The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1910-11-11


where lives are ruthlessiy exploited
that big dividends may be made
atrociously large,
Gaunt. grim humal moles toll on
and starve on--fathers Of families
and little boys not yet In theil
teens side by side In the Goa
mines. while checks for enormous
dividends leave the district regu
larry hy mail
Too wretchedly poor 20 quit the
hnghted valley. the miners are too
dulled BY oppression 90 care much
how soon piuful death brings
sucease OF suffering and welcome
oblivion beneath q rude slab in the
desolate graveyard
All this that the Louisville a
Nashville railroad may wiring the
last penny from les mines and from
the human beings who dig them,
IN a triple dividend on land. on coal,
and on human lives.
Four thousand per cent on
the land.
twenty-five per cent annual
~ on the COAL
One hundred per cent reau-
larry on company stores"
That's the L. & ". schedule.
Kensuckians are proud OF the
Blue Grass Gods own country
They raiae great horses there But
the dreary. GOd.forsaken Cheuoa
valley Is sin the dark and bloody
ground" because hero children
waik barefoot In winter from
squalld homes to deadly toll IN the
mines-toli deadly alike 20 soul and
body
But the L. q N. Is colnlng many
dollars.
The Chenoa valley Hes southeast
OF Cincinnati II Is rich IN coal
The l.. 4 y. owns nearly all of q.
The railroad bought the land for
about $40 an acre. taking up mort
cages.
The federal law against rail-.
road operating mines was easily
met by most advantageous leases
10 four subsidiary operating com
panies. These companies are pros.
pering. Peter Scroggins. manager
OF the Clear Greek Coal company
Is very enthusiastic about the out.
look. This place is going ahead
fast" be says some dav the
railroad people will realize s40e
per acre on their Investment IA
trifling profit o. 1000 per cent
George Hatton. q miner. doesn't
doubt the correctness Of Seroggins
estimate. but he isn't 50 enthusiastic
about IL. You couldn't expect him
10 be. when a good share of the
profits are coming out of his hide,
and the hides Of his wife and
babies.
why don't you move away from
the vaiieyT" asked a reporter Of
Hatton.
Fine. but Haiton can't None Of
them can. five dollars In clean
eash Is a fortune In any home here
These miners are ensiaved for life
by a mockery Of wages, and a grind
ing. perpetual debt to the company
store. High prices and petty ex-
toriions not only wipe out the
scanty pay. bat tie up the miners
In an inextricable ENHANCEMENT Of
debt.
John Franklin Mason Is a sample
OF Chenoa's human product John
Is years old He smokes and
chews tobacco. when It's given to
him-thlnEs he learned while work
ing In the mines His father man
aged TO scrape together enough
money TO pay railroad fare for the
family away from the district. So
John, aged 3. escapes the soul
crushing breakers. All the famiiy's
possessions--the result Of 10 years
hard labor-were carried away IN
small basket.
But Murlie Sayier. aged "a. and
his brother Jim can't leave. They've
got To support a mother and three
sisters Their three-room shack
owned By the company. costs ti.50
month rent Like all the rest
OF the miners. they have 10 cor.
tribute 81 a month for the supnogt
OF the company doctor. whether
they need him or not.
Likewise they must pay the com
pany 81 month for the privilege Of
gathering refuse coal which droug
from the coal cars IN the company'a
yards-coal they mine themselves
Kentucky has school laws. OF
course but laws are obsolete In
the Chenoa valley-all EXCEPT the
law or grim necessity.
Wages keep living standards
down 20 the lowest possible notch
At which life may be sustained
Just little below. IN fact-so the
miners always I'm debt ". r. Hii.
ton, who works on the Triple al tho
Kelley yard. shovels coal ten h0urs
steadily for 81 Maximum WAGES
are less than 81 a day The aver
age, men and boys. Is below 81 a
week.
Then the company store grabs
me pay envelope. usually All spent
m advance. Food and clothes cost
70 per cent more al company stores
than at independent stores IN tho
district The company makes =
profit Of 100 per cent on this branch
OF the business. turning over IS
stock every little while. A q
pound sack OF flour costs si.iO al
the company store, only rs centi
elsewhere Corn meal. sold By the
company at IS cents a half bushcl
costs only 20 cents more for a whole
bushei elsewhere. Potatoes at 81 Z
bushel Instead Of 80 cents, sugar al
10 cents a pound instead Of Z cents
canned goods at a quarter or ever
a half more, are other comparative
prices.
II never do any business with tht
miners, because they never hay,
any money" says Tom Smith. own
err Of the nearest Independent store
II miles from the mines. "Wlihou
cash they've got to deal with thi
company's stores. whore they car
get credit AS long as the compani
knows they've got money due then
fnr tngwE