Historic Newspaper Images

Annie from the Greater Hazleton Historical Society turned me on to a really great historic American newspapers database (Early American Newspapers, Series I-III), which turned up some of the articles mentioned and quoted in previous posts.  While many of them leave scenes up to the imagination in a pre-photojournalist age, a few of them included really telling, sometimes powerful images.  I hope you enjoy or are inspired by a few of them here:

(click on an image to enlarge)

Philadelphia Inquirer, 12 September 1897

“Firing on the Miners.  An Accurate View of the Field Where the Tragedy Took Place” by a Philadelphia Inquirer staff person, 12 September 1897, front page.  It looks like the deputies were amassed just north of the massacre monument, across Main St.

Philadelphia Inquirer, 12 September 1897

Again, a staff drawing from the 12 September 1897 Philadelphia Inquirer, this time page 4: “Identifying Bodies in the Stable of Undertaker Boyle”.  I can’t imagine what that must  have been like; although, I gather from talking with people in the region that this is possible more humane than usual.  It used to be that the coal companies would just drop a dead body off at their home when someone died in a mine accident, right on the front porch.

Philadelphia Inquirer, 14 September 1897

“Crowds in Front of St. Stanislaus Church While Funeral Services Were Going On” in the Philadelphia Inquirer, 14 September 1897, front page.

New York Evening Journal, 10 March 1898

From the New  York Evening Journal, 10 March 1898, p. 5 (the signature appears to read “Davenport”).  Granted, the New York Evening Journal’s articles were a little more sensational than other newspapers’ at the time; however, there must have been some sense that money and power came before justice, and public sentiment around the country must have in part been that the deputies were guilty of murder despite their acquittal.   Of course, the other trial, which seemed certain for Sheriff Martin, never happened.

NY Evening Journal, 17 March 1898

The title and date of this are really interesting – “Lattimer Deputies Again Carrying Arms, Ready to Murder More Strikers” in the New York Evening Journal, 17 March 1898 (I think the artist’s signature reads J.A. Williams).  It must have looked like the deputies were still riled up against the miners, and again, that the deputies were in fact guilty of murder.

Narodny Kalendar, 1899

What a great image!  Two years after the massacre this rendition of a not-so-blind justice appears in Narodny Kalendar, a Slovak publication.  I’m working on trying to find an original copy, but meanwhile the image shows up in the journal Pennsylvania History: 2002 vol. 69 (1), p. 41.  It’s in an article called “A Slovak Perspective on the Lattimer Massacre” by M. Mark Stolarik.

These and still more images are in the gallery, below.

– Kristin

(click on an image to enlarge)

Narodny Kalendar, 1899

Officers of Troops. Philadelphia Inquirer 19 Sept. 1897, p.7

Map of the Middle Coal Fields. Philadelphia Inquirer, 12 September 1897

The Pay Line by Jay Hambidge. The Century, April 1898 (p. 812-13).

New York Evening Journal, 10 March 1898 p. 5

Lattimer Breaker. The Century, April 1898 (p. 819), by Jay Hambidge

Philadelphia Inquirer, 12 September 1897

Philadelphia Inquirer, 12 September 1897

NY Evening Journal, 17 March 1898

12th Regiment. Philadelphia Inquirer, 19 Sept. 1897

Milnesville Hotel. Philadelphia Inquirer, 12 September 1897

Sheriff Martin. Philadelphia Inquirer, 12 Sept. 1897, p.4

Philadelphia Inquirer, 14 September 1897

An Italian Quarter by Jay Hambidge. The Century, April 1898 (p. 823).

