Re: (erielack) Silk Mills and Coal

[Njricky2_@_aol.com]

By the mid-60s, it wasn't only women working in the silk mills. It was mostly 
men and there were many of us teenagers who had summertime jobs (majority 
guys) who made a few bucks to gas up our cars.
 
By that time, they were "nylon mills" but still called "silk mills". Times 
had changed. A few in Scranton were still served by railroads but the rest were 
using trucks. One of the reasons for that was that many spurs along the 
branches were no longer used by EL and the others, thus, as merger mania was taking 
place, the trucks took over.
 
Environmentally speaking, the smoke, the smell and the noise, in 2007 terms, 
would have shut them down but 40 years ago, that was not the concern. A 
decimetre would have blown itself off the charts in those places. 
 
When you took your break during your eight-hour shift (who works eight-hours, 
I sure don't but many do), you took your break in what was called (pardon the 
use of words, but we are guys), the "shithouse". Yes, that's what they called 
it.
 
Most smoked back then and that's where you sat for 15 minutes. Others were in 
the stalls, conversing as if there was no barrier. 
 
One July afternoon in that room, one man, sitting on the bench looked at us 
teenagers while we were complaining about the working conditions. He said, 
"Wait until you're here for 26 years as I am, You'll get used to it." That was in 
1967, thus he had been there since 1941.
 
That man whoever he is, on that afternoon made me think. I finished high 
school, went on to college, received my degree and will always remember my roots.
 
He just as EL and the others were on the way out. Things as we and they knew 
were changing. I was at the point in life to "go for it" and did. 
 
The "silk mills" are a part of my personal history and with that experience, 
I grew, learned and never forgot what that one man said.
 
In the (again pardon the words) "shithouse", that so-called, uneduacated man 
educated me. I'll always thank him for that 15 minutes in July. Without his 
words, who knows?
 
Rick



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