Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1892-07-14
MINERS FIGHT.


| GAlcne Region-A shot from tho STOCK
AIDE.
WALLACE, Idaho, July 49, The
strained situation in the Cmur d'Alene
labor trouble eliminated in an out.
break
The events Of the day previous con-
sisted of challenges from. non-union
men at the Frisco aud Gem mines to the
union miners ut the town Of Gem and
all seemed to indicate speedy rupture.
Yesterday morning at 8 o'clock a
miner from Gem started for Burke.
When opposite the Frisco mine he was
fired upon. lie ran back several hum
drcd yards to Gem where the shot had
been heard and soon the miners in the
town gathered with arms. They
marched in body toward the Frisco
mill, located directly in front Of the
mine
When scarcely within rifle range a
volley from the Frisco mill greeted the
miners and lead whistled all about
them. They scattered and regular
battle ensued
One miner and one non-union man
were killed and six wounded during
the engagement
The miners in the meantime went
around the hills up the canyon above
the mines, loaded ear with $50 pounds
of giant powder and sent the car down
the track toward the Frisco mine. Di-
rectly in front Of the mill an explosion
occurred, scattering the mill TO splin-
ters and making II complete wreck.
The non-union men then showed u
white flag and surrendered. They were
marched down 10 the miners union hall
and guarded from any indignitics being
offered after the surrender.
While the fight was going on ut Frisco
the Gem guards suddenly began firing
vollcy after volley into the town Of
Gem, riddling the buildings with bull
let's John Ward, citizen, was shot
through the arm and Gus Carlson,
union miner, was shot and killed.
At Gem several hundred men were
huddled on the street with rifles aud
rcvolvers Peace negotiations were i'm
mediately set on foot and at IL o'clock
the mine force surrendered to the union
men.
The number killed so far as can at
present be learned is ten and about ten
wounded, though there may be bodies
under the Frisco mill.
About COO men in the mine surren-
derd
TROOPS ORDERED OUT.
A dispatch from Boise City says
Gov Wiley has ordered companies A,
o. ], N and G OF that city TO hold them
selves in readiness TO proceed TO the
scene Of the CUur dAlenc mining
trouble 1t is not thought that an
effective state force can DC sent there
United States Marshal Pinkham has
laid the matter before the attorney
general at Washington, the outbreak
having been in defiance Of the federal
court injunction.
The cause of the strike was the de-
mand Of the union miners Of the dis
trict for $3.50 per day for every man
working under ground The mine own
ers held that unslSilled laborers should
be paid only So When the miners re
closed. The owners declared that ex-
sessive freight rates was the cause Of
the reduction. A lockout was begun
April by the Mine Owners association
ae1 . S,a9a uniUu miners were thrown
out Of work Since then the mine own
ers have been making . struggle TO run
their mines with non-union men and
guards.
The tension has been great for months
and the opinion has prevailed that only |
a spark was needed 10 start the flames |
IF riot The examples at Homestead |
and the decision of the United States |
court at Boise making n perpetual in
junction against the miners Inion |
brought matters TO a head
4 spokane telegram says the union /
men in the poorman and Tiger mines
luit work and captured all the non
lnion men working in the Union mine
near Burke.
MORE BLooDsHED IMMINENT.
At o'clock in the afternoon about
500 miners from Gem, fifty Of whom
we're armed with rifles marched down
10 Wallace They brought with them
heir prisoners, consisting of about 100
men and five dead bodies
ind another man. James Hennessy, Of
Butte, Mont, shot through the breast.
pom arrival here the scabs were turned
oose and the union men began search
NJ for A. NJ. Ester, manager of the
Frisco mine, against whom the union
men have a special grudge.
The terms on which Gem miners aud
guards surrendered were that twenty
seven Winchcstcrs and a number of re-
'olvcrs and 1000 pounds of ammunition
should be placed in the hands Of disin-
crested parties, two citizens and two
union men, and that the
icabs should be shipped ont Of the
,ountry.
An hour after the agreement about
he arms was entered into the union
men got possession Of all the rifles and
ammunition and last evening large
bodies of armed miners went down to
yardner. twelve miles distant, In
wagons and by rail.
The mines employing non-union men
here are the Sierra Nevada, Bunker
Iil and sullivan. The Bunker Hill
md sullivan have a force of 2GO men and
lbout 100 can be armed with Win
.hesters
There is only one way to reach the
nine and that is directly mp the gulch
md the road is steep. If an attempt is
made there against the men ia the mine
here must be bloodshed The Sierra
Nevada is exposed.