The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-10-26
ALWAYS IN PERIL.

How many of my readers can form any
idea of what the coal mines are like? or
what the lives of the brave mines are like.
I suppose they are few and far between.
So it is for the benefit of those who are I'M
acquainted with the ways and customs OF
the people themselves, as well as the means
by which they obtain their living, that
will endeavor to show from my own per-
sonal experience the many difficulties and
the few advantages the miner and his
family have to meet with. The occupation
of the miner is the most perilous, and at
tended by more hidden dangers than any
other calling on the face Of the earth, not
excepting any. The life Of the persons
who toll in the bowels of the earth is as
uncertain as a gambling device or any
game of chance. When they leave home in
the morning neither themselves or anyone
else can tell if they will ever return again.
You NAV say this is true in all walks in
life, but there is a vast difference in the
way you look at it, even if we admit there
is danger at all times and in all places.
How many of us know of the danger await
ing us? Very few. And if we did, how
MANY of us would 90 where we knew such
danger existed? Still fewer. But with
the miner it is Obligation and not choice
If at quitting, his place is what is termed
"on squeeze which means that the pill
lars or stumps of coal which are left to sup
port the top or roof, are being crushed by
superintendent pressue and are liable to
fall at any moment with a crash, instantly
killing whoever may be unfortunate
enough to be working in that portion of the
mine and perhaps completely shut off the
air and all means of exit from many other
poor fellows in some inside or lower work
ings until they meet death by suffocation.
The miner knew this was liable to happen
at any moment, still it was his duty to 20
there and try to prevent by ''timberine'
the place, such termination to the
"squeeze" as is described above But he
is a miner. and there is just as much sense
in going where the danger exists, III the
mine in which he is already employed, as
there would BE in going to another mine,
to encounter the same danger it is the
only way he has to earn bread for himself
and family, so he stays where he is, pre-
pared to meet the worst
Again, the miner instead of being the
rough, uncouth, almost savage person. that
some people in the large cities and many
other places believe him to be is the
bravest most courageous and self-sacrlicing
person alive. The sailor, fireman, rail-
roader and many others have all had their
praises sung for some brave act which they
performed, and well did many OF them
deserve IT. But the average miner has
more genuine heroic deeds to his credit
than all the others combined, and they are
all unnoticed only for the time being. This
assertion | will endeavor to prove from
time to time by giving the details of SER
eral accidents where the truest kind Of
heroism was displayed, even by miners in
fact and miners in prospective, for be it
known that factory life is not the only
phase of child labor in the State of Pennsyl-
yania, nor does it exceed in hardships,
the life of the child which is condemned
through poverty or righteousness of parents
to toll in or about the coal mines.
CHILD LABOR.
The law for the prevention of children
under twelve years Of age from being en-
ployed in any bituminous and anthracite
coal mine, is daily and hourly disregarded
and evaded false representations are made
by parents and guardians, acquiesced in
and reported by the employer.
Boys really under ten years of age, are
asserted to be above twelve, and boys from
even to nine are represented to be ten
years Of age and over Such representations