The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-10-16
ANOTHER sIDE OF TnE COAL
sTHIINE.

STRIKE.
Therc are come features - the strike
among the anthracite Goa. minors in
Pennsylvania with which che pIblic is
not familiar Little has been SAID about
ihom. because they 40 rot concern Iii
rsctly thc Issues between the miners aud
tlc coal operators Ona ~ tho chief %
these is conditions among the families
~ tho miners and the eject upon them
OF the stoppago OF work. In an article
boz the current outlook. prepared after
personal observations Airs Lillian W
Bette gives much Interesting nformation
as Co the home lfe Of the miners and
their families and the conditions under
which they exist The writer found the
strike region one OF almost absolute quiet
aud sood order. somewhat contrary
10 expectations after perusal of
startling hradlues ln some 90 the sen-
sitiouai rupcrs The majority Of the
miners ore foreigners. aud while Il II
their custom 10 gather In groups and dis
cu-s tine situation in somewhat excited
manner. perhaps. there were no signs q
disorder or violence.
Tho visitor IS always surprised at the
conditions under which tho people Awe
ia thc corporation hamlets. Rude tumble
down houses neither p,ustered nor ceiled.
often not wcather-prooG with a total lack
az sanitary arrangements or control arc
tho conditions which sat once Impress
teen selves upon the stranger. The food,
principally tough. hard bread and the
clothing. are OF the toughest sort: more
30 when the miners are not at work.
Huuger-pinched faces among women ana
children are common aud yet there same
women are as courageous in standing out
TO- their rights as are the men them
selves. NO work, no money. no mouey
when work. IS the way one foreign
woman put it when asked about the COM
dltious ~ told my husband / was willing
10 80 hungry with him until he got his
dues" Is what an American woman said
and tina, expresses the general feeling
among the women a few OF the woman
ere defiant aud assert that the men
should go 20 work. as poor wages are
better than the suffering they now en-
durc. To show how the women look on
the situation several OF them asserted
when tine notice was posted onering an
advance of ten per cent. ina, the men
VIII never look az that oncr"
The problem Of food. clothing rent ana
fuel has got 10 be- figured close. u wac
found tnat with the miners. as elsewhere.
che purchasing power OF the dollar de-
pended Ia q great measure upon the in
teliigenco OF the wife. However. the dol
lars are scarce with the miners. though
tney would 40 further etin were they not
almost all expended in the company
stores where the prices are higher and
the arucles, as "a rule poorer than can
De- secured elsewhere. one dress BE- the
usual wardrobe of miners wife. and
often 81 must suffice Tor years. The child
hoa but one garment. and the miner
himself a single suit OF coarse goods out
side Of bis begrimed mining clothes In
those communities where the mining
operators have homes. conditions are
some better in the way OF houses but
30 the majority OF the hamlets which are
controlled by the corporations Their A.
presented state of sad and pcrilou-
neglect
'cw Of the children IN the mining dis
trc.s know what school is Boye who have
not passed tie age Of childhood bear the
marks Of their daily toll appearing much
Older than they are Their mcagor wages
are needed 90 aid IN the support OF the
family. Girls too work when they can
lind employment aud add miserable pit
tance 60 the small household fund The
great mortality amoug children in these
districts is not TO b. wondered It, nor
6 the apathy with which the parents hook
upon tac death Of their children. Persons
goug for ,hc fret time into these mining
districts cannot understand how people
can exist under the conditions that sur
round thcm but % . bearablo because
+ they know 40 other "To people brought
up nue ono woman said "a must seem
had. hut its al We know" They live
ana some lines are happy, because what
they have around them Is an they See
or know.