Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-01-31
OUT IN DEADWOOD.
THE GRAsPING NATURE OF THE
CILIFORNIANS,
Attempt TO Rob the Small Miners by Organ
lied Capital-Murder Resorted to With
out Observation-Disclosures Checked and
Mining Pavalyzed.

DEADWooD, d. T., Jan. 2O.-The past month
has been prolific with exciting events. notable
therein being the Cheyenne outbreak, of which
the GLOBE has been fully informed By tele-
graph, and the conflict at Lead City between
the California (Homestake) company, and
miners, or as it is termed here, the war between
labor and capital. This latter calamity-for
viewing it in whatsoever light we WILL it be-
cones great and deplorable calanity-is still
embryotic and very portentious of evil. 1t is
not solely the result of recent transactions, but
the elimination Of policy pursued by a des-
potic money power whose motto in all things
has been rule OF ruin. Briefly told, the story
Is as follows: The great gold belt of the Hills
shows, for reason of more extensive develop
ment its greatest richness In the mounta n
bounded by Deadwood, Wildwood. Gold Run
and Poorman gulches, and attracted the atten-
ton ct Californians at their first visit
to the hills year and Il half ago. Satisfied
that the property was mere valuable than the
moss enthusiastic miner ever conceived, they
at once resolved to buy up the property, or
gain control of the entire hill. Their first
purchase, the De Smet, easily and salts
factorily accomplished, for tbs sum of $780,
COO, which was then considered enormous
price. The locators were in an impoverished
condition, had undergone all manner of hard
ships; their poorly developed mines were con-
sidered only ''blow OUTS and they Jumped at
the offer. The new company went to work
upon gigantic scale, and have already taken
out twice the amount paid and scarcely an i'm
pression9 has been made upon the vast
mountain of gold Then they bought
the HomeStakes, Terra and other
property, erected their immense mills, delved
Into the earth disclosing millions upon millions
OF gold, as proven by the fact that the cleanup
from several runs has never fallen below
and ataH io he
aston!sfiment of former owners that they had
really given away possessions second in value
to no mineral land in the world. Of course,
prices advanced, and Californians found their
little scheme for absorbing the entire hill
blocked, not by the avarice of the miners but
by q determination upon tho part Of such men
to realize something commensurate with the
value OF the property. SO long as Califor-
mans could buy for song they bought, but
when Justice slapped in and declared that men
who had braved the dangers incident TO the
early days of the Hills; who had scorned the
hostility OF Indians, and deGed an otficious
military; who hal explored wilderness, and
afforded escape to thousands of idle Eastern
men, and opportunities for the safe and lucra-
tive investment OF millions Of capital, should
be Eeasurably rewarded, and that sharks
should not profit by the labor of others with
out paying for it, these self-same
Caiifornans changed their tactics, and
resorted to trickery, and the farce
that organized capital assured them. mon
led Oligarchy became class Of detestable
Jumpers" whose motto, might makes right
has been illustrated III the courts and without;
with the shotgun and defiant demeanor; with
threats and all manner of acts. Not one of
their mines but is upon the court docket with
one or more penniless but Woodworking miner
as defendant, and when brought to issue, the
verdict, through some 1nscrutable meanss other
than dishonest court, (for more upright
Judge does not live than the present presiding
judge of this distrct) has been awarded
plaintiffs. Their latest proceeding was
the taking forciole possession of mill SITE
upon which to erect their contemplated 100
stamp works. This was claimed by the Pride
OF the West colnpany-poor men, but men who
having their rights, dared maintain them. In
the dead OF night these pompous capitalists
sneakeci upon the ground, demolished the shaft
house there erected by the rightful owners,
and When the latter appeared next morning,
refused to vacate. The locaters backed by
the miners union and the sympathy of the
public at large, made forcible recovery. and
were busily engaged rebuilding their house
when their cowardly opponents, concealed be-
hind an adjoining cabin, fred upon them,
seriously wounding Alexander Fran kinburg.
That shot awoke an echo that will live for
years. 1t aroused every honest in the
community. and brought upon the miscreants
guilty as principals, accessories after or be-
fore the act, anathemas Of the bitterest kind.
Four arrests have been made-arrests of men
whose poverty alone coerced them into doing
the bloody work for those whose only dis
tlnguishing feature is that they had the money
to pay for crime that they were too cowardly to
commit.
Such is the situation now, save that one hum
dred deputy sheriffs are on the ground to pro-
tect the mills and perishabe pro ,erty of the
Califoruians from threatened destruction. The
Californians will not learn wisdom. Exper-
lence is lost and of no avail. They are so
blinded with egotism over their money power
that they still defy public sentiment, and now
threaten to shut down all work; to cast 1000
men out of employment, and to paralize az
much rs possible the entire industry
OF this remarkable country until such time as
our miners, forced by sheer necessity, shall
lawn before them, and accept the profered
terms of peace.
They may succeed, but tits very doubtful.
There is too much backbone to this community
and too much self-respect for any such denoue-
ment. L. F. W.