Main St. Lattimer. The Century, April 1898 (p. 817), by Jay Hambidge

Blair Mountain in WV Needs Your Help

This isn’t about Lattimer, but it is part of the story of the struggle for better working conditions, fair treatment of workers, and all the greed and corruption that surrounds those issues —

There’s a bit about Blair Mountain in the Related Sites section of this blog, which mentions the controversy over listing/de-listing the site on the National Register of Historic Places.  Blair Mountain is the site of a huge rebellion born of horrible working conditions in the southern coalfields, and the murder of a police chief who had befriended the miners.  I received an email yesterday (below) that made me think I should put this information on the front page.  Check out the Friends of Blair Mountain!  Here’s the email:

“The Blair Mountain battlefield in West Virginia is the site of the largest labor insurrection in US history. Currently, the site is threatened by mountain top removal operations, and extremely destructive forms of coal extraction practices, primarily in impoverished regions of Appalachia.

We have been attempting to get the mountain listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which we were successful doing for about a month until opposition from coal operators caused the mountain to be delisted. There were multiple discrepancies in this process.

Working with local citizens, The National Trust of Historic Places, Sierra Club, and Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition have filed a petition asking the National Park Service to reevaluate the listing on the National Register.

More information containing all links to the press release, the petition, video of the disturbance, and a report on the disturbance can be found at our website, www.friendsofblairmountain.org

For us West Virginians, Blair Mountain occupies is an extremely significant place in our history, and we would like to preserve this site for future generations. If you follow the link above, there is information about how you can help us save Blair Mountain.”

Camp Branch mine by the Blair Mountain battlefield

Lattimer in International News

The Lattimer massacre was not (and arguably is not) just a regional or national issue.  Aside from the strike and shooting reaching all corners of the U.S. (newspapers carried the story in Utah, New Mexico, Louisiana, New York, the Dakotas, Texas, etc.), sentiment was stirred up in Europe as well.

Austria-Hungary in 1911, from U Texas Libraries

The strikers were nearly all from Southern and Eastern Europe.  Those who died were largely from what was then Austria-Hungary (see map, left).  Only one of the victims had applied for citizenship by the strike (Michael Cheslock); none were yet U.S. citizens.  As such, the Austro-Hungarian Empire took issue with the killing of its citizens, and demanded indemnity from the U.S.  Quite a bit of fear revolved around what would happen with international relations.

Following are a few newspaper accounts of Austria-Hungary’s demands, and reactions thereto:

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Source: The Enquirer-Sun, Columbus, GA. 16 September 1897, p.6:

“Vienna’s View of Our Riots :Austria Will Demand Indemnity From Us for the Rioters Who Were Killed

London, Sept. 13 — A dispatch to the Daily Telegraph from Vienna says that much excitement has been caused there by the news of the shooting by deputy sheriffs at Lattimer, Pa., of a number of Austrian and Hungarian subjects.  Consular reports of the affair that have been received characterize the conduct of the deputies as unjust and unneccessary.  The foreign office will demand strict compensation from the United States.”

Source: The Sioux City Journal, Sioux City, Iowa. 14 October, 1897, p. 1

“PROTEST BY AUSTRIA: Claims Rights of Her Subjects Were Violated in the Lattimer Affair

Harrisburg, Pa., Oct. 13 — Gov.  Hastings has received a letter from Secretary Sherman, stating that the Austrian minister at Washington has filed a communication with the department of state, claiming that there was a violation of the rights of Austrian subjects in the firing on the mob at Lattimer, Pa., when a score of miners were killed.  Secretary Sherman requests the facts and status of affairs in relation to these cases.  Gov. Hastings has referred the communication to Sheriff Martin and Gen. Gobin, with the request that they enlighten Secretary Sherman as early as possible.” (this article was also carried by the Wilkes-Barre Times (Wilkes-Barre, PA) as “The Lattimer Shooting” and The Sun (Baltimore, MD) as “The Shooting at Lattimer”)

Source: The Wilkes-Barre Times, Wilkes-Barre, PA.  21 October, 1897

“THE LATTIMER SHOOTING: Sheriff Martin’s Story of the Affair Prepared for Gov. Hastings (by Associated Press)

Harrisburg Oct 21 — Sheriff Martin of Luzerne county was in Harrisburg yesterday with his attorney Geo. S. Ferris, to confer with Governor Hastings, who was unavoidably absent.  The executive wrote to the sheriff recently asking for a statement of the shooting at Lattimer to be used by Secretary of State Sherman in making reply to the Austrian government, which has instructed the minister at Washington to get all the details of the affair.  The sheriff has prepared a statement giving his side of the story which will be submitted to the governor in confidence on his return from Philadelphia.  The statement in brief recites that the sheriff and his deputies were in the discharge of their duty as public officials when the shooting occurred.”

