Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-10-23

danger of mob violence at Superior
City, and on the 2Sth received the fol
lowing telegram from there:
SUPERIOR, Wis, Jan. 2Sth, 1892
Coz. Rusk: We are subsisting about
500 men, force largely outnumbering
us. We can't stop feeding them unles:
we have protection. A messenger has
been sent you.
S. Ii. CLoUGH,
VINCENT RAY,
HIRAM HATCH.
On the evening of the goth, Mr. Bur-
haus, their special messenger. arrived
here, and annex hereto copy of the
letter he brought from the authorities OF
Superior City.
directed Mr.. BUREAUS to notify the
people of Superior City to continue
feeding these men till work could be
obtained or some further relief deter
mined upon; that they should keep the
saloons closed, and that it would be al
most impossible to afford them relief
by the employment of the state militia.
This is now the condition of af-
fairs at these two points, and | have
called your attention to these matters
in detail that you might have all the
facts before you, and take such action
as in your Judgment the urgent and
immediate necessities require. The au-
thorities cannot for any great length of
time continue to furnish supplies to this
multitude of disconnected men, even if
they should continue to peaceably ac-
quiesce in their doing so, of which there
is great doubt.
| also call your attention to the fact
that some provision should be made 10
meet the expenses SO necessarily in
CURED, the amount of which, however,
l am unable at present to estimate,
although they connot yet be large.
! also venture to suggest that if the
legislature shall transfer the grant APP
plicable to the road from Superior
junction to the west end of Lake SUI
perior, to any company, it would be
wise, under existing circumstances, to
require such company to provide funds
for the immediate payment of these
laborers, and to reimburse the State for
any expenses incurred in taking care of
these men in this emergency.
feel constrained to urge upon the
Legislature some prompt action in the
premises. j. M. RUsK.
The following is copy of the letter
from the authorities of Superior City
referred to in the above:
SUPERIOR CITY. WIS, Jan. u, 1882.
TO HIS ErceIlency, j. H. Risk. Co..
efllor Of the state Of Wisconsin,: A large
number of men-from 700 to 800 it is
estimated have come from the
line of the Chicago, Portage & Superior
railway, without means generally. and
with unpaid claims for labor against
the construction company, are gathered
at this place, and are now being sup
ported by the county, the authorities of
which are endeayoring to prevail on
them to go out onto the line of the
Northern Pacific and to other points
where they can get work. The men
demand to be supported here for an in
definite time, such as may suit their
own convenience. many of them appar-
emily having the purpose to remain
util some arrangement satisfactory to
them shall be made for paying them for
their labor. The authorities and good
citizens here are doing all they can to
conciliate the crowd, and to tide over,
the present crisis, but it is believed,
nevertheless, that the emergency is
serious and full of danger, and that
property, public and private, and the
safety and even the lives of citizens
may be in jeopardy. 1t is reported that
threats have been made of burning the
railroad bridge of both the Air Line
and Omaha railroads, and also the
county court house. These men are
by their perfect under
of the fact that our community
IS isolated, aud that communication
between here and the capital of the
State is comparatively slow. In fact.
they know our comparative helplesSness
in case of II violent outbreak, and know
ing it ourselves, we are compelled to
ask your eXcellency to provide an ade-
luate force for our protection promptly
upon the very first application which
we may make for that purpose through
Mr.. Burhaus, who bears this letter, and
goes fully accredited from this place to
'epresent to you the situation here, and
o act constantly as a medium of COM
between yourself and the
people here named; its preparation is
urged upon your excellency, looking to
he contingency or notification from
lere that troops will be needed With
great respect, your obedient servants,
Ill. w. SHAW,
Chm of Supervisors.
Il. Il. MCLEAN,
IJRGELIE GORGE