Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1902-12-18
The Troubles Of Miners.

sion last week, in session at Scranton,
Pa, heard from the lips Of miner
and a widow stories of hsrdships and
suffering that brought tears to the eyes
and appeared to produce deep I'M
preston.
Henry Coll, in simple words, told
how his family, including hi, mother
in-law, who was 60 years old, We're
set out on the road with their house
hold goods. The miner gave a de-
scription OF how be was injured many
times in the collieries. He said one
of his leg, was no better than wood
en- one, he only had one eye, his hands
have been crushed, ribs broken and
skull fractured. The company gave
HIM nothing until the employees took
up collection for him; then he was
given $50, after being on the injured
list for two years. The company took
out of the collection his back rent.
He was one of the thirteen evicted by
the Markle Company, and the only
rent he owed was for the months dur
ing the strike. The company gave
no reason for evicting him.
The old miner, suffering from many
injuries, gave graphic account of the
eviction of his family. The wife was
sick and her 100-year-old mother was
blind and unable to walk. The day
on which they we've thrown out was
rainy. He took them az best he could
to Hazleton, seven miles away, and
placed them in a cold, damp, empty
house, the best he could provide. This
was last month, when it was cold on
the Hazleton Mountain. His wife be-
came worse. Medical aid was kindly
furnished free by Hazleton doctor,
but it did not help her much.
1--WE were greatly worried because
Of our having been turned out of our
house, and one night the battered
old miner said between sobs, "she
died"
"She died ?" exclaimed Judge Gray,
who was pacing TO and fro across the
room, as he quickly turned when he
heard the mans last words.
Eyes, sir, she died, and buried her
yesterday"
All the commissioners and many of
those in the courtroom were greatly
affected by the old miners story.
81 don't know whether the old lady
is still living or not, he said, as his
voice tIembled. "She was in bad con-
dition, owing to her daughters death
when | left home last night.
No one cared to cross-eIamine him.
and Judge Gray said:
THAT is all, Mr.. Coll, and that's
enough.
Mrs Kate Burns, Of Jeddo, told how
she and her two boys worked thirteen
years to pay off an accumulated house
rent and coal bill due to the Markle
Company. Her story deeply inter
ested the commissioners. In answer
to Lawyer Darrow's questions she said
her husband was an engineer inside
the Markle mines. The husband was
killed under ground, leaving her with
four children, the oldest boy Of eight
years. The company never offered
her penny, but the employees gave
her about $3.50 to defrsy the funeral
expenses. After her husband had
been killed che moved from her four
room house into one containing only
two-one loom above the other-snd
for the next six years she struggled as
best she could to get along. She took
in washing, scrubbed for the neighbors
and once in a while she was given
work cleaning the Offices Of the Msrkle
Company. During these elk years,
she said she kept her children at school.
When the eldest child was fourteen
years old she sent him to the mines to
help earn the daily bread.
At the end of the month the lad
brought home his wage statement,
showing that the mother owed 1896
for back rent. The boys wages for
the month had been taken of the bill
and he came home empty-handed.
She submitted 70 this, and in course Of
time her next boy was old enough to
help earn a living. and he, too, was
cent to the colliery. Like the older
brother, the second received no pay,
bis earnings being deducted for rent.
She began to cry when che told that
the money she earned for cleaning the
Markle Offices was never given TO her
but Kept by the company for rent, and
the commissioners looked at one an
other in surprise. She ,aid it took