The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-01-15
PREP FOR WAR.
VERY BELLIGERENT- OUTLOOK IN
THE HOOKING VALLEY.
Miners Armins aud Organizing Military
Companies AID the Operators Picking
Their Fiints-Hoadly Orders Up
the Troons-scuth Bend Quiet.

New LEXINGTON, Oaio, Jan 15.-The
condition Of affairs at New Straitsville is
critical and alarming. About 100 Win
chester rifles were received and distributed
among the strikers Tuesday The syndicate
guards are also thoroughly armed They
still hold and occupy their fort on Hazelton's
hill, near the Rock run nine, in which work
was about to be resumed at so cents per ton
when the Bristol tonnel was set on fire, COM
pletely wrecked, and all outlet for coal cut
off. The fire at this tunnel still blazes out
occasionally, though securely banked up at
both ends and where the earth has caved
through on the top of the hill, making a hole
through which the smoke and fire belches
forth like burning volcano. The new
fire at mine No. at New Straits
vile is burning fiercely, and vigor-
Gus efforts are being made by the
syndicate employees to extinguish it, but it is
doubtful if their efforts will be successful
The mine is the largest and most valuable in
the Hocking valley Nothing had been done
at it Since the beginning of the strike, and
there was no present intention of re-
suming work in it. 1t was in fact,
securely banked up at the entrance,
but the incendriaries gained access through
an adjoining mine operated by W. z.
Rend, who is not member of the syndicate,
| and who pays 70 cents per ton for mining.
Sheriff Brunner.and Deputy ..Morehead were
at New Straitsvile Tuesday. The deputy re-
| mains there but the sheriff went to Colum
| bus to consult with the state authorities, and
| if possible provide ways and means to pre-
vent a serious collision, which appears mmi.
nent.
| COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. Livery indica
| ton points to disturbance Of some dimen-
| sions in the Hooking valley within the next
| few days, or trouble may occur at any
moment Governor Hoadly, who has been
| slow to do anything, has some inside in
| formation which led him to issue an order
! for three companies of militia to &c
to the scene of operations One Of the com
pauies can reach Straitsville within an hour
from the time of receiving an order to move
Since the firing of the last mine at Straits
vile the companies have concluded to as
sumo the aggressive in the fight, and there
is no doubt now but that at the first show o.
demonstration upon the part of the strik
| ing miners blood will be shed.
A Shawnee correspondent sends the fol
lowing: "The following was posted at the
headquarters of the miners relief committed
| Tuesday night, on the building owned by tht
| Knights of Labor
"Notice-Having received an invitation
from StraitsyilIo and other parts of The
Hooking valley to take part III a grand mil
itary drill and exercise exhibition to talk
place in the near future, We desire to enrol
800 men in three companies of 100 each. /
is desired that the men applying for enroll
ment should be in good, sound physical con
ition, able 10 stand days marching il
necess ssarV. For further particulars apply Il
Neil McEachen.
| "McEachen and eight or ten other miners
who got rifles at Straitsville are supposed t
be the nucleus of the organization He is
member Of the relief committee and has beel
travelling over the country soliciting aid
Not long ago he addressed an assembly 0
laborers in Chicago, and 1t is thought tha
the communistic resolutions adopted at tha
time have led to the present organization"