Source: The World-Herald, Omaha, NE. 20 March, 1899

“NO QUARREL WITH AMERICA: Austria Will Have No Trouble With Us Over Lattimer Affair

London, March 19 — The Vienna correspondent of the Standard referring to the recent editorial allusions by the Politiasche Correspondez, to the Hazelton shooting and its announcement that the Austrian foreign minister intends to press the ‘just claims advanced in half of Austrian subjects,’ says, ‘I have reason to believe that the Austrian government has not the slightest intention to seek a quarrel with the United States.  The press however, is constantly accusing the government of neglecting its duty in the Hazleton affair, and the government will not let the matter drop until Count Goluchowski (the Austro-Hungarian foreign minister), gets an opportunity to explain to the delegations that the standpoint of the American government indicated by the latter note of February 4 is legally and morally incontrovertible, though the sheriff of Lattimer might have waited longer before giving the order to fire on the excited strikers.” (also carried by The Butte Weekly Miner (Butte, MT) as “The Hazleton Shooting”)

Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, PA. 12 August, 1899, p. 8

“There Was nothing to Arbitrate

The refusal of the United States Government to accede to the request of Austria-Hungary to submit to the arbitration of a claim for the payment of an indemnity on account of the killing of Hungarians in the memorable Lattimer riot is entirely justifiable, and it is indeed surprising tha the request should have been made.  The killing in question was the subject of judicial proceedings, the result of which was to vindicate its legality.

It will be recalled that the rioting occurred in connection with a strike of coal-miners.  In the course of that strike, and as a means of intimidating the employers, a number of men, among whom were the Hungarians on account of whose death the claims were made, had assembled and had begun to act in a threatening and disorderly manner.  Called upon by the Sheriff of the county to disperse, they refused to do so and they suffered as a consequence of their refusal.  The verdict of a jury confirmed the rightfulness of the Sheriff’s action and there is not the slightest basis upon which to found a claim against the United States.

There is no parallel between this case and that of the Italians who were taken from a New Orleans jail and lynched, and for whom this country did pay a compensation.  The Lattimer rioters had no one to blame but themselves, and as the facts are undisputed and undisputable, there is absolutely nothing to arbitrate.  The Austro-Hungarian Government could hardly have been serious in its request.”

____________________________________________________________________________________

So – what do you think?  Did the Austro-Hungarian Government have a case?  The “facts” of the case are certainly disputable, although the Sheriff was acquitted.  Should the government have received payment?  Victims’ families?  Anyone?

Lattimer is one of the “Five of the Greatest Strikes in America” in 1901

Going through historic newspapers, I found this in the Grand Forks Daily Herald (Grand Forks, ND), 08 September 1901, p. 3.  It lists five of what it considered the greatest strikes in America.  These are:

PA Coal Map, from http://www.leo.lehigh.edu/

1. “Irons against Gould In a Famous Struggle” (1886)
2. “Homestead Bloodshed in Campaign of 1892”
3. “Railway Strike of 1894 Against Pullman Works”
4. “Coal Miners’ Strike Ending with Lattimer” (1897)
5. “Men Won 1900 Strike in Anthracite Mines”

Here’s the section about Lattimer (#4):

“Coal miners in eleven states struck on July 4, 1897, on order of President Ratchford of the United Mine Workers.  Nearly all the bituminous miners went out and a large portion of the men in the anthracite region.  At high tide in the strike 110,000 men were idle.

