USA > Pennsylvania > Schuylkill County > History of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, Vol. I > Part 17
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Consideration for the feelings and interests of innocent parties.
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is a sufficient excuse for not presenting the names of persons tried as principals or accessories in the crimes committed in this county by the Mollie Maguires. Some seventeen men suffered the extreme penalty of the law, while more than forty were convicted of lesser crimes, ranging from two to fourteen years' imprisonment. A number of persons were convicted of perjury, among whom were several women. Some men who were prominent in the social, business and political affairs of the county were among those whom a misguided judgment led to the leadership of the outlaws, and who suffered the extreme penalty of the law.
SOME NOTABLE STRIKES.
The great strike of 1877 was introduced by the railroad employes of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad; but it soon spread to other roads, and finally involved the anthracite coal region, first by crippling the transportation facilities, but latterly in a general strike among the miners. This strike became almost universal throughout an area of eight states, beginning in West Virginia, where the people were almost universally in sympathy with the striking railroad men. It gradually extended to other states and involved other systems of railroads, in a rapid expansion. It resulted in the greatest destruction of property and human life ever recorded in any labor trouble. In the cities of Pittsburg and Chicago, the destruction of property was appalling, while the smaller cities along the lines of the Baltimore & Ohio, and Pennsylvania systems, suffered correspondingly. The State and national troops were called out, and scenes of strife and bloodshed were of daily occurrence during many weeks. On the 20th of July, ten persons were killed and many wounded in the city of Bal- timore. The infection extended to smaller roads throughout the country, and thus the "tie-up" was made complete. On the 23d of July, the railroad depots of the Pennsylvania system were burned at Pittsburg, and the fire extended to private property in the vicinity, thus involving loss and suffering to many people not directly concerned in the labor troubles. This was also true of other localities, while the period of enforced idleness was a source of great hardship to work- ing people everywhere. The Philadelphia & Reading railroad soon became involved in the trouble, and Reading was the central point of destruction and devastation. Five persons were killed in that city on the 24th of July, and rioting and bloodshed continued there for many weeks, and mob rule prevailed. Some of the State militia stationed there were in sympathy with the strikers, and laid down their arms and distributed their ammunition among them. The
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effect of this was to create a feeling of uncertainty and helplessness which was deplorable. All business was suspended for the time, and no trains were permitted to operate, the Pottsville mail and express trains being turned back, this and earlier outrages against the mail facilities of the United States being the occasion for placing the gov- ernment troops in the field. The strike was brought in disapproval of a reduction of wages of railroad employes, to take effect on the first of July, 1877. This ten per cent. reduction affected only the train men and laborers, but the engineers and others not affected joined in a sympathetic strike. It ended in September, with some concessions to the strikers. While this general strike was in progress, the coal mines were necessarily idle for want of transportation facil- ities, and in some instances, great hardships were endured by the families of idle miners. On the 26th of July a bread riot was started among the miners at Lost Creek mines, wherein they demanded bread or work.
A general strike for the restoration of the $2.50 basis, which had been previously refused, was started at Shenandoah on the 2d of Au- gust, 1877, which culminated in a small riot there on the 6th of August. Forty-seven of the rioters were arrested, peace was restored, and the men returned to work. This demonstration did not affect any locality except Schuylkill county. A serious riot occurred at Scranton on the 2d of August, wherein 5,000 miners attacked the few who were working, and compelled them to quit. They also attacked the men employed in the railroad shops, with like results. A general miners' strike was in progress in the Lackawanna district, beginning in July and ending in September, the demand being for an increase of wages, which was not granted.
Local troubles existed in different sections of the country during the succeeding years, when all culminated in the general strike of 1902, this, apparently, being a year of universal labor troubles. Not only did they affect this country, but labor troubles were inaugurated in European countries, and seemed to be the rule, rather than the exception, throughout the civilized world. One hundred and fifty thousand men went out in the city of Brussels alone. The brewers, glass-blowers and mechanical trades generally, joined in the demand for higher wages and shorter hours of labor. This was the case, espec- ially in the anthracite coal regions. In this they were joined by their brethren in the bituminous fields, and the recognition of the Miners' union by the operators, was one of the vital points of consideration. In April, 1902, 10,000 miners struck at DuBois, Pennsylvania, and this was the initial movement of the coal miners throughout the country.
