The Democratic advocate., 1897-05-08
4 TERRIBLE STORY.
The Condition of Some of the Miners
Near Pittsburg, Pa.
From the Pittsbnrg Dispatch.

The Legislative Committee that is investi-
eating the condition of the miners OF the
Pittsburg district completed It's second day
of personal inspection among the miners last
Saturday a week. When the work was fn-
ished. the members of the committee made
the statement that no such suffering was ever
known by them to exist before, and they are
we'll convinced that something must be done,
and at once, to alleviate the condition OF the
unfortunate thousands who are IN the district;
The territory that was inspected was IN and
about Banning, on the T. and l.. Z. h. H.,
about forty miles above Pittsburg. Ihe NIL
ners are unable to make more than dollar
day at the outside, and very much more fire.
ouentIy their pay for the day is from twenty
FIVE TO fifty cents. The greater part of these
employees are foreigners, there being but ten
American born families in the entire number.
Alongside the depot is a row of sheds, one
story high. and built of unplaned boards.
The building is about 100 feet long and Il
feet deep. 1t is divided into three depart
ments for each of which the inhabitants pay
So per month to the company. The shed
stands on posts, and a small lake offoul water
covers the ground under it.
In this building 100 people live. In the
winter time, it is said, four of them would lie
down in bed, place a cover over themselves,
and as many more lay on top of them, their
heads in an opposite direction When the
weather is warm enough their bed is on the
floor. Bread and water form the greater part
of their food, with canned sardines and cheese
occasionally as luxuries.
A little further up the stream are number
of frame buildings, which answer the purpose
of houses. There is absolutely no drainage,
and under each house pool of stagnan water
l. 4I,o orouDA A III tho pafiJSa IS
dumped into the little stream, and spring on
one side of it is the only place for the miners
and their families to secure water. There
has been much sickness and number of
deaths lately. all of which are blamed on the
surroundings.
After leaving the settlement in and about
Banning, the Committee went to Jacobs
Creek. about three miles below Banning,
where the Darr Mines of Osborne & Sager are
located. The condition of the miners here is
worse, if anything, than at the mines at Ban
ming The men work from three to four days
a week, but the wages they receive are so
small that they can scarcely manage to exist.
The greater part Of the miners are foreigners,
with a good sprinkling of Americans and
some negroes.
The company owns the miserable novels
which shelter the inhabitants One of the
most wretched is a shed about 19 by II feet.
For this hove the company receives S4 per
month, and it would cost about S25 to build
it. The occupants of these houses are Peter
Jones, his wife and child, and eight board
ers. Where these eleven persons manage
10 find room enough to stretch out at night is
a mystery Inside there was varied assort-
ment of furniture, for the cooking, eating and
sleeping is all done in one room.
s'We Just manage to live," said Mrs. Jones;
s'but if it wasn't for the boarders that we keep,
Peter could not make enough in the mines to
keep us from starvation.