The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-07-09
WAGES OR WAR.
Workmen at Ely, Vermont, Give
Their Ultimatum.
Particulars of the Trouble Unpaid
Wages and Threats of the Torch. q
TrOOpsSesrdered to the scene to Pro-
tect PrOperty---A Corporation
store Gutted, also a Fine
Residence.

BosToN, July The Journals Fly, Vt,
special reports the miners masters Of the sit
nation Work in the mine of the Vermont
Copper Mining company is suspended, the
smelling furnace fires were out, the corpora
tion store quilted and closed, and the property
Of the company closely guarded by armed
sentries The situation is critical, and the
destruction of property is threatened by
miners unless their wages are paid at once by
the company Saturday last was set as the
company'J pay day, but, the money not being
forthcoming, the miners to the number of
over {, 1000 suspended work and TOOK the min
ing property in charge The company owe
the miners 10000, not having paid them
since April, series of misfortunes and a
complication of lawsuits having overtaken
the Vermont Copper company, of which E.
Ely Goddard was president, as well as their
Successors, the Vermont Copper Mining COM
pany, Smith Ely, Esq, of New York, pres
ident. There has been no interest paid on
the 500, 900 for the payment of bonds issued
few months since and the floating debt
Ex-Gov. Farnham, attorney for the mining
company, made an offer to pay the miners
per cent on their wages but they refused to
accept the amount, declaring they would
have all that was due them or nothing The
miners seized l2j kegs kegs of blasting powder
belonging to the company, and have armed
men watching it. The leaders of the rioters
gave their ltltimatiOn to the officers of the
company to the effect that if their wages
We're net paid in full this week the torch
would be applied to the company's buildings
and the mine and mills would be blown up.
The indebtedness of $4,000 last year has
been doubled. The company have expended
nearly $500, 900 on machinery and building,
and at one time were offered 81 900, 900 for
the plant The miners are fully armed with
rifles and revolvers; they have more ammu-
milton than provisions The strikers went
| through the corporation store, quitting the
premises, and carrying off the stock.
| The postoffice had been removed to
a private house. The spacious resi-
| dcnce of Ely Goddard, which has stood un-
| tenanted by its owner for several months, was
entered by the strikers and the rich and ele-
CANT furniture apportioned out among the
/ miners, and set aside as partial payment for
services rendered in the mines Smith Ely,
! who has sunk several hundred thousand dol
| lars in the copper mines, and is president of
the company, fearing his safety, fed to Brad
| ford. The former manager of the mining
company, F. NJ. F. Cain, was given ten min
uteS to get out of town, and returned heavily
armed. As the demand for money can not be
acceded to, the only alternative seems to be
incendiarism and destruction. In this emer-
gency the company has no recourse but to
call ON the state militia to protect its prop
erty, and Gov. Barstow has ordered the First
regiment to the scene of the threatened
| trouble
LATER.-The serious trouble threatened by
the striking copper miners is thought to be
! over Four companies of state troops have
arrived, and found the streets deserted the
riotous miners not expecting them. Gov.
Barstow and other state officers accompanied
| the troops. Eleven of the ring-leaders were
arrested, and no resistance was made. They
will probably be taken to Chelsea. Much
sympathy is expressed for the miners, as some
of their families are on the verge of starva-
ton. Women with children in their arms ap-
pealed to the troops for assistance. Money
has been raised to relieve their immediate
needs The company propose to pay g., SOC
t once, 81, 600 next week and the balance,
| Sl5, 500 as soon as the ore now in process OF
rctipement can be put through and shipped.
STRIKING COAL MINERS.
| SPRINGFIELD, Ill, july "A correspondent
as been informed by leading coal miners in
he Springfield district that there will be q
General strike of coal miners in all the dis
tricts of the state The cause thereof is the
fact that the operators, throughout tie state,
rs alleged have determined to ignore the law
recently enacted by the legislature providing
for check weighmen at all mines, and in con
sequence of an expressed determination to re
duce the price Z cent per bushel. On these
points the miners are firm and demand the
enforcement of the law, and by a unanimity
that will embrace the state will resist a reduc-
ton of wages consequent upon the enforce
ment thereof.
The proprietors Of the north and west end
coal mines, also those of the Sangamon and
Barclay mines, have complied with the law,
and allowed their miners check weighmen
whereupon the latter ceased striking and went
| To-