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The Miners' union, as it is best known throughout the United States, bore upon its rolls a greater number of contributing members than any other labor organization in the world. The miners sought its formal recognition as a corporate body, and the adjustment, or con- sideration, of miners' troubles through the head of this formidable organization. This satisfaction was practically denied them until the adjustment of their troubles in 1906, as will appear later in this article. It does not seem apparent that this strike was precipitated with undue haste. On the 26th of April, 1902, after various confer- ences and propositions being presented and considered, a committee of miners and operators was chosen to meet with the Conciliation Committee of the National Civic Federation, to further discuss the matters in controversy. These committees failed to reach a satis- factory adjustment, and a general suspension of work was declared in the anthracite coal fields on the 12th of May, and on the 15th a pend- ing decision adverse to the claims of the miners having been rendered, a general strike was ordered. One hundred and forty thousand men went out in a single day, and the "tie-up" was complete in the anthra- cite fields. The operators were as determined as their opponents, and they at once began to curtail expenses by laying off 3,000 railroad men, 1,000 coal handlers, and the withdrawal of coal trains. Mine mules were elevated to the surface and turned to pasture, and all necessary steps were taken to prolong the contest. For a time the mine pumps were allowed to run to prevent flooding of the mines, but as the strike progressed, the operatives of these were stopped, or voluntarily joined the strikers. Great damage was done by reason of the accumulation of water in the mines. The president of the American Federation of Labor, then Mr. Gompers, declared that he was averse to strikes and labor troubles, but that if a satisfactory adjust- ment of the difficulties was not reached, he would have to stand by the miners. This declaration added strength to the contest, and the effect of the strike was felt throughout the continent. Many miners returned to their native countries, and business of all kinds was para- lyzed in the coal regions. A coal famine ensued, and factories were obliged to shut down, while the culm piles were worked over for much needed fuel. The Pottsville Electric railroad was operated with this kind of fuel for some time. Non-union men were sent in to operate the pumps, and these were protected by the soldiery and special police, whose presence in the region excited the strikers to greater violence. Finally the railroad trainmen refused to operate trains carrying depu- ties and soldiers into the strike fields; but previous to this the Phila- delphia & Reading Coal and Iron company had secured 1,000 strike-
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breakers whom they worked under protection of their own police and the soldiers in the field. Conflicts were of frequent occurrence between the opposing forces, and the lives of the deputies were made miserable by constant assaults, and even the dynamiting of their homes. This protracted contest ended with partial concessions on the part of each of the contestants, and the adoption of a scale satisfactory to the miners, which became operative for three years from the first day of April, 1903. A slight misunderstanding occurred from a misinter- pretation of the contract by the miners, on the 18th of April, 1903, which resulted in the temporary laying off of 30,000 men, but aside from that, peace reigned in the anthracite field until April Ist, 1906.
