Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-02
WHERE THE STRIKERS LIVE
Description Of One of the Ohio Mining Dis
tricts.
Dirty, I1-Kept Homes-Natural Op-
portunittes Ncglected-TOO Little
Work and Too Much IdIeness.

A resident of this city who has Just re-
| turned from the west has written the fol-
| lowing regarding his impressions of the
| mining districts where the strike is In
progress:
l have just been through one of the
| panic-stricken mining districts of Ohio
and l presume the conditions prevailing
| there are a fair sample of the situation In
| other sections of Ohio and in the coal min
| ing portions of Indiana. I found, of course,
the typical mining settlements. with rows
of dingy, dilapidated tenements, with no
attempts at cleanliness, neatness or order,
which might be obtained by the miners
without expense Of a dollar. 1 found the
company stores.' and by hanging around
these for a few hours learned the prices
Of many of the commodities sold to the
miners. Some prices were lower and some
higher than In the country stores about
Washington. Many Of the purchases were
charged" to be settled for when work is
| resumed at the mines. I found the saloons
patronized, but the saloon keepers COM
planned of business being dull. so 1 suppose
the strike is inturing their "trade;" yet
the saloon keeper appeared to be the most
prosperous man there, and l have no
doubt his receipts for the past two years
would provide food and clothing for every
family in that community during the
strike.
1 found the women. many of them, stand
ing about gossping ard discussing the
strike and their men, and complaining
bitterly of their oppressors.
In talking with some Of the strikers
found that many of them would like to
return to work, but feared their leaders,
While others wanted to fight 1t out. believ-
ing that In the end they would succeed
I found all around this settlement waste
land, which, IL cultivated would yield suf-
hcient to keep some of these families all
winter, but save few little patches of
potatoes and cabbages, tended by the wo-
men and children. no attempt had been
made to utilize this land, the use of which
for such purposes could be had for the
aeking. In the agricultural section Of this
county l found acres Of sugar or sweet
corn drying the stalks because the
market price did not warrant pulling
and hauling or shipping it, At the county
seat l attended base ball game, which
was well attended at a5 cents head, and
the local paper ar nounced that their team
had been so successful that several hum
dreo dollars had been subscribed as a do
nation to Its members. In another part of
the same paper the fact was made known
that the available funds for the striking
miners would yield only 50 cents a family.
The stores seemed to be well patronized
by the farmers. judging from the numbers
OF apparent purchasers going and coming.
Some Conclusions.
Ny conclusions from what I have seen
ard heard in the coal districts of both
Pennsylvania and Ohio are:
1. That the chief trouble with the miners
is that they are employed under the best
conditions. for only portion of each year
leaving the balance Of the time In which to
loaf. drink and gamble.
2. That when at work. they are not paid
enough to average fair wages for the whole
year.
3. That they are ignorant and thriftless
as q class.
4. That toe large a proportion OF their
earnings goes to the GROCERIES.
5. That they are too often led astray nv
leaders who are venal and use their posi.
tons simply as a means Of featherfna their.
own nests, either politically or financially.
The leaders are selected because of their
loud voices and glib tongues.
9. The operators take advantage OF all
OF the foregoing conditions to line their
own pockets. excusing their actions with
the reflection that they are business men
and not philanthropists.
4. The competition between thu coal.
producing sections Of Pennsylvania, Ohio.
Indiana and Illinois is 50 close that II Il
constant warfare between the operators.
ana every point IL taken advantage on
Labor. being an important factor In cost Of
production, and being easier to manipulate