The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-06-06

The following concerning a flag rals-
ing at Lattimer, Luzerne county, the
scene of the trouble between strikers
and deputy sheriffs last September, Is
from the New York Commercial AdNer-
tiser:
Hundreds of feet below. and to the
northward. lies Butler valley, hve lnlleS
wide and twice that in length, Nhlte
farm houses and red barns DOT the
green fields, and light yellowish streaks
running at right angles show Wnlther
clay roads lead. From tn" summit ol
the steep ridge whcrcupon | stand one
may look over the tops of tan trees 10
the green meadows below ana thch'
turning toward tn" south. behold be-
Nond him the anthracite coilicry OF
Iattimer. with its hundred miserable
shantics near at hand occupied by Io-
lack, Sicilian, Tyrolcan, Slovak and
Italian miners; then it's score OF rail-
road tracks, it's black culm banks ris'
ing far above ground and higher yet
its tall ungainly breakers.
Reyond these may be seen the com
pany store and Offices and across a
wide roadway upon which stands Il
trolley car are more substantial build
ings, cottages and tenements occupied
by other mine workers-Germans
Welsh Irish" "English-spoken,' as
they arc called. to distinguish them
from the foreigners, who have come
hither from Mediterranean ports.
SOLDIERS WERE THERE.
When last was in Lattiner. during
September. 1897. rows Of white tents
were half hidden in the grove. mile
away. Sentries paced through the
huckleberry bushes here upon the
ridge. Yonder, at the summit of that
huge pile of slate and culm, was a
signal station of the Thirteenth Penn
sylvania, and other stations formed
chain over the mountain connecting
Iattimer with General Gobin'S head
quarters i'm Hazleton, five miles dis
tant. Far away toward the west,
where the trolley tracks cross the
highway and where one or two goats
and a few cows are browsing, curiosity
seekers were out i'm force, last Septcm-
ber digging bullets from stumps and
telegraph poles, for there it was that
Sheriff Martins little company of dep
uties fired upon and turned back a
mob of a thousand Slovaks, POlacks
and Italians. who, maddened by fren-
zied speeches Of their leaders, We're
rushing upon Lattimer
A gentle breeze springs up and smoke
is blown away so that the Culm pile
is shown distinctly. There on top,
where. bayonets glinted and signals
flashed a year ago, stand a dozen wo-
men and children, their gaily Colored
clothing proclaiming them foreigners.
The breeze increases, and brings with
it, family, the roll and snap of drums.
Natural curiosity impels one to descend
from the ridge, and Fastening down
its steep side, two little girls are met
running away from the village and
toward the ridge as fast as their
twinkling bare feet will carry them.
Where are you going?"
Going home. over the mountain" D"
they reply in unison.
What is the trouble in Lattimer?"
'Strike!" the larger girl cries, as she
darts past. Her small sister says
nothing; she is saving her breath for
the steep ascent before her.
DRUMS AND FIFEs.
This information causes me to hasten
down the mountain side ana across the
level space toward the village. Could
- ~ p'S'A'iV NllelN tll'lutl Slllhb really
had been declared? The drums can
be heard plainly now, and the shril
whistle of flies And here the foreign
women are gathering in groups among
their shanty homes, listening or talk
ing, but all eagerly looking far across
the next hollow to the company offices
and the homes of the English spoken 8
! stop long enough to shout:
What's the natter" and an old
italian woman points with both hands
toward her shanty. At the apex of the
ragged roof ilUtters an American flag
1t is small and torn and dirty, but il
is the flag, after all. The old woman
jabbers away in her dialect, which. Of
course, is not understood Then she
places her hands on her hips, wifi
arms akmho, throws back her head
and, lifting her feet high in air, steps
down the alley with all the airs be.
longing to the drum major of a buCulic
brass band. Again she points to tn,
little flag and again l shake my heaC
and hurry on.
II is easy to understand that parade
is in progress, but for what purpos,
are the men marching? At the frs
sound Of the drums over there neal
No. 3 breaker the foreign miners neal
No. drop their work and seize clubs
pieces Of scrap iron and stones, ant