The contract having expired on the date last written, the miners sought through their representatives to secure a renewal of the con- tract, including certain concessions heretofore presented and denied them. The operators had prepared for a strike by the accumulation of large quantities of coal, and were not disposed to concede the demands of the miners in any respect. All work was suspended during the controversy, and no coal was mined during a period of six weeks from April Ist. Numerous conventions and committee meetings were held in different cities, whereat the prominent characters of both sides of the momentous question were present. But the opera- tors strenuously refused to make any concessions to the demands of the miners, and continued making all necessary preparations for the strike, which seemed inevitable. Many hundreds of foreign miners left the country and returned to their native homes; business men cut short their orders for merchandise, and a general depression of all lines of trade settled over the country contiguous to the mining districts. But the operators had shown a disposition to renew the contract just expired, and this was ignored by the miners in the hope of getting something better. They had contended for many years to secure the official recognition, by their employers, of the United Mine Workers of America as an element for consideration in adjust- ing the labor problems of the country, but always without success. The radical element among the miners were determined to strike be- cause of the humiliation of "backing down" from the positions they had so boldly maintained; but wise conservatism prevailed, and John Mitchell, the official head of the miners' organization, counseled peace. This was brought about through acceptance of the terms of the Anthra- cite Strike Commission's award on March 18th, 1903, and operative until April Ist, 1906. The text of this agreement is as follows:
"WHEREAS, pursuant to the letter of submission signed by the under- signed in 1902, all questions at issue between the respective companies
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and their own employes, whether they belong to a union or not, were submitted to the Anthracite Coal Strike Commission to decide as to the same and as to the conditions of employment between the respect- ive companies and their own employes, and the said Strike Commis- sion, under date of March 18th, 1903, duly made and filed its award upon the subject matter of the submission, and provided that said award should continue in force for three years from April 1st, 1903, and the said period has expired; now, therefore, it is stipulated between the undersigned in their own behalf, and insofar as they have power to represent any other parties in interest, that the said award and the provisions thereof, and any action which has since been taken pursuant thereto, either by the Conciliation Board or otherwise, shall be extended and shall continue in force for three years from April Ist, 1906, namely, until March 31st, 1909, with like force and effect as if that had been originally prescribed as its duration. That work shall be resumed as soon as practicable, and that all men who have not committed violence to person or property shall be reemployed in their old positions."
This agreement was signed in New York, May 7th, 1906, by George F. Baer, E. B. Thomas, David Wilcox, W. H. Truesdale, John D. Kerr, Morris Williams, Joseph L. Cake, John Mitchell, T. D. Nicholls, John Dempsey, W. Dettrey, John P. Gallagher and John Fahy. The con- tract is signed by the president of the United Mine Workers of Amer- ica, and the presidents and secretaries of the Anthracite union, and therein consists the recognition of organized labor, as claimed by its friends, this being the first recognition ever accorded to it in delib- erations with the employers of labor.
Many local difficulties between employers and employes might be recorded here, but enough has been presented to show the general trend and character of the principal disturbances of this nature. One of the judges in this county, during the trial of some rioters and rail- road strikers in 1844, in his charge to the jury, said: "That endeavor- ing to prevent, by coercion, people from work, in order to obtain higher wages, was seeking the accomplishment of a lawful desire by unlawful means; and that it would subject the perpetrators to the penalties of the law."
CHAPTER XII.
MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES-THE MINERS' HOSPITAL-AGRI- CULTURAL SOCIETIES-BIBLE SOCIETY-GIRARD ESTATE-POTTS- VILLE ATHENAEUM, ETC.
The first medical society in Schuylkill county was organized at Pottsville, on the 22nd of February, 1845. Dr. George Halberstadt was elected president; Dr. James S. Carpenter was chosen vice-presi- dent; Dr. John G. Koehler, secretary; Dr. William Housel, correspond- ing secretary, and Dr. G. G. Palmer, treasurer. The original members of the organization, as appears from the record, were Drs. George Halberstadt, James S. Carpenter, Thomas Brady, G. H. Knoble, Will- iam Housel, Enos Chichester, John G. Koehler, Samuel Shannon, George W. Brown, S. Morton Zulich, and R. H. Phillips. The six first named were Pottsville physicians, and the others from different boroughs in the county. This society took a prominent part in the organization of the State Medical society at Lancaster, in April, 1848, and its members have since been honored with some of the principal official positions within that society. In 1852, Dr. George Halber- stadt was elected vice-president, and in 1855, Drs. James S. Carpenter and A. H. Halberstadt were president and vice-president, respectively. From that time to the present, Schuylkill county has seldom been without a representative in the official directory of the State Medical society, and its members have always borne a prominent part in the deliberations of the society. Many of the most valuable papers contributed for its consideration have been written by Schuylkill county physicians. Contributions from Schuylkill county have also appeared before the American Medical association. The members of this society have long been recognized as the best medical and sur- gical talent of the county. The University of Pennsylvania accepts its examinations in lieu of those of its own faculty, for the admission of medical students to that institution. The Schuylkill County Med- ical society has had a continuous and successful career of more than sixty-one years, and its rolls have borne the names, and the organiza- tion the support and cooperation, of nearly all of the prominent phy- sicians of the Allopathic school who have registered in the county. The officers for 1906 arc: Dr. Lewis Hoffman, president, whose
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home is at Ashland; the secretary is Dr. G. O. O. Santee of Cressona, and Dr. David Taggart, of Frackville, is the treasurer.
