The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-17
DELEGA TIES OF MINE WORKERS
WILL ASSEMBLE TOMORROW
Editor Samuel NJ Sexton GfUe Graphic Description of the
LlUes of Uuderg,ound ToiAy5--LabOr Ne70s

Men who WELD the pick-ax under the dull
fare of their cap torches hundreds of feet
below the surface of the earth and the
light of day are fiocking into indianapolis
by the hundreds preparatory to the fifteenth
annual convention Of the United Mine
Workers Of America, which will convene to-
morrow morning at 10 o'clock in Tomlinson
Hail. Coming from ali parts Of America.
where the mining industry is carried on,
they represent over 100000 wage-workers.
From Pittsburg and other Pennsylvania
points, a host arrived last night, while the
delegation from the Ohio convention, which
is now in session, reached the city yesterday
noon. In twos and threes they are coming
from the more distant parts. BY tomorrow
morning 1,OO0 delegates are expected to be
in the city, gathered in the largest and
most important convention the miners of
America have ever held.
Those who know John Mitchell, president
of this greatest body of organized work.
men in the country, like him. He is quiet,
but agreeable and always courteous. lis
seldom that one finds him when he is not
working-dictating letters comforting
with men. Last week he was caught
caught quite unawares. 1t was the day
before the delegates to the convention be-
gan to arrive. A reporter pushed open his
door and entered his office. At first he
thought he had entered the wrong door and
was guilty of intrusion. Things about the
place were scattered topsy-turvy- The
walls were bare; the furniture was stacked
in the center of the room. At one side a
pretty stenographer, in an embroidered
apron, was overhauling a book rack. In
the center of the rear office stood President
Mitchell. his coat off and holding a picture
which had just been taken from the wall.
He was studying it intently.
This picture is glued TO the pasteboard;
we can't wash it," he was saying.
House cleaning?" asked the reporter.
OH laughed President Mitchell, in his
quiet way, that door was supposed to be
locked, but don't know a thing. There
nothing new
There was though. President Mitchell had
been caught cleaning house for his visitors
from other States.
To those immured in the turmoil of city
life, the existence of the coal miner, such
the delegates represent; who assemble
tomorrow, is but a vista of the lmagina-
ton. From accounts one reads, Tor they
are generally of the dark side. 1T is a life
tantamount to that of a beast, overcast
with gloom and hopelessness. But should
one talk TO those men who have spent one
half of their lives in the dark recesses of
the mines, he would be surprised to learn
of the brightness of the brighter side of
the lives of these people who follow the
veins of the earth. Samuel M Sexton now
editor of the United Mine Workers jour
nal, spent many years as miner. Born
at Fallbrook, Pa, he there entered the
mines when he was a boy, and did not
leave them until he was near thirty.
LIFE OF THE MINER.
Speaking of the life of a miner, Mr.. Sexton
says:
"A stranger going into a mining town
will view the rough, unpainted hemloek
paths, the black and grimy men returning
from work and the multitude OF children
squabbling and fighting. and he generally
concludes that he is in the Land God for
got The worst thing about those houses
is the outside view, forbidding as they may
seem externally, on the inside they are
models of cleanliness and cheerfuness.
take for example the old mining town In
which | was reared, because IL has che
characteristics common to the great bulb
of mining towns in the United States. The
people were made up OF Americans, Eng
lish Irish, Scotch, Welsh French, Swedes
Danes, Germans, Italians, Poles and Slavs
"a round dozen, and each possessed the
good and bad traits of mankind and yet
in period extending over forty years, the
most serious infractions of the law were
assaults and batteries, trivial affairs of MOI
SUFFICIENT moment TO go beyond the JUS
tees court.
THE most noticeable trait among a min.
ing population is their charity toward the
sick and distressed. If a man gets hurt a.
work or has death in his family. and is In
needy circumstances, they do not send fol-
the poor officer, but some one goe:
through the mines" That is. self-consti
tuted committee starts out with a sub
scription paper and every man approached
will respond with a contribution. WheT
IL is thought sufficient money has beer
raised, they purchase necessaries of life
After dark the goods are delivered and th'
recipients receive their first notice by
stone banging against the house. UpoI
opening the door they will find barrel o.
-four a bag of potatoes. a ham a quar-
ter of beef. groceries galore and purs
containing money enough TO tide them owe
their troubles. Thus worthy people escap,
the odum of the term 'Pauper, and los
nothing of their self-respect.
But il is of the social side / am speak
ing. First and foremost is the dance. Th
figures at these dances were mostly quad
rifles though among the Germans an,
Scandinavians the waltz. polka, mazourk;
and redOwa were the favorites. The meth
cd Of getting up these dances was ex
tremely primitive. A dozen or more lads
lounged around the store the derot wheI
some one suggested that they have a dance
Where will we hold it2' one asked We'll
| down at Dick Glovcr's.' another replied
! Mr.. Glover himself was not present an,