dark and rough roads and streets
The New Camp.
However, the camp is pitched on a lovely
spot. there is plenty Of water, pure air and
splendid scenery, and there will probably
be plenty of fun in the affair. The camp
is much closer to the mines TO be protect
cd than the railroad cars and the troops
will be saved some disagreeable marches
Already telephone and telegraph connec-
tons have been made, and headquarters
are now in communicat ton both with the
town and with all of the affected mines
Previous TO the move the daybreak march
es of the men were from two to four miles
and return. The longest march was to
Vale Summit, where miners spoke of the
Hoffman and Pompey mines 1t was not
the distance to this place but something
he heard on the road, that gave one officer
of the fifth nervous shock. This special
captain one cold gray morning was leading
his company along the road with orders
to prevent any intimidation of miners GO
ing TO work, and making some inquiries
of man on the road he spoke of the Pom
pey mine. That mine said the native.
lis on FIRE"
Immediately the gallant captain forgot
the rain, forgot that he was hungry. and
was all life and animation.
Good heavens, man, on fire? You don't
say, What's to be done? Sergeant. send
a man back to tell the general the Pompey
mine Is on fire. Some of the strikers work,
/ guess. Now, then. we will double quick
up there and form a bucket brigade. any,
way. My, My, Haven't you got fire de-
partment around here? How long has it
been burning"
The native took contenpiative chew of
tobacco. and then spoke calmly. He was
not a Bit excited over the fire.
/ How long has she been burning? Let IS
see About as near as / can remember,
she's been burning now close onto twenty
years"
The Pompey mine has been on fire nearly
ing there at all times.
The Maryland Miner.
The Maryland coal miner is a very much
superior class of man to his brothers in
many other sections. A large proportion of
the men around here are intelligent and
shrewd. A large number are Of Scotch and
| Welsh descent. and their fathers before
| them mined coal in this region. There are
very few foreigners of recent importation
in this SECTION. large number of the
miners are thrifty end saving and the homes
and surroundings are neat and tidy in APP
pearance That men OF this class should
need the presence of troops among them Is
somewhat strange, and, OF course, there are
many different sides to the question. AS
has been said, the opinion of citizens not
miners in this neighborhood Is divided on
the ACCESSIBILITY OF bringing the troops UP
here. Some hold that their presence was
entiI ely uncalled for. while others hold that
the prompt arrival warded off a serious riot
with probable bloodshed. Nearly all Of the
merchants and business men of Frostburg
itself are of this latter belief They say
that the trouble had commenced and was
steadily on the Increase. The disturbances
OF Monday, they say, grew into violence on
Tuesday morning, dynamiting on Tuesday
| night, and would have ended in serious
riotng on Wednesday.
Outside of the question of the need of the
troops is the question of the causes leading
up to the whole affair. On this also the
. opinions OF ultfeTent men are radically SeDa-
rated The strikers have a point of view
and the operators another. There is then
the miners who continue to work and the
class which might be termed the expert
, lockers on.
What the Miners Want.
The strikers are somewhat chary of in
tercourse with strangers, and especially
with newspaper men. Their demands. how
ever, are concise. They want so cents a
! tor for mining coal, they want the tax for
sharpening tools reduced or abolished and
| they demand check weighmen of their own.
! One of the local strike leaders in talking 10
me on the subject OF the grievances said
( that he believed thoroughly that the posi-,
! ton of the men was a just one throughout
/ To mine coal. he said. at "a certs a ton was
simply Il question of semi starvation.
! ''At that rate man could not earn
: enough by ten or twelve hours hard work
( TO make both ends meet ii he had a family
to support, as nearly all cid. The way
! things were in the mines at - cents, a man
{ could not earn much over eight dollars a
week. out of this he had to pay house rem,
and feed and clothe his family and himself
At the conference with the operators ir
under existing circumstances could not pay
more than 10 cents a ton, but that as sooI
( as there was an advance in coal the old
. price of 30 cents would be paid. Well. there
{ has been an advance in coal, but there has
been no advance in wages, and the ex ira II
! cents ton up TO the strike went into The
pockets OF the companies instead of to the
/ workers, where tt was needed to keep sou
! and body together.