The Miners' hospital, located at Fountain Springs, near Ashland, is one of the benevolent institutions of the state. It was established by act of the legislature, June 11th, 1879, and opened for the reception of patients on the 12th of November, 1883. The cost of the buildings was $137,005.97, and the total valuation of real estate and personal property is $198,630.49. The hospital was built for 56 beds, but 13I patients have been crowded in. It is maintained at an annual cost of about $50,000. Liberal appropriations have always been made by the legislature for improving and perfecting the workings of this institution, some $40,000 having been expended for this pur- pose within the last three or four years. All injured persons of the anthracite coal regions of Pennsylvania are admitted as patients, but preference is given to those injured in and about the mines. The control of the institution is vested in nine trustees appointed by the governor of the state. The trustees from Schuylkill county are: Heber S. Thompson, president, Pottsville; Edward T. Reese, vice- president, Park Place; E. C. Wagner, secretary, Girardville; Robert Allison, Port Carbon; Dr. D. J. Langton, Shenandoah.
Previous to the establishment of the Miners' hospital by the State, efforts were made by Philanthropic people of the coal regions to pro- vide means of caring for those injured about the mines. In 1873 this movement took tangible form in the soliciting of subscriptions to acquire funds to launch the enterprise. Liberal donations were received, and the profits of a gift enterprise, inaugurated for the pur- pose, accumulated a fund of several thousand dollars. This fund was deposited in a bank for safe-keeping, but was swept away by the failure of the bank. The workingmen then conceived the idea of providing a means of caring for their injured comrades, and the Anthracite hospital was incorporated in 1874, to which enterprise liberal subscriptions were made, but the project failed, and the question lay dormant until the State came to the rescue, as above recorded. This institution is constructed of stone, after the Queen Ann style of architecture, the main building being two stories in height, with pavilion wards of one story. The ground dimensions of the original building were 188 feet front by a depth of 190 feet. Other smaller buildings have been added for the convenience of the institution as its needs demanded, and today it is one of the leading benevolent institutions of the state. Dr. J. C. Biddle is the superin- tendent and surgeon, assisted by a corps of physicians and trained nurses.
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Schuylkill County Female Bible society, of Pottsville and vicinity, was organized as an auxiliary to the Pennsylvania Bible society, on the 16th of February, 1852. It has had a continuous and pros- perous career, within the sphere of its noble work, from that day to the present. Notwithstanding the limitation implied in the name, many zealous Christian men joined the ladies of the society, and worked with them for the spiritual welfare of humanity. Their field was a broad one, even if circumscribed by county boundaries, for the popu- lation of Schuylkill county presents almost every phase of human existence-the poor and ignorant, along with the college-bred and affluent. But unfortunately the former class seems to predominate. Many thousands of the metropolitan population, ignorant of the language and customs of the country, have found homes in the mining districts, and settled down to the poverty and improvidence which they brought from foreign lands. It was one of the duties of these self-sacrificing members of the Bible society to enter the huts of pov- erty and want, encourage with words of good cheer, relieve pressing miseries, or report worthy cases to proper authorities, and offer the Sacred Volume as a donation from the society which they represented. This work could not well be done by the ladies, but they were the moving spirits who furnished the means, and outlined the plans of procedure, and whose zeal for the cause kept the organization in exist- ence and the men at work, often at great personal sacrifice. The distributors, or "colporteurs," as they were termed, were not always received with favor, their mission being misunderstood, and their motives maligned. The isolated localities were most sought, often over mountains and almost impassable roads, for the reason that the people thus located were usually the most destitute and densely ignorant. Efforts were made to supply Bibles in the language of the people visited, though