The New York herald., 1922-04-09

bag.
ley Trust Company, the Miners Bank
and other institutions here and In Scran-
ton. At the wyoming the 1920 account
was $2,6S5,000, 1921 1t was SS,2sS.ooo
and for the first three months this year
It was $3.544.000, or more than all OF
last or any other previous year. AZ tne
Miners the account Jumped from So,ISt,
900 for 1921 to S7.123.000 Tor three
months SO far this year.
The head of one OF the biggest de-
partment stores in this section denneo
the living conditions of the miners tnls
way:
"The men have known for months q
strike was coming and have peen sel-
ting ready for Il. They have been trim
ming on the luxuries, but have not ana
never will 70 back to their old standard
Of living. Our volume OF trade Is prac-
tically the same as during the big years.
but we are selling different KIND OF
goods. The miners have been STOCKING
up with staples.
Buys Cheaper SILK Shirt.
..The mine worker who until the war
never wore anything but COTTON sniIi
and then began buying SO and sS SILK
shirts Is now calling for "a or 10 silk
shirt. His wife and daughter want $l.oV
Instead of So silk stockings, put tney
still want them silk There Is tne oc-
casional man who jumped from $lS 70
$85 a week who still demands tne siu
and $12 shirt and everything else IN
keeping. but he Is the exception ratner
than the rule.
"The miners still want first class
goods. They do not call Tor cheap
goods. There are 100 Jobbers IN New
York and other cities who handle high
class goods who are doing good busi-
ness here and who never came Into this
territory before tho war
Take a look around the streets hero
or in any OF the mining cities any after-
noon now that the strike Is In progress
and the miners are idle. They come into
the city by the thousands every day.
rather enjoying the vacation ana no.
looking at all worried. Some drive In In
their Fords or other low priced motors
but as a rule only small percentage or
the miners are automobile owners. They
never quite fully got the automobile
habit. But when one does come In II Is
loaded.
spend Freely in Town.
The miner and his wife and child or
two in town for the strike holiday Vlsits
a store or two where the woman puys
hat or other article Of clothing; they go
to a moyoie, have dinner In town and go
home well laden with first class supplies
for the table.
The Capital Theater in wilkesbarre,
a city OF 10000, has 1900 seating ca
pacity and Is filled from the time ~
opens until it closes. The city IS Wen
supplied with good restaurants amply
decorated with mirrors and the food Is
good ana by no means cheap. The
average dinner for the miner and MS
wife and daughter will run close to 30,
and he makes no kick. The women are
given strongly to gay colored apparel
women who until comparatively teW
wears ago wore shawls for hats. ~
must be said that the generous assort-
ment OF gorgeous colors-the suits ana
hats in reds and blues and purples--
gives a festive appearances to the duli'
gray streets Of the mining city. FOR
his home supplies, which the miner
carries out from, town, he gets the pess
steak. fresh vegetables and perhaps 2
fyox OF strawberries. He is a good liver
while 1t lasts.
The manager at one Of the big central
markets complained that he had mucr
trouble getting rid Of anything BUT tne
best cuts of meats, which made expensive
his buying and kept his profits small
There has been no change in this condi-
ton as a result Of the strike; there is
not in this ,ino even the economy to
correspond with the drop from the 20
10 the SIS silk shirt. The produce stores
are of the highest type ana tnelr "hois
supplies are the best.
Drops Foolish ExtravaEance.
While this high standard Of living Il
being maintained through the mining
districts even with the strike on hand
there undoubtedly is less of the foolish
extravagances which came with the hrs'
wild orgy OF war time spending. The
miner is not buying fifty cent cigars OF
hunting foolish ways to spend his
money He simply has adopted higher
standard of living than he ever knew
until the last few years, but he appears
TO have adopted 1t permanently.
In the last year, hundreds of the min.
ers have settled down to a more STEADY
condition Of prosperity and have bought
their own homes. The Chamber OF
Commerce has been encouraging TINS
movement through the valley, and tht
home owners have in recent months
! been putting their savings into pay
ments on their property rather than tne
Iuxuries of the war days.
The average man generally Is indig-
nant because he still has to pay $3.50
ton for coal--the same stove coal the
New York man pays s14.5o for--and Is
against the miner. Every person who
buys a ton of coal. whether for his
home or business. is against the high
wages for the miner. as the wages alone
are held responsible for the high price
OF coal. The Pole. who makes up the
great bulk OF the miners. Is regarded as
a good citizen and his splendid record
during the war has made him friends.
but that does not Justify his abnormal