The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-04-17
SUFFERINCS OF
THE MINERS !
Piuable Condition Of Men Who RISK
Life For Bread.
LIVING IN RRETCHED SQUALOR


Pittsburg April 17-The legislative
committee that is investigating the
condition OF the miners of the Pitts
burg district completed its second day
Of personal inspection among the min-
ers yesterday When the work was I'm
ished the members of the committee
made the statement that no such suf-
fering was ever known by them to
exist before and they are wen con-
vinoed 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 Pitts
burg and Lake Erie railroad about 40
miles above Pittsburg. The miners are
unable to make more than a dollar
day at the outside, and very more fire.
quently their pay for the day is from
% to so cents. The greater part of
these employees are foreigners. there
being but ten American born families
in the entire number
Alongside the depot is row Of sheds
one story high and built of unplaned
boards. The building is about 100 feet
long by II feet deep. 1t is divided into
three DEPARTMENTS. for each of which
the inhabitants pay Sc per month TO
the com 9anY The shed stands on
posts, and q small lake Of foul water
covers the ground under IT, In this
building 100 people live In the winter
time, il is said, four of them would
lie i'm bed, place a cover over them
selves, and as many more lay on top
OF them, their heads in the opposite di-
aaff Ion
enough their bed is on the floor Bread
and water forms the greater part Of
their food with canned sardines and
cheese occasionally as luxuries.
a little further up the stream are a
number of frame buildings which an
swer the purpose of houses. There is
absolutely no drainage, and under each
house a pool of stagnant water stands
the year round. All the refuse As
dumped into the little stream, and
spring on one side of 1t Is the only place
for the miners and their families to Sc
cure water. There has been much
sickness and a number of deaths late
ly, all of which are blamed on the sur
roundings.
After leaving the settlement in and
about Banning the committee went to
Jacobs Creek, baout three miles below
Banning where the Darr mines Of Os-
borne & Sager are located. The condition
of the miners here is worse, if any
thing, than at the mines at Banning.
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 min
ers are foreigners, with good sprink-
ling of Americans, and some negroes.
The company owns the miserable
novels which shelter the inhabitants.
One of the most wretched is a shed
about IS by u feet For this hovel the
company receives "a 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
"boardeTs,,,' Where these Il persons
manage to find room enough to stretch
cut at night is a mystery. Inside there
was varied assortment of furniture
for the cooking, eating and sleeping Is
all done IN one room.
Owe just manage to live" said Mrs.
Jones, but if it wasn't for the board
ers that we keep Peter could not make
enough In the mines to keep US from
starvation"