many of them could not read any language. This society was organized in the old Methodist Episcopal church in Pottsville, and on the recurrence of the fiftieth anniversary of its founding, a semi-centennial celebration of the event was held in the same building. It was stated then that not one of the original organ- izing members was known to be living. Thus it has enlisted the services and fostering care of three generations of the most prominent church-workers in Pottsville, and bears upon its roll of honored dead the names of many of the leading citizens of earlier days. The first president of the society was Mrs. Cooley, wife of the Episcopal minister of that day; she was followed in the presidency by Mrs. Andrew Russel, and she by Mrs. William Pollock, the latter serving continuously for twenty-seven years, when she removed to Philadelphia. Mrs. Peter
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W. Sheafer, whose life and character was a benedicton to all, served twelve years as president when she was called to a higher life, and was succeeded by Miss Dornan, who was ever faithful and conscientious in the discharge of her official duties, serving the society for many years as its efficient president. The ministers of the various church organizations, and some of the prominent laity, were ever zealous and active in the promotion of the work of the society, and nobly seconded the efforts of the ladies in their self-imposed labors for the well-being of humanity. Of those, now gone to reap their reward in another life, may be mentioned Judge Helfenstein, Judge Parry, Rev. Mr. Mccullough, Rev. Isaac Riley, Rev. Mr. Colt, Rev. Mr. Koons, Peter W. Sheafer, Benjamin Haywood, and many others who were ever ready with their means, their time and their talents, to aid the cause of their Master in the dissemination of religious knowledge, and in the relief of human distress, whether of a physical or spiritual nature. During the civil war the society did much work in supplying the soldiers with religious literature, and more than 600 Bibles in English, Welsh and German, were donated to soldiers leaving this county. The alms-houses, railroad stations, hotels and penal insti- tutions, are the special care of the society, and all are kept supplied with Bibles in different languages, for the use, or appropriation, of those desiring them. Many names are enshrined in the hearts of the present day members as women of exemplary life and noble character; who devoted the best years of their lives to the services of God and humanity. While the record is not at hand, a few of the names of early members are here presented : Mrs. Edward Fox, Mrs. Hamme- ken, Mrs. Theodore Garretson, Mrs. William Boyer, Mrs. Benjamin Haywood, Mrs. Benjamin Taylor, Mrs. T. W. McGinnis, Mrs. Charles M. Hill, Mrs. John Pott, Mrs. Hinterleitner, Mrs. Thomas Russel, Miss Baird. All these, and many others, have passed from a transi- tory existence and "their works do follow them."
The present officers of this time-honored and benevolent society are as follows: president, Miss Tillie Dornan; first vice-president, Miss Emma Pott; second vice-president, Miss Clarissa McCool; recording secretary, Mrs. James A. Medlar; treasurer, Mrs. Louise P. Carter; librarian, Mrs. E. M. Heilner; corresponding secretary, Rev. J. H. Eastman, D. D. Last year's Board of Managers was also reelected: Mrs. C. L. Pershing, Mrs. R. C. Green, Mrs. E. M. Heilner, Mrs. O. L. Griswold, Mrs. Walter Sheafer, Mrs. W. F. Rentz, Mrs. A. W. Seltzer, Miss Naomi Sparks, Miss Mary A. Wetzel, Mrs. S. H. Karecher, Mrs. B. I. Sheafer, Mrs. I. H. Super, Miss Manah Garretson, Mrs. A. J. Pil- gram, Mrs. J. H. Umbenhen, Mrs. J. F. White, Mrs. A. F. Dreisbach,
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Mrs. S. D. Kynor, Mrs. A. B. Cochran. Depository, Mrs. E. M. Heil- ner's, No. 414 Mahantongo street.
The Pottsville Scientific society was organized on the Ioth of Octo- ber, 1854. The promoters of this worthy enterprise were Drs. James S. Carpenter, J. H. Wythes, and A. Heger, and Messrs. Samuel Lewis, P. W. Sheafer and C. Little. The object was the promotion of scien- tific research, and the founding of a medium of scientific communica- tion in the county. The effort proved successful for about ten years, during which time a valuable scientific library was accumulated, together with a large collection of minerals and curios. On the dis- solution of the society, the mineral cabinet was presented to Lafay- ette college, and the library was placed in charge of the Pottsville Athenæum.
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