New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-06-25

vanced, fifty on horseback and the re-
mainder in wagons, within twenty
rods of the depot, where the sheriff
had his men drawn up, bearing flags
inscribed Railroad Strikers, $3.50
and $3.50 per day." meaning an in.
crease Of wages for men and teams to
the figures named. The sheriff
called halt, threatening to shoot if
they advanced any farther. At the
second command sshalt" they stopped,
and afteralittle delay a parley ensued.
The strikers demanded either one Of
two things. s'The money right there
and then for work already performed,
or else an increase in their wages as
above stated" but as the contractors
could not just then comply with the
first demand, and would not with the
second, matters began to assume a
serious aspect; the parley was broken
off and the strikers gathered in groups
in various parts of the town to discuss
the situation. @
Thus matters stood when we arrived.
No depredations had been committed
except along tho line of tho road,
where some Of the camps had been
plundered, one or two farmers cows
killed and a boarding house keeper,
named Smith, at Redwood river, was
pretty roughly handled by the strikers
on account, Of the unpopularity of his
grub. Threats were made to. raid the
contractors store and the only grog
shop in town, but we kindly but firm.
ly informed them that such work could
not be tolerated and would be pre-
vented at all hazards. We also in
formed them that they had perfect
right TO demand higher wages if they
thought they were entitled to it, and
that they would not be molested, but
they should and must allow those to
work that were willing and satisfied
with the wages they were receiving.
After Il short delay Supt. Sanborn
ard Mr.. Perrine, the paymaster for the
contractors, proceeded on the special
train to Marshall where, they bor-
rowed a large sum of money to pay the
strikers off, Soon after our arrival
sheriff Hunter expressed his desire to
arrest the ringleaders, but they had
disappeared and no traces Of them
could be found. Being assured of pro-
lection the track layers again went out
on the line and worked the balance of
the afternoon without mO]estatiOn.
Although the strikers knew that Supt.
Sanborn and Mr.. Perrine had gone to
Marshall for money and that they
would be paid off upon their return,
nearly all slowly disappeared and
quietly left town before the train
returned. Upon the return of Sdpt.
Sanborn and Mr.. Perrine the strikers
yet remaining in town were informed
that the regular pay day for work per-
formed in the month of June would be
between tho 18th and Goth Of July, that
the contractors could not and would
not pay any moro than I'll .25 per day
men and $500 for teams, and
that all those who did not
care to work for those wages any
onger could receive their money.
He also said that work all along the
line would be resumed in the morning,
(Thursday) and that all who were will
ling and ready to work would he pro-
tectsd. Only about fifty Of the strik-
ers held out and the whole payment
amounted to less than $3.50, which
shows they were not alarmed on the
score of not receiving their pay. This
ended matters for the day, and the
strike was virtually atan end. Trouble
now was only to be feared from those
that had received their pay, but rs
they were SO few innumber not hing
serious was apprehended, and Supt.
Sanborn returned to Sleepy Eye. AS
our public schools had been dismissed
to allow two of the teachers, Sergt.
and Corpl. Oleson, to accom-
pany the company, we ordered these
two men to return Oh Supt. Sanborl:'s
train, which they did. The company
took up quarters in the waiting room
Of the depot for the night and once
every hour Il patrol WAS sent through
town.
Att 4. m. a special train arrived
bearing Gov. Pillsbury, Snpt. S;nborn,
Capt. Macy, representatives of the St.
Paul Pioneer Press and Globe and one
solitary recruit, who had joined the
Governors party ut New Ulm and was
assigned the important duty of watch
ing the box containing the l 900 rounds
of ammunition asked for by us and
brought up by the Governor, Immedi-
ately after his arrival, Gov. Pillsb,lry
engaged in consultation with different
citizens, sheriff Hunter and We humble
commander Of the military forces, and
the late troubles and the situation were
generally, and quietly discussed. Tho
Governor expressed his unalterable'de-
termination to protect the humblest
citizen in his honest efforts to secure
daily bread without molestation from
any source or cause whatever, and
plainly indicated his intent to protect
every citizen, fearlessly and Impartial
ly, from unlawful assaults or interfer-
ence. He instructed us to move eau
ti0usly but firmly, provided more trou
BILE occurred, and advised us to act