This strike was successful.  The men went back to work in September at an increase in wages and with an agreement with their employers to arbitrate.  They gained in wages, it was figured by teh World at the time, over $13,000,000.

In September there was a small correlative strike at a colliery at Lattimer, near Hazleton, Pa., in the anthracite district.  This strike held on for several days and gained recruits from other colleries [sic] in the neighborhood.

Following their custom the strikers marched from mine to mine to urge other miners to join them.  On the road near Lattimer, on Friday, Sept. 10, Sheriff Martin of Luzerne county, with 102 deputies specially sworn in, met a body of these miners.

There was a trifling clash and the deputies fired on the marchers, who had no firearms.  Twenty-one miners were killed and forty wounded.  Several others fled.  The marchers were all foreigners.

Troops were called out at once and there was no further trouble.”

Women and the Lattimer massacre: Mary Septak

A bit more on the interesting but perhaps not unusual women of the Lattimer massacre–this time, “Big” Mary Septak, a Polish immigrant, miner’s wife, mother, and caretaker of several boarders.  Evidently she not only took care of all these people, but the men in the mines, too.  She seemingly had no fear of the National Guard and local police, leading women on marches, and calling men up from the mines to fight for their rights.

I’ll report more in on Mary as I find it – she’s quite the character and is bound to appear again.  This entry comes from The Century Vol. 55(6), April 1898: “A Pennsylvania Colliery Village. An Artist’s Impressions of the Colliery” by Jay Hambidge (available online at the Cornell University Library).  Mr. Hambidge also illustrated an article before this in that edition of The Century. I recommend reading and looking at it to get a feel for the local sentiment at that time.  It’s interesting stuff!  Anyway, here’s a bit about “Big Mary”:

Mary Septak by Jay Hambidge

“‘Big Mary’ is for the time the object of our search, and we finally find her cleaning a goose for her Sunday dinner.  Mary is by far the most forcible and picturesque character in all the mining region.  In her peculiar way she is a queen, and rules things with a high hand.  During the strike Mary was the most troublesome of all the foreigners.  No professional agitator had half the force for mischief that this woman exerted.  One day she led seventy-five women of the patch in a charge on the troops.  At that time these amazons were armed with clubs and pieces of scarp-iron, and they stopped only when they felt the bayonets of the immovable line of soldiery.  One would not imagine her such a character from the smiling greeting she gave us.  With her husband, she keeps a sort of boarding house for other miners; and in the living-room of the shanty were seven beds and eight trunks.  Probably from twelve to fifteen men occupy the same room with this man, his wife, and daughter, a large-boned girl of fourteen.  …

In a bed at one end of the room two men are sleeping with their clothes on.  They work on the ‘night shift’ in the mines, and sleep during the day.  These men belong to the class which was most active during the strike.  Mary the mother rattles along in conversation with her husband and daughter, her talk being punctuated with profanity.  Suddenly she turns to me with a demand to know if I eat meat on Friday.  I answer in the affirmative.  ‘Jesus kill you some day,’ she says, and laughs.

The amazon loves her husband, she asserts, and the affection is evidently mutual, for as he passes  her from time to time, he says some pleasant words or pats her cheek.  They have been married thirty years, and the daughter Mary is the only living one of ten children.  ‘When I ‘way from my man I cry all time, and when he ‘way from me he cry all time’ is the way the woman puts it.  In all their  years of married life he had never once struck her.

This is the woman who has the reputation of being a veritable tigress.  The men in the mining company’s offices are afraid of her, and give her a wide berth.  The trolley-car conductors tremble when she hails a car, and not one of them has ever been known to collect a fare from her except when she felt disposed to pay.  She has a contempt for American women.  They are not strong, she says, and cannot work in the fields.  The food they eat is too sweet; they would be better off if they ate sour soup and sour cabbage.” – p.826

Hazleton Plain Speaker & Wilkes-Barre Record, 1898

Source: Hazleton Plain Speaker, 02/02/1898, p. 10 (available on microfilm at the Hazleton Public Library)

“While the prosecution will be impaired by a lack of funds, the defense, backed by the coal companies, is prepared to stay here all summer.  The deputies are not hampered in the least, for they stay at a first class hotel, attend the theatre during the evenings and circulate among the Wilkes-Barreans in the saloons and restaurants.”

