When the world turned toward America's Industry
to fight the evil foe, the skilled hands and spirits of
Bethlehem were there to answer the call.
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A slow moving freighter solemnly creeps down the Lehigh River, as if not to disturb the dead. The spirit within rolling steel of the train, mourns the fate of the mill as its own. Photographed April 18, 2001. |
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Viewed from the Pennsylvania Route 378 Lehigh
River Bridge, the west end of the Bethlehem Steel complex sits cold as
death, offering no resistance to its demise. |
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Viewed from the slopes of the south side of Bethlehem, fresh green sprouting from the trees signal a new beginning, but the cold iron only rusts in the sun with no more fires to burn. Photographed April 18, 2001. |
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Cast when America's industrial prowess was born of human hand, the iron cross leans out of plumb. Forgotten souls under the spring green of the churchyard, whose names have dissolved from the face of the fallen and broken grave stones, take solace in that not only their realm has been neglected by community of Bethlehem. April 18, 2001. |
And when the world again cries out for the legendry honor
of America's ability and skill to produce, the folks of Bethlehem
will look toward the southern slopes and say, "there in the grave
yard, long buried is the salvation for which the world seeks.
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Growing up, we were led to believe that the common working
man was responsible for the death of the steel industry here in Pennsylvania.
He and his greedy unions strangled the mighty industrial giant. But what I
believe killed the giant was the failure to reinvest the profits into the
mills and men, instead of the wants of wealth.
My Uncle Bill was chief rolling boss at the Phoenix Iron Company.
Rolling structural steel with machines long
worn out, he would make adjustments inside the hot working mill,
(where only he would venture while the mill was running) so to keep
from making scrap. During his career his hands were twice pulled into the
mill. He never blamed the company, or went after more than what the company
said he was entitled to. My Uncle Bill was a typical working man, and I know
that his breed did not kill the mighty steel giant.
I also know that as the fire of the furnaces went cold, so did the pride of
the youth in the mill towns extinguish. Bethlehem failed due to greed. And I
am afraid that same greed is destroying the very fabric of these United States
of America.
James E. Frizzell
Post Office Box 595
Kimberton, Pennsylvania 19442
e-mail: jimmy@jim-frizzell.com
date posted: April 20, 2001.
last revised:
August 22, 2007
.