The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-04-17

PITTSBURGH, Pa, April 16.-The
Dispatch tomorrow viii say:
"The legislative committee that IS IN
yestlgatIng the condition OF the miners
OF the Pittsburgh district, completed
their second day OF personal inspection
among the mines to-day. and story OF
the scenes OF misery. destitution and
want that the investigators witnessed.
would MI many large columnA When
the work was finished, the members oe
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 TO-
day was In and about Banning, on the
Pittsburgh &: Lake Erie railroad, about
forty miles above Pittsburgh.
The mines are located at Banning
Station, and are worked by about ono
hundred miners. One half Of thai num-
Der could easily do the work, for the
men do not Gst more than two or three
days q week. When they do work, tho
cars are so scarce that no matter how
hard they try, they are unable to make
more than dollar a day at the outside
and very much more frequently their
pay for the day Is from twenty-five to
| i(ty cents. The greater part OF these
employees ore foreigners, there being but
ten American born fa1nihes In the enc
| tire number.
Alongside the depot IS a row Of sheds,
one story high and built Of unplAned
| boards. The building Is about one hu4,-
dred feet long by twelve feet deep. II 4s
| divided into three departments, for each
OF which the inhabitants pay IS per
month to the company. The shed stands
| upon posts, and a small lake Of tQul
/ smelling water covers the ground under
/ Il. In this building one hundred per-
sons live, crowded together like ants IN
q heap. In the winter time, IT 10 GAad.
four OF them will lie down in beds
place O covering over themselves, ana
then as many more lay on top OF Them
When the weather Is warm enough
their bed 10 on the floor. Bread and
water forms the greater part OF their
food, with canned Sardines and cheese
occasionally, as luxuEie.s
A little farther up the streams are e.
number OF frame buildings which an
swer the purpose OF houses There "a
absolutely no drainage, and, under each
house q pool OF stagnant water stands
(he year around. All the refuse B dump
ed into the little stream, and q spring.
on one side OF K, iB the only place for
the miners and their families 10 secure
water, All OF It has 70 be boiled. and
then the odor that Il euits Is SUFFICIENT
10 turn the stomach OF the average
man. There has been much sickness
and a. number OF deaths lately, all OF
which are blamed on tho surroundingS.
The cornpany owns miserable novels
which shelter the Inhabitants. One OF
the most wFetched is a shed BY about
Isx20 feet. For this hovel the company
receives S4 per month. and It would cost
about S25 10 build Il. The occupants @
tbis house arc Peter Jones, his wife ana
child and eight boarders." Where these
eleven persons manage to hnd room
enough TO stretch out at night is mys-
| ferv Inside there was varied assort-
ment of furniture for the cooking. eat
ing and sleeping is oil done in the ono
WV SSVe tust manage to live" said Mrs.
ZONES, :but II 1t was not for the board
eTs that we keep, Peter could GOT mako
enough in the mines to keep US nom
starvation"