The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-05-18
MINING TOWN IS
SLOWLY SINKING
Goal Has Been Taken Out Under
meath City in Large Quantities and
Houses Sink Into Earth.
BY SAM q. ANSON.

This is city doomed 1t is slowly.
surely sinking.
II isn't that vice and iniquity Is
dragging IL down West Pittston is a
beautiful residence community. the
richest town for its size in all this
great anthracite region cleaner.
morally, than most towns. II Is sink
ing literally.
The mines below the city are caving
In,
In many parts OF West Pittston the
drop has been FIVE inches already.
Houses are settling. great assures are
appearing In the pavements. the grave
stones in the cemetery-as drad
tomens OF the end that is TO come
are tipping
At the rate the town is now sinking
1t will drop another foot before New
Year IL will keep on dropping. say
experts--a little each day, a little each
hour. Finally. some day. soon, the bot
tom Will drop from beneath the whole
city. That will be the end of West
Pittston
This is the rich mine operators
own city-they live here. They pick
'~ed IL out. the only undespoiled spot In
the valley 10 build homes In for their
wives and children. But they couldn't
|, resist the temptation 10 mine under
II. Nor after that TO rob the pill
lars"
"Robbing the pillars" Is peculiarly
q Pennsylvania thing. Ii means that
after you've Stripped the mines bare.
leaving only pillars of earth and coal
10 support the roofs-that you get
a kn ba nf
the pillars
In q dozen cities for 20 miles along
the river valley. the pillars have been
robbed. the countryside undermined.
They are looking at West Pittston
with dismay and fear
In this emergency the Fieh-epeFa-
tors are In u quandary. II they make
any move they may draw down the
fire Of legislative enactments forbid.
ding pillar robbing In the future.
which will cut into their fat dividends.
II they don't move they viii lose their
homes.
or course. they have poor people in
West Pittson, merchants and small
taxpayers They stand 10 lose their
homes. too They have nothing TO
fear from the Legislature Why don't
they get busy. you ASK?
Why. bless you. they've been going
TO the legislature since before either
Of US was born. It's like chasing the
pot OF gold at the rainhow's end The
coal barons own the legislature own
the courts, own :he mine inspectors
own the state.
The sinking was first noticed in the
yard OF the Vulcan Iron Co.'S plant.
or the river bank. The walls OF rho
buildings began To crack. The ground
settled. first one, then two. three, -four.
five inches.
In day or two the assures began
10 crop ont In the heart or the towr,
The Methodist church foundations
\ shifted. The Warren.st. school sud
denly fell out OF plumb Brick pave
ments began TO crack
The operators. stirred by popular
outburst, sent three state mine inspec-
.ors and bunch OF their own experts
Town into the Clear Spring colliery
whose workings honey-comb West
Pittson below streets.
But these were Pennsylvania state
! mine inspectors. That reservation
counts for lot These got their or-
iers and reported that there Is no
more danger OF sinldngs
That notified tbe frightened West
| Pittson merchants and smaller prop
erty owners--for awhile
But ii didn't stoir-the sinking.
The new factory of the Hitchner
Riscut Co. settled and its walls opel
| ed. Additional assures developed al
| the iron works, in the yard and in the
walls Of the buildings. Every day or
so there is reported more evidence
Of continued caving
- Some people--a few-are trying TO
do something
I'VE haven't given up hope" said
Fred c. Kirkendall. editor OF the
Times.Leader at Wilkesbarre. nine
miles down the river. Well win yet.
Wen keep on firing anyway
The Times-Lea1 der, which has been
fighting spartan fight against
Divine Rights" Baer and his precious
rang for years, succeeded last winter
at Harrisburg in getting the legisla-
ture to appoint commission OF
rumber OF citizens, expert mining en-.
gineers and others, TO look into the
pillar-robbing evil and recommend
ways and means toward ending II.
Maybe some good will come OF II.
fIere's hoping. signs West Pittson.
Wilkesbarre. Scranton. Hazelton. Dur
yea and 90 long miles OF other mining
towns.
But there are few Kirkendalls.