Miner's Relief Fund, Hemingray Glass Company contributed

HELP THE MINERS.

Nat. U. Ringo Appleals [sic] Appeals to the

Charitable People of Muncie.

He Tells of the Suffering Miners at Brazil,

Ind., and Urges That All the Help

Possible be Extended — Money Raised

Yesterday.

MR. EDITOR: — By the placement of the committee appointed to solicit aid for the destitute miners of Indiana, I will try to give a short description of their actual conditions. There are at least eighteen or twenty thousand actually suffering now and increasing every day. Just think about it! That many human beings here in the state of Indiana in the year of grace 1897 starving with all our boasted pride, with all our churches, with all of our charity and with all our glorious harvest. As the poet said of the ship wreck: "Water, water, water everywhere and not drop to quench my thirst." There is plenty on every side but alas their larders are empty and through no fault of theirs. A few years ago they got $1.25 per 2000 lbs. for digger coal. Then they were prosperous and happy. The price started down, down, until it is now or was when the strike came on only 47 to 50cts per 2,000 lbs with from 10 to 12 cents per 2,000 for expenses of digging leaving from 36 to 39 cents for 2,0000 lbs. Now they could dig about three tons per day if they could get the work but they only get about one day in four, so says Judge Thos. S. Terhune a commissioner appointed by the governor. The State Statistician Hon. J. B. Conner says they only earned about 36 cents per day for the last year previous to the strike and we all know they have not earned a dollar since. Just think about it a man with a family with 36 cents per day for a year and for three months nothing at all.

Owing to the location of the mines they are very largely compelled to live in shanties at a camp near the works or pay very high house rent and car are to and from the mines for they are frequently three to four miles from any town. Their camps are built along the public highway perhaps in some ravine, sometimes out in an old field but always where the use of a small tract of land can be got very cheap. When they were getting living wages it was the rule (no exception) for each family to have a cow and a flock of chickens, and when located so they could, to garden. The cow is gone, the chicks are no more and the garden all used up. Our great success and plenty is very largely their downfall. Just look around us at the millions of tons of coal, gas has displaced. While the coal trade will eventually adjust itself to the new condition let us do what we can to alleviate the condition of the miners. Just think of stalwart men with bowed heads sitting around their camp without bread to keep the wolf of starvation from their door. Just look at the picture of dejection upon the wife's brow; listen at the pitiful wails for bread of those dear little ones who have not had two good meals a week for months. Then if you want to see abject distress just look that husband and father in the face as he goes treading home from the commissary with only 8 ½ cents worth of provisions. That is the amount the committee at Brazil will have to give him this week. They have been able to distribute 10 to 15 cents worth per week but they can't do it this week. One word more. The question has been asked what kind of people are they? If you will station yourself on one of our busy streets and look a the first 500 people that pass you you will see just an average of any 500 miners. Now let us of the Magic city come forward with liberal donation and do it quickly for he that giveth quick giveth well.

Yours for love of humanity,

                                                                                                 NAT U. Ringo.

The solicitors who were out yesterday secured $126 for the miners's relief fund, making a total of $361. The following persons donated:

Gregory, Silverburg & Lotz, $15; Meeks Bros. $20; Muncie Wheel works, $10; Ball Bros., $10; A.. Johnson, $10; J.A. Goddard, $10; R.M. Ball, $5; Fred Heath, $5; Hemingray Glass Co., $5; C.H. Over, $5; Peter Murphy, $5; Gill Bros, $5; J. Heinsohn, $5; W.L. Little, $5; Chas. Willard, $5; J.M. Maring, $5; Chas. Winters, $1.