Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-26
BACK TO THE MINES.
The Tennessee COnvicts at Work
Again in Their Old Places.
A QUIET RETURN TO COAL CREEK.
Governor Buchanan and the State Militia
Escort Them Back.
SOLEMN PROCESSION FROM KNOXVILLE
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH ]

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPArCH.I
KNOXVILLE Tenn, July 25.-If the
people of Knoxville had followed the in
clination of their hearts to-day, the city
would have been gay with flags. As early
as o'clock the streets took on a holiday
appearance, and the cloudless morning was
no brighter than the faces of the citizens,
their wives and daughters. The mining
troubles had been settled, the convicts
were going away, and although they were
not yet gone, the impression which the
anxiety of the last weeks had caused was
visibly lifted and dissipated.
At 7:45 o'clock the militia, now so long
encamped on the university grounds, came
marching down Gay street. Hardly had
they passed down toward the railroad sta
tion than the cOnvicts came out from their
prison in the storehouse and rolled slowly
down the street in dismal column. The
whole city was assembled along the side
walks, and for awhile the smiles vanished,
as none could smile at that ragged, striped
and mournful parade of the ugliest of
human beings Seven guards marched with
the 125 convicts. Each guard carried VIM
chester and displayed heavy revolver hang
ing from his shoulder by strap.
A Tattered, Sullsy Column.
One convict carried a fiddle case, ready to
fall to pieces, another had a huge water
melon on his shoulder, but most were empty
handed, plodding along in tattered sulki-
ness. The especial trains-one for the mill
itary and the other for the convicts-pulled
out at about the same time. The militia all
went to Chattanooga to await there the news
of how the convicts were received in the
mountains before dispensing. The convict
train was made up of of four old and grimy
cars. Three of them held prisoners and
guards. In the fourth were Governor
Buchanan, several State officials and the
committee of miners.
The convicts leaned from the windows on
either side all the way to Coal Creek and
returned with interest the curious gaze Of
the people on the farms and at the mount
ain stations along the route. 1t was ex-
pected that there would be a crowd of
miners at Coal Creek and the officials after
ward admitted that they feared trouble,
but not more than 100 miners were there,
and as the Governor alighted from the train
they surrounded him and shook hands with
him silently, but with no sign of hostility.
Disembar1ing the Convicts.
AT the Knoxville Iron Company's mines
most of the cOnvicts were put off The
train then started on to Briceville and the
Tennessee COmpany's mines were soon
lSGtlltu anu - IGiudlHlllS COHNlClS, dlA VI
whom were white men, were led TO the half
finished stockade, which might have been
the scene of bloody conflict A few free
miners from another mine were standing
about, one of whom was naked to the waist.
The convicts were got to work at once.
Governor Buchanan and his party imme-
diateiy began to journey back to Knoxville
On the way down the Governor showed
how relieved he was by the brightness of
his face and frequent laughs. Tonight
shall take my first nights rest in a week."
said he, and he took it at home, for he only
stopped one hour in Knoxville before tax
ing train for Nashville.
This ends the troubles with the miners
and mountaineers of the Coal Creek region
for the present. They will await the action
of the Legislature in peace If the Legis-
lature does not remove the convicts, the
storm will break out again. No one vino
has watched the mOuntaineers during this
excitement can doubt it. The Governor
knows it well, and knowing also the Legis-
lature, no doubt realizes that his anxiety is
only put of.