“District Attorney Martin [for the prosecution/strikers] asked that the witness be allowed to answer through the interpreter when the cross examination began but this was not allowed on the ground that it would be unfair to have the question asked in one language and answered in another language.”

Wilkes-Barre Record, 09/11/1897 (not quoted here)

Source: Wilkes-Barre Record, 3/10/1898, p. 4 (available on microfilm at the Osterhout Free Library, Wilkes-Barre, PA)

“The jury the Lattimer case required very little time to reach a verdict.  That the sheriff and his deputies would be acquitted very few persons doubted….  It can never be truthfully alleged that this trial was not fairly and impartially conducted.  Every particle of evidence presented by the prosecution that could properly be admitted was allowed to go to the jury….  The ignorant foreign elements that have become so numerous in some sections of the State [PA] must be disabused of the false theories, instilled into their minds by both political and labor leader demagogues, that all authority in this land is controlled by corporations and capitalists and is therefore the enemy of labor and of the poorer classes generally.  They must learn that the civil authority recognizes neither class nor condition, creed nor color, and that it compels all alike to be obedient to law.”

Journal of the Senate of PA, 1897 & the Yale Review, 1898

I’ve decided to start posting bits of what I’m reading/researching about the Lattimer massacre on any given day.  I definitely have strong opinions about some of this stuff, but will try to keep these in check; however, I hope you share yours in the comments below!

The quotes aren’t necessarily meant to go together.  They’re just what I think are interesting!  Anyway, here’s a start:

Source: Journal of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 1897 Vol. 2

The PA Anthracite Region, image from http://www.albany.edu/jmmh/

“One of the primary objects of the investigation [into anthracite mining conditions] was to establish the facts with respect to the condition of the miners and men employed in and about the mines, it being set forth in the preamble and resolution that a condition bordering upon starvation existed among the above named class of people.  The testimony  shows conclusively the deplorable condition of affairs for a period covering about two years, and particularly since the first of January of the present year [1897], since which time the men in and about the collieries have been employed not more than two or three three-fourth days per week, earning on an average $4 per week, upon which, in many instances, they were compelled to support large families, in some cases as high as eleven members, paying house rent and coal and the necessities of life, which to this committee seems an impossibility” (page 1826).

“While the country has always encouraged foreign immigration, yet since the time mentioned [1875], a class of foreigners have been coming in to which particular objection is made on the part of those employed in the anthracite mining regions [e.g. earlier immigrants – English, Irish, Welsh, etc.], namely the Poles, Hungarians, Italians and Slavs.  At first, doubtless, they were all employed as laborers, but gradually they became miners and in many instances the former employe [sic] was confronted by his foreign laborer as a rival for  his own position.

It is claimed that this class of people are un-American in every way, adopting none of our ideas of citizenship and living in a manner unknown to us as a people.  In most cases their objects and aims are to secure sufficient to enable them to return to their native lands or to assist in bringing others of their kin to this country.  Unless a change is speedily made, the time is not far distant when the miners of the anthracite region will be composed entirely of these people to whom they now so strenuously object.  Such a condition of affairs is not conducive to safety in the mines.  … The committee has referred to the undesirability of this class of people….  The committee is of the opinion that there will be no general prosperity among the miners of the anthracite regions and the laborers employed in and about the mines until the national Congress shall pass and provide for the rigid enforcement of a restricted immigration law” (pages 1831-2, 1838).

“You will observe that the average excess charged by the company stores over the independent stores is 30 per cent. which, of course, indicates that some of the prices are most intolerably high.  Indeed some of them charge as much as 35 per cent. higher than their neighboring independent stores, and when it is taken into consideration that the independent stores have a probable profit of 25 per cent. you will observe that it makes in the worst places a total profit of 60 per cent. in the company stores” (page 1840).

