Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-09-29
WANT THEM TO REMAIN.
COAL COMPANIES FEAR THE EXO-
DUS OF YOUNG MEN.
Counteracting the Desire of the Rising
Generation to Go Elsewhere by Build
ing Club Houses and Aiding Them to
Advance Themselves.

| Generation to Go Elsewhere by Build
ing CIub-Houses and Aiding Them to
| Advance Themselves.
The young men Of this part Of the
coal field have flowed outward in a
steady stream for five years or more
past. This depletion in the homes of
the mining villages has of late caused
more or less concern to the managers of
mining corporations of the vicinity.
| The young man is still a necessary part
of the equipment OF any properly con-
Quoted coliery. Machinery and foreign
labor have displaced them in many
vocatons about the mines, but there is
yet abundant use for tho activity,
energy and brightness of tho American
boy, and, try as they will, the time has
not yet arrived when coal companies
can run their huge plants without him.
Hence the departure and continued
absence of the boys, unnoticed at first
by the coal officials, has lately assumed
a position among their troublesome
questions, and efforts are now being
made to induce the young men to remain
here, instead of going off to seek that
higher and more ideal life craved by
youthful nature, which in the past was
not to be found in the monotonous
existence which was a boys lot in the
coal region.
With this object in view, to make
their evenings and leisure hours more
pleasant than heretofore, club-houses
and rooms are being built in the mining
towns, wherein the younger employees
can meet and derive, to a limited extent
at least, the advantages to be gained by
associating with one another, each CIV
ing to his fellows the benefit OF his
knowledge in some particular branch of
education or sport, all reaping some
thing from the whole, and the result
tending to bring them nearer to those
attributes which go to make man better
and nobler.
A room Of this description has for
some years been maintained at Jcddo
by the Progressive Club. Jeddo today
has triple the number of young men of
any town in the coal fields, in proper
tion to population. The desire to
wander off has been reduced to mini
mum, and this fact has not escaped the
attention of John Markle, the head of
the firm at that place. To assist the
boys in their elevating work he has
offered to build the organization club
house which will meet their demands
more fully than their present quarters.
Work upon the structure will soon begin.
1t will be a two-story building, with
basement. A steam heating plant will be
installed, and the club will add largely to
its present library and furnish the house
throughout.
Previously ball has been held in
Freeland annually on Thanksgiving Eve
by the club, to procure the necessary
revenue to maintain it's room. Under
an agreement made with Superinten-
dent Smith, of the Markle firm, who is
also Interested in the clubs work, this
form OF raising money will hereafter
be dispensed with, and donation OF $50
| will be made to the Progressive Club by
Mr.. Smith every Thanksgiving.
Tho company will also erect club
house at Oakdale for the young residents
OF that town.
A year ago the Cross Creek Coal Com
pany presented the young men of Drift
ton with building for purposes similar
to those outlined above, and few
weeks ago completed another building
at the ball park in that town, designed
and adapted for the use Of the Fearnots
Athletic Association.
This interest which the coal com
panies of our vicinity are taking in on
couraging the young to stay here is
truly cOmmendable, and with little
more humanity shown all their employees
during working hours, will go farther to
establish friendly feelings and harmoni-
GUS relations between capital and labor
in our midst than any person can
predict. Every such movement OF the
corporations, having the advancement
of man as one OF its objects, even though
the main incentive in inaugurating it
may be personal one, will rebound to
their credit and will be appreciated by
the benefciaries.
|