The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-12-12
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3. 1902.
HORRIBLE CONDITIONS AT THE
HARkLE line

icing taken by the coal NINE strike
commission Is surprised at the opposi-
ton Of the mine operators 10 an inves-
tigation into the conditions Under which
the miners worked and tI.cir treatment
by their employers. For the last few
days the employees OF Marlle & Co.
nave been on the stand. SDIne OF their
statements have been startling and evil
IDENTIFY greatly impressed the members
of the commission. Cruelty. conscience
less grinding down and the most des-
picable species of robbery Of widows
and orphans by the COMPANY have been
shown to the commission. m two in
stances where men were Filled in the
mines the company i'll settling with
their widows, deducted from the wages
house rent up to the Time OF the acct
dent and then tried to get the widows
to release the compaey from all liza
bility for the deaths Of their husbands.
There have been several instances
testified to where the young sons of
men killed in the mines have worked
at starvation wages 10 pay of the debts
~ lic company ny NhtbJ II
at the time OF their deaths. These
lads could draw no motley on pay day
but got statements SHOW ing how mucis
they had reduced the debt. Month after
month they would go home to their
widowed mothers on pay day empty
handed, with a statement showing
the lo~ng-standing debt had been reduc-
ed a few dollars.
The most Infamous conduct Of tho
harkles was their treatnan Of a wild
CIV whose husband had heeu killed in
the mine. This o woman told the
commission en- Tuesday last. how she
and her two boys had worked for thir-
teen years to pay a debt If 1886 which
her husband owed the company at the
time he was killed white ir It's en-
ployment. When her eldest SIN reached
the g for going to woik 3. the mines
she sent him in and the second son
fOlloWed him. to work day after day.
month after month. y-ar after year,
but never receiving a cent of pay.
Each pay day brought nn!y a certifi-
cate that they had reduced me compa-
ny's claim against their dad father
by SO much. The POI widow. who
kept the wolf from the DOR by doing
washing. scrubbing and any other hard
work she Could find, some times secured
the floors of the Mark;f 6 Co. offices
For this latter work Sic got no pay.
but the pittances allowed for it were
credited on the dc dcol.
Another pitiful case deposed to was
that Of a man who with his family had
been forcibly elected from the COM
pany's nouse he occupied. With his
sick wife and her c]entenarian mother.
blind and unable to Walk, he vas driven
into the highway a few day vs. ago dur
ing bad, rainy weather. The wife died
from the exposure, and this p0Or man.
who was giving the commission an ac-
Dun of this case. closed his testimony
with the pathetic statement. She died
n 1 buried her yesterday We are
told that no one on The ether side of
the investigation cared TO cross ex-
anime TINS Witness"
These are some of the every day oc-
currences in these Goa. mine regions.
This is the treatment ID which the wild
ow and the orphan are subjected by
these coal mine owners who, when the
miners wished to lay before them GER
tain grievances. declared that there
were no grievances. refused tie appeals
alike of their employees and OF the pub
lie to grant the men d hearing. Their
word was law. These miners had no
rights that their employers We're bound
TO respect. The men, the widows, and
the orphans could take their choice
continue to work under tie ~imp0verish-
ing. grinding slavery Ur go with their
families into the highways aid hedges.
to live by begging or s.arve.
No wonder these coai operators de-
elared SO vehemently thai there was
nothing to arbitrate." No wonder they
were so much opposed to a public in
vestigation OF tho conu'tiCrs at these
mines. They knew what such investi-
cation would show. rhHy knew that
when h truth was laid l~tCre the pub
lie it would stand aghdst at the revela-
lions and that one universal cry of con-
demnation and execration would be
raised. and. Furthermore. that a humane
and just public would mai a refor-l
NATION In the conduct Of these mines.
which would curtail tier profits. and
would demand it with such vehemenceI
sSlat they would be forced, through the
necessary legislation or otherwise, tel
treat their employees like hur.sn beings
20 recognize the fact tEat the laborer|
has ssme rights which the employer isl
bound to respect and to alleviate theI
sufferfngs which-their grinding. grasp-I
hg policy has brought ulon so many
their feiiow beings.
The commission has an insight into
the conditions in these mines 1t is toi
be hoped it viii probe 10 their bottoml
and EXPOSE every Ining. What the peo-
pie want Is the truth as to these mat
ferst