Source: The  Yale Review: A Quarterly Journal for the Scientific Discussion of Economic, Political and Social Questions. Vol 6, May 1897-February 1898. “An Impression of the Anthracite Coal Troubles” by J.G. Brooks

“Here is obviously a tap root of much of the difficulty.  Immigration has been purposely stimulated by these coal owners to the specific end that an adequate supply of the cheapest labor might be at hand for every rising exigency of business.  It is extremely ignorant and easily a prey to the agitator.

Wanted: Immigration Labor (from http://blogs.newamericamedia.org/bendib/766/wanted-immigrant-labor)

In the enforced periods of idleness which come with the shifting conditions of the market innumerable occasions for troubles like those at Lattimer may at any moment appear.  ‘What can you do with such wild beasts when they get off their heads but shoot ’em?’ were words which the writer heard, and it may be, in any given moment, that the social safety demands quick, sharp and bloody enforcement of the law.  It is, however, a very sinister state of affairs when conditions, which have been definitely encouraged by the mine owners and by our general policy of immigration, have come to be such, that, in their very nature, they are certain to breed chronic outbreaks like this in the Hazleton district.  A mine manager of twenty years experience said, ‘The truth is that the time came when somewhere hereabouts we had got to do some shooting.  It could not be put off much longer.’ The question was put to him, ‘When will you have to do some more shooting?’  The reply was, ‘In hard times, it is likely to come at any moment'” (p. 307).

“For any future worth discussing, no effective organization [of mine workers] seems possible.  The difficulties with a homogeneous population in English mines have been great.  What shall be said of the difficulties to be faced in t case of fourteen or fifteen nationalities?  The question of race enters here with almost terrific force.  The least adroit of employers can play upon these race prejudices so effectively as to weaken the strongest trade union in times of excitement.  It is this fact of race differences which baffles the student of trade unions in this country” (p. 308-9).

Inventory of American Labor Landmarks needs your help!

Do you know of a labor landmark in your community?  Are there places that tell stories about working people and their achievements?  Check out the information below, passed on by the Labor Heritage Foundation.  The LHF is looking to catalog America’s labor landmarks and need your help locating them.

You will find contact and project information, an inventory of terms, criteria for inclusion, and lists of monuments, markers and heritage projects.  Click here for more: Inventory of Ameican Labor Landmarks Information

PHMC marker at the Lattimer massacre memorial (photo by Kristin Sullivan)

the Lattimer massacre on YouTube

It turns out there are a couple videos on YouTube about the massacre, below.

1. This video accompanies Pennsylvania native Van Wagner’s song about the Lattimer Massacre:

2. This appears to be done by a high school or college group  (Anyone know who wrote it/put it together?).  A six minute take on the massacre:

Others?

April 6 Blog from Ning

So most of this information was previously housed at a Lattimer Massacre site on the Ning network.  Due to changes there, though, we’re moving everything here!  As part of that, here’s an old blog (from April 6, 2010):

Hi all! Nobody’s tried out the blog feature on here yet so I thought I’d give it a shot – and in the process tell a bit about Paul Shackel’s and my visit to Hazleton and its surrounding communities.

We were up to Hazleton, Lattimer, West Hazleton, Harwood, Humbolt, etc. March 18-20, way too short a trip! Paul brought his wife, and National Park Service archaeologist, Barbara Little. On the last day of the trip my husband, Ryan Sullivan, was able to join us as well.

The foci of the trip were threefold: 1.) Meet some of the people we’ve started to connect with in the area through here and otherwise, 2.) Visit the Massacre site and memorial, and 3.) Check out the massive personal museum that is Joe Michel’s storage facility.

