Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1900-10-04
A STRIKERS HOME.
How the semi-slaves OF Coal
Barons Live. Pathetic
Side OF Great Strike.


\ broken into commercial sizes, tile chill
dren are accustomed TO work At picking
slate. Along the valleys are artificial
mounds, mountains Of coal refuse or
clum. Black, grim bluffs they are, sui
len and blemishing. Where the raw
earth starts between these piles 10 called
strippings.
4 Among these hills, ugly and gannt,
rise little villages. Rows and rows Of
black ehanties rise in q ragged edge
against the sky, making weird outline
| picture.
Tho day was cold and raw. Few peo-
pie were In the streets, but the windows
were crowded With faces.
stop here, r ! said 10 the driver, II
am going TO make some calls.D
A moment later stool at the door
Of miners home. A woman, with a
baby on one arm and leading d little boy
| by the hand, met me at the entrance,
as though to prevent further progress.
She was young woman, an American,
and she was proud. Her cheeks flushed
and the color spread over her brow, down
TO the calico band at her throat. Never
theless, when asked II | might come
In, she stepped back with native courte-
sy.
| ,''It Is not much 81 place 10 come In
to; it's as bare home as you're likely
TO have seen, but snch 40 1t IL you're
welcome"
The inside of the house was less elo-
quent than Its back exterior; its appear
ance was even more intense witneas
70 poverty. The bare rafters Of the
ceilings were whitswashed. Some cheap
| prints we're on the wall. II had intend
ed fixing up little," said the young
matron. II was going to get some
calico TO tack on the rafters, but can't
do IL now, Of course; my mans on Q
strike. /"
"Oh. yes" she went on, Eve have
enough to eat just yet, but the company
stores can't be expected to give trust
during strike. and the stores at Hazel
ton say they ain't going TO trust any.
They hain't shut down on Us yet. |
suppose we'll get some money from the
union, but It's certain to be short ra-
tions."
"Do you worry about it7' asked
tboughtlessly.
IVORY, ma'am," and she looked her
answer. ME and my man we could
get along, but It's the children; l tell
yon that hurts
The blue-eyed baby stared solomnly
and sucked its fist.
4 "As long As any neighbor has got any
thing" put 10 q cheerful-iaced Irish
woman, who was talking 1t over in the
kitchen, ''she'll set II out and we'll all
share alike.n
i Father Phillips told me this morning
to seek the light as well as the shadows.
lie warned me that In visiting the vii
lagos should find poverty, but he de-
clared destitution did not exist, as the
charities reached ont 10 prevent that.
"The evils Of the villages OF Lehigh
valley mines," said the Father. "are
caused by the same reasons from which
suffering 10 Ireland came about-absen'
tee landlordlstn.n
! / have talked to one striker. At
wilkesbarre stepped of the Black Dia'
mond special Of the Lehigh Valley rail-
road to get the local running down the
valley 10 Hazelton. | had been ridine
In the observation car watching with de-
, light the beautiful valley views of
through the hills, scarcely realizing thai
the coal fields we're growing into ths
environments as we whirled along. II
the station at Wilkeaharre | saw row
OF children sitting alone In their nea
little gingham pinalores and kits. One
! child. scarcely thirteen, was acting a
, a mother; the smallest one was bab,
3 In her arms.
"what. seven babiesl" | cried. "Al
/ alone! Where is motherY"
"Mother gone 10 look for work." an
0 swered the biggest girl.
All the children looked peekid AM
pensive. Not one wriggled out Of hi
seat In play. At a nearby counter old
fashioned sticks Of candy could be had
| bought some, and no sooner did ever
! child clutch eagerly at stick Of tn
proifered sweetmeat than a father an
mother hurried in breathless, just re
: turned from vain search for work.
: "Thank you, lady," said the fathel
.'for being so good to our little ones,
and the mothers face frightened u
with pleasure at the trifling attention.
\ "Are you a striker2" asked wit
n sudden inspiration.
y II am, lady, God help u.s." answere
= the man, passionately.
!. l was amazed at his sudden harin
excitement.
"There, there, Jim, don't cry" sal
y the woman, quickly moving to his siC
with awkard sympathy, "Haven'E
m always stood by you and amt I going
in now2 can get work, never fear. He
Ia an awful good man to me and his chi
N dren. ma'am, and deed I'm strong ut
ean work I want n work | want