Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-10-23
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dates and stump speakers are making
the air vociferous with professions q
friendship for the. laboring man and
promises to aid him, it is pleasant to
find a candidate who has done some
thing more than make promises, and
who can point to actual and yaluabi,
Service rendered as solid evidence thai
he is no pretender. but man OF deed,
rather than words.
Such candidate is Gov j M. Rusk
In the first month of his administration
January, 1882, an exigency arose which
tested his qualities and proved that he
is made of genuine stuff
About the middle of that month the
people of the State were surprised with
the news that the line OF the land-grant
railroad known as the Air Line, entend-
ing southwark from Superior City, and
and then under the control OF the Chi
cago, Portage 81 Superior Railroad
Company, had been sold to the Chicago,
Minneapolis & Omaha Company. The
line of the road between Superior juno
ton and Superior City was then in the
course of building, the work being in
~the hands of a corporation known as
the Anglo-AmeIican Construction Com
pany. With the announcement of the
sale, the construction company sus-
pended work, and about / 800 laborers
and $50 teams were suddenly thrown
out of employment in md-winter The
construction company declined to pay
the sub contractors the amount due
them, and the workmen were not only
left without employment, but penniless.
They were naturally importunate and
indignant. Serious riots were inlmi-
Lent at Superior City and Veazie At
the latter place about 1000 of them
assembled They attempted to burn
the bridge of the Omaha road near the
town. They seized large quantity of
Hour. took possession of the saloons of
the place, and, armed with clubs, axes
and other implements, carrying red
flags, threatened vengeance against
those whom they believed responsible
for the injustice done them.
The aspect of affairs was most threat
ening, and kilograms were sent to Gov.
Rusk urging him at once to send troops
to put down the rioters. In the mean
time a bill had been introduced in the
legislature revoking the land grant to
the Portage & Superior company, and
comforting it on the Omaha company.
The problem presented to Gov. Rusk
was how to maintain the peace, and at
the same time see that justice was done
to the aggrieycd laborers. The latter
were left without even food for their
maintenance. Instead of calling out
troops, Gov. Rusk at once decided that
RELIEF should be sent to the laborers,
and that their Just demands should be
granted. With this purpose he adj
dressed the following message to the
legislature:
STATE OF WIsCONsIN-E Executive De-
Standardization, Sept. 30, 1882. To
the honorable, the Legislature: / have the
honor TO call your attention to the con-
dition of affairs during the past four
days, on the line of the Chicago, Port
age IL Superior railroad, at Superior
junction and Superior City, and to give
you a history of the action taken by this
department in relation thereto The
first that was known here of any threat
ened disturbance on the part of the
laborers on what is known here as the
'Air Line road, was the dispatch re-
ceived Jan. rs, of which the following
is II copy:
hYAi i-ltiOJh ~ AlO4Ns - ttli. 4-Ds lCO---
Cor Rust. Hu0isoH: The men on this
end Of the Portage ~ Superior road are
taking everything WITHIN their reach
We are pOwerless TO protect our prop
erty against zoe men who have neither
money nor meaas Of Subsistence. They
threaten to burn houses and destroy
everything here. We appeal to YOU for
protection; can you send relief?
WALKER. JUDD q VEAzIE
10 which replied rs follows:
MADISON, Jan 70, 1892 49, Walker,
Jt3d C Feazie, Superior function, lVtS:
Your dispatch received; notify men to
do no damage. Supplies will be sent
at once and transportation furnished all
who desire to come out. Telegraph
condition again to-day.
Aud at the same time | directed Mr.
Winter, of the Chicago, ST. Paul, Min
neapOlis u Omaha railroad, to send
provisions to Superior Junction, and to
furnish transportation to St. Paul and
other points where work could be pro-
cured TO all the men who would come
away, and he proceeded to make such
arrangements.
The next morning received the fol-
lowing dispatches:
SUPERIOR JUNCTION, Wis, Jan. 90, |
1882 0c Rlsk: Men decline to leave;
they are forcibly using our supplies and
make demand for beef and pork. which
they get; say they must have their pay
before they leave here, or they will
burn the bridges and destroy the track
Are we to understand that you are
going to allow them to use our sup
plies, and If we refuse they viii burn
us out? They undertook to hang two
of our watchmen last night.
WALKER, JUDD d FEAZIE.
SUPERIOR JUNCTION. Jan. 26, 1882.
= Coz RuSt: See Veazie's telegram.
We need 200 well-armed men to pro-
tect property and preserve order here
and at the camps. Subsistence can be
had here if they come quickly.
j. w. DINsMoRE.
SUPERIOR JUNCTION. Jan. &c, 1882.
x Coz. RuSh: Veazie has shown me
your telegram Offering transportation
to Air line men. When can you send
train to take 500 TO Madison?
IL. PErTING.
To these dispatches / replied as fol-
lows to Mr.. Petting directing that
copy be given to Walker, Judd &
Neazie:
MADISON, Jan. y, 1S82,-H. Pettinq,
Superior function, lPiS: Transporta-
ton. SIN advised, will be furnished to
men to ST. Paul and places where they
can get work Their claims, if collect
iblc, can be collected. No transporta-
ton will be furnished them to Madison.
There must be no violence or mob law.
Tine power of the state will be used to
protect persons and property.
Later-On the 9th of January re-
cpixed the following, which was prob
ably sent before my dispatch was re-
ceived
SUPERIOR JUNCTION, Jan. -, 1882.
Goo. Risk; A large number of men
are at the track, anxious to hear your
reply to my request for transportation
20 Madison. Are they to be paid for
labor on the Air line, and when?
II. PErrING.
On tao morning Of the 18th re-
feiyed the information from the rail
road company that they could only in-
duce five or six of the laborers to come
away, and l then, by telegraph, asked
WalSer, Judd 4 Yeazie the condition Of
affairs, bUt So which | GOT no reply.
also received, during the 18th, the fol-
lowing Dispatch:
SUPERIOR JUNCTION, Jan. %, 1882.
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