Some of Joe's Collection

Mr. Probert and others look through the archives

Starting backwards on this journey with #3, this place is immense!! Words cannot describe Joe’s collection. These pictures are just parts of it – a room filled with maps and other archives from the greater Hazleton area (right), rooms of old bar supplies, of old water treatment and other science-y supplies, of drafting equipment (above left), typewriters, tools, coal mining accoutrement, a couple of old Army Jeeps, and so forth. It is truly amazing. AND! Joe’s looking for a local (Hazleton-area) museum, organization – something – to help house and preserve these treasures! Any takers? If I win the lottery I’m all over it. I have tickets for tomorrow’s Powerball 🙂

We did make it to the memorial site, which was great. The last time I went there was a bit of snow on the ground and it was incredibly cold so I pretty much ran out, took a bunch of pictures, and ran back into my car. In March we were lucky enough to hit a gorgeous weekend and were able to walk around the grounds, and the woods to the left of the memorial (if you’re looking at it). Part of this time was spent with two of Michael Cheslock’s great-granddaughters (one of whom I met through the previous LMP site on ning).  Getting their insights then, and during lunch afterward, was especially moving.

Is this the gum tree?

Part of the time we spent at the memorial we were looking for the gum tree, which makes its appearance in many accounts of the massacre (notably Pinkowski’s The Lattimer Massacre and Michael Novak’s Guns fo Lattimer). The idea is that if we can find the location of the gum tree, then we can figure approximately where Sheriff Martin and the deputies were located, and where the shooting started. I’ve heard people say that the tree was shot full of bullets, but I can’t imagine a tree that would’ve been fairly small then would have been shot much – any thoughts? In any event, we found this part of a trunk, which we think may be a gum tree. Anyone know anything about trees based on bark? This (right) was found in a pile of stuff (salt, dirt, etc.) dumped on the land by Hazle Township trucks, so it could’ve been moved from anywhere along the roads, I suppose – so we’re not so sure it’s even helpful in locating the original gum tree spot; but it is exciting.

Harwood Mule Stable Location

In any event, meeting the people we met was easily the best part of this visit. I got a ride around Harwood and the communities surrounding it by one of this site’s members and her cousin, which was hilarious (there are some entertaining people around the area!) and enlightening. I really hadn’t realized just how many individual towns existed in the area, which seems to be really important. They also showed me where the mule stables likely were (above), where miners met before the marches leading up to the massacre. Behind this area are the strippings left over from the Harwood mines – a reminder that the cultural and environmental implications of the mining industry are still alive and well in Northeastern PA, despite the mining companies having left many of the old mines and the many towns associated with them.

We got a chance, too, to meet Bobby Maso, who wrote the Standard-Speaker article through which many of this site’s members found us. Bobby’s one of most ambitious and put-together 22 year olds I’ve ever met, and he genuinely cares about the history of his hometown and region (he’s a Freeland native). He’s super anxious to do anything to help this project, it seems, which I really appreciate. Also, as a shout out, he’s one of the Eckley Players – so go see him this summer at one of their events!

Mr. Probert in the Vine St. Cemetery

I want to give particular attention to John Probert (in the “archives” portion of Joe Michel’s vault/museum above), who has been an incredibly helpful go-between, local guide, etc. He introduced us to Joe, as well as to Hazleton’s poet laureate and local artist, Sal, whose insights into the massacre were inspiring. Mr. Probert was also kind enough to give us a private tour of the Vine Street Cemetery, where he is president of the Cemetery Association (right). Check it out sometime if you haven’t been there. Many of the players in the massacre story are there – Pardees, deputies, Michael Cheslock, etc.

Anyway, Mr. Probert and Joe have been cooking up scenarios for what really happened leading up to, during, and immediately following the massacre. I’m incredibly impressed, and grateful, for their help, resources and imaginations!!

So, now what? I’m hoping to come up for Patch Town Days, which I think are June 19 and 20 (anyone have details?). If anyone wants to meet up there, or around that time, let me know! Meanwhile, I’ll blog or send a message about any other related goings-on here! ‘Til then… .

– Kristin

Update: I have not yet won Powerball (5/7/10)