Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-07-13
THE CAMPAIGN OF 1888.
The Trouble at the Ely Mines

me NANAE AhlNeN DuN 10 NNuRL
the Disturbance---The Iltngleadera nj
the MOb Arrested ana Order Restor
ed-.-Terms OF Settlement Arranged.
The Troops Return Home.
The trouble among the miners at the Ell
copper Mines which was briefly referred L
in our state news last week. assumed &c
threatening a form that on Friday last Gov
Barstow ordered out FIVE companies of th,
state militia to go to Eli Cor Vershire as th,
town is now called, to quell tho disturbance
The information on which this call for the
assistance of the militia was based was fur
nshed by the High Sheriff and States Attor
ney Of Orange county, who certified TO the
governor that the town of Vershire was il
the hands of mob of miners that the min
ing company's store had been Quilted, thai
their powder magazine was in the hands oil
the mob, and that the miners threatened tc
destroy the whole town unless their long. over
due wages, amounting in all to $50, 600, were
paid them by O'Clock Saturday night. The
companies ordered out were the Barlow GRAY,
of st. Albans and the companies from Rut
land, Montpelier, Mortified and Bradford
The companies mustered promptly, with
ranks numbering from 80 to 40 men each. and
reached the Nershire station, / miles from
the copper mines, by special train soon after
midnight on Saturday morning From the
station they were taken across country to the
mines in large wagons, reaching the scene OF
action just at daylight. Tho powder maya
zine was captured by the Bradford company,
the ring leaders of the mob wero taken i'm
their beds and quiet and order were restored
in town without bloodshod or loss of life.
The troops fed the hungry families of the
miners from their ratiuns, arrangements were
made for the payment of part of the over
due wages, and the militia left for home dur.
ing the afternoon. Such are tho facts in
brief of this short and rather eveutful cam.
paign. Detailed particulars are given below,
made up largely from the dispatches of Forbes
to the Boston Journal:
The Active Work Of the CRmpnirn
The troops arrived at Ely Station at 1880 A.
NJ, and were drawn up in line and twenty
rounds of ammunition issued to each man.
With Col. w. l.. Greonleaf, who commanded
the forces, were Surgeon o. w. Peck, Adiu.
tant NJ. d. Green, Commissary f. L. Green.
leaf and Quartermaster William Smith Gov.
ernor Barstow accompanied the expedition
and Adiutant General Theodore s. Peck.
Quartermaster General IL. X Ide and Col. U.
A. Woodbury., Col. w. IL. Gilmore aud Col.
T. L. Fletcher Of the Governors staff Col.
Greenleaf addressed the militia in few well.
chosen words, speaking of the probable de
mands that would be made upon them to pro.
tect life and property, and said he believed
emergency that might arise. The men were
then loaded on seven large six.horso coke
wagons, and with their tent equpage aud IN.
tions in the rear, the military train took up
the line of march for the Ely mines For
three hours the numbering vehicles slowly as
cended the mountain road, and at sunrise the
bleak hilltop of Ely Mine doomed up. When
within two miles of Ely village the troops
alighted and marched in platoons up toward
he f,v,.t,f 2l,a
ny, Capt. John II. Watson, which had also
been called out had been brought to West
Fairee in teams. At break of day this COM
mand was detailed to make an independent
movement for the purpose of capturing the
powder magazine near the mines, containing
40 kegs of blasting powder This was sue
cessfully accomplished, and with the maya
zine were captured four armed miners on
guard there. The contents of the magazine
were carried into New Hampshire and buried
Meanwhile the main body of troops marched
through West Fairlee village for the mines.
Adjutant General Peck led the column, Col.
Greenleaf following in direct command The
Rutland company had the right of the col
umn, the Northheld company following, and
the Montpelier and St. Adams companies com
ing next, escorting Gov. Barstow and Quarter
master General Ide. Up the heights to Ely
village marched the column, their firm step
and bristling steel presenting a fue scene.
Tie miners homes appeared deserted, but as
the tramp of armed men resounded along the
highway window blinds were opened and cur
tGins raised, disclosing the miners rousing
from their SAUNDERS. The column was pre-.
coded by High Sheriff Luke Parish and his
deputies. These officers had warrants in their
hands for the arrest of fifteen leading spirits
in the strike. By prompt and skllful move
ments the sheriff and his posse of officers en-.
tered the houses of the miners, arrested such
as they had warrants against and applying
handouts put them under military guard. In
this way twelve of the ringleaders in the
strike were secured, and tho object of the
expedition attained.
The whole affair was a complete surprise to
the miners, and the sudden appearance in
their midst of 200 blue coated troops render.
I'd the turbulent populace submissive to the
representatives of law and order. Many mi
ners welcomed the militia and mingled with
them. Had the miners been given warning
of the coming of the troops, resistance would
undoubtedly have been made and bloodshed
might have followed
breakfast was served to the troops on the
little lawn nea- the Roman Catholic church,
and soon after preparations for the return
home were made. Previous to their depart
ure the troops fed hundreds of hungry men,
women and children from their ample supply
of provisions. 1t was pteous sight to wit
ness the almost ravenous manner in which the
poor children ate the ratons given them by
the soldiers. In some instances whole fami
lies gathered around the spot where the mill
tia were stationed and partook of their bounty,
the soldiers giving the miners bread and but.
ter, canned meats, coffee and such delcaCies
as they had. The officers and troops also left
hundreds of rRtions, including bread, barrels
OF crackers, hams, coffee, etc, with the mi
ners on their departure. Many miners told a
sad story of restitution. One family of six,
including three or four children, had nothing
TO eat but four potatoes, a mother nursing a
baby had had nothing but bread and water
for four days, and other cases of almost equal
restitution were found Aside from the
question of disturbing the peace and threaten
ing the destruction of property on the part OF
the miners, the sympathy of the people OF
the state is Enthusiastically with the miners.
They have undoubtedly been treated unjustly.
Gov. Barlow had occasion to talk with many
Of the miners, and while counseling strict oh
servance of law and order His Excellency
was very putspoken in his views to the effect
that the men should be paid their wages, and
promised to do all in his power to have them
paid. The Governor gave the miners some
good advice and expressed his regrets at the
misfortune that bad oyertaken them. A large
portion of the miners have not been in sym
pathy with the rioters, and they welcomed
the military.
1t is understood that the basis of settlement
agreed to by the miners is that alluded to far.
ther on, viz: $500 within few days and the
balance of Sl5, 500 as soon as this can be real.
lied from the ore now ready to be smelted.
The Mining COmPaDy's Affairs.
The discovery of copper ore ut the Ely
mine dates back many years. The first com
pany to work the mine was organized 30 years
ago. In productions the mine has ranked on
y second in the country. Its depth is now
1000 feet. Hon. Smith Ely of New York, foi
aany years president of the mining company,
is now upward of so, nearly blind, decrepii
and broken down. e. Ely. Goddard succeed
ed his grandfather as president of the compa'
ny, but under his management the company
was chiefly successful ia running into debt
At present its affairs are in the hands Of the
Vermont Copper mining company, with ex
GOV. Iarnham chief director and vice presi
dent In spite Of his efforts the concern has
gone from bad to worse and now has a float
ing indebtedness of 5000 600. or late there
have boon suits and counter suits of various
kinds between tho Goddards and Oazin, the
manager The present trouble arising from