The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-03
Former President |nvesti-
gates Industrial Conditions
MANY new EXPERIENCES
While They Work and Asked
Questions Concerning Their
Home Lives

Scranton, Pa, August 2.-Theodore
Roosevelt spent today among the work
ers in the heart of the Pennsylvania an
thracite region. He met and talked with
the men who dig the coal as they came
from the mines black with CRIME. He
talked with them about their homes,
their children and their manner of living.
He talked with their wives and their chill
dren and learned from their lips how
| they look at life.
Mr.. Roosevelt climbed to the top of a
coal breaker and spent half an hour
there In the stifling coal dust, SO that
he might see what the men who work
| there have to do Mr.. Roosevelt spent
another half hour in silk mill talking
| with the girl workers.
| He visited the people in their homes
and saw how they lived. He .plodded two
miles through the dust up hills ana down
wales, and in all manner of places. He
| returned to Scranton as evening was
drawing near black with CRIME, but smil-
| ing with delight at his experiences.
| The best part of 1t all he said re-
| peatedly was that he was able to meet
| the people as a private citizen, which he
was now, and talk to them as only
| man can talk to man.
| Many of the toilers had no idea of the
| identity of the former President He con-
cealed his personality until later in the
| day. Those who knew him treated him,
| he said, not as a former President, but
as a palm man who had come to see
| them to talk and learn their conditions.
New Experiences
| Mr. Roosevelts new experiences began
| last night when he was on his way by
automobile from New York to Delaware
Water Gap The vehicle and its occu-
| pants came to cross road and had no
idea which way to go. 1t was dark and
Mr. Roosevelt appealed for help to
small tipple boy
Thank you," said Mr.. Roosevelt after
| he had received the information, II am
Ted Roosevelt"
"Who?" asked the boy In amazement.
| "Mr. Roosevelt" repeated the colonel
The boy threw up his hands again and
said, well, 1 swear"
| Mr.. Roosevelt. Lawrence Abbott who
| is associated with him in editorial work: :.
Miss Fannie Cochrane and Miss Florence
Lucas Sanville Of the Consumers league
of Philadelphia. started away from
| Scranton early
right direction the tipple. worker replied
almost ,inaudibly. Little Willie Ryan,
| boss" iff
Mr.. Roosevelt did not say where the
party would end up, but 1t took the
| Lackawanna Valley road to the village of
Dickson City 1t is typical mining
| town of few hundred inhabitants
| The automobile could go no farther in
the hill lands and the party of nvestiga-
| tors stepped out of 1t and took to foot.
Mr.. Roosevelt started the plodding in the
van. under the shade of the evening. He
walked past two country taverns, each of
| which had a group of idlers on the porch.
| Not one of them knew that the former
| President was In town. He was almost
| detected in mopping up the Precipitation
| after denying he was exhausted in passing
a country grocery store. One of the
hanger-ons around the tavern called out,
Say, amt that the big stick?'"
Talk with Little Girl
| The members of the party made no re-
| ply. Mr.. Roosevelt walked on until he
met small girl. He stopped her and
| asked her who she was.
I'm Annie TriykowslSi, please, sir" said
she, "and l am 10 years old, and I go
to Sunday school.
II work in silk mill, I'm winder,"
said the girl proudly.
Before you can be winder you have
to be bobbin girl; I'm past that" she
continued
After answering more questions timidly
the little silk winder continued her way
home. 81 richer, without knowing the
identity of her interrogater.
Jack Kavanaugh, q miner, was walking
down the street when he met the party.
He had Just emerged from coal shaft
He was as black as any full-blooded
African. He had on big boots, lamp In
his hat, a dinner pail In his hand and
bottle which Mrs. Kavanaugh, he said,
| had filled with coffee when he started
out in the morning
| Mr. Roosevelt stopped him. Kavanaugh'
did not know who he was. but he was
willing to talk with the pleasant strapg
err He talked in such an interesting way
of life in the borough where he lived as
viewed by the mind Of miner that Mr..
Roosevelt took him by the arm and
walked away from the group.
II want to go home and talk with YOU"
said Mr.. Roosevelt and Kavanaugh agreed
to the proposition. They walked up to
a small cottage. The former President
took seat on the porch, where he was
introduced to Mrs. Kavanaugh and the
two children. All conversed with Mr..
Roosevelt for half an hour. Mr.. Roosevelt
went inside, looked over the place and
complimented Mrs. Kavanaugh on her
housekeeping qualifications
Mr.. Roosevelt returned to the porch and
talk of amusements afforded In the wild
sections was indulged In. The dancing
halls run in conjunction with saloons were
brought into the conversation. Young peo-
pie were permitted to dance rather late
with chaperones, Kavanaugh said.