Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-08-26
TENNESSEE Mine RIOTS
THE MINERS CAPTURE AND
BURN SEVERAL sTocKSDEs.
But are at Last Forced to Surrender to
the State Troops at Coal
Creek.

|
dated August 10, say: Affairs in the
mining regions are becoming worse
every moment. The strikers are con-
stantly increasing in force about the
Coax Creek mines and will undoubtedly
attempt to overcome the guards and
free the convicts.
Gov. buchanan has issued call for
5000 volunteer recruits to report at
once. Conflicting and sensational
J rumors are coming in from the scenes
of the disturbance. 1t is definitely
| known that the stockade at Oliver
| Springs had been re-enforced by 2s
Knoxville militia under command of
| Mai. Chandler. Later it was certain
that the stockade had been captured
along with the guards and soldiers who
were holding it. The miners at Coal
| Creek, Jellico, Newcomb and other
places on the Knoxville & Ohio road
seized three trains and with drawn
| Winchesters compelled the trainmen TO
take them TO Silver Springs. The
crowd numbered in all 800 men, EN-
| bracing the miners at the latter point.
| The warden heard of their approach
and when the miners were at least
mile from the stockade cowardly
| abandoned his post and with his con-
victs and guards marched q mile to
surrender. This action meets with the
contempt of all and after the former
brave defense comes as a great surprise.
The miners were led by ID. A. Mon
roe, who makes no attempt 20 disguise
the part he took. The guns of the
militia men were taken from them and
| they reached Knoxville. The miners
| then seized the three trains on which
they had gone to divers and loading
| the first with conyicts and guards and
boarding the other two pulled out for
| Clinton. From this point the convicts
were taken to Knoxville and the min
ers left for Coal Creek, where the min
ers of the entire region are concentrate
| ing. The wires are cut beyond Clinton
and nothing can be heard, but the uni
versal belief is that Coal Creek will be
attacked. At least $500 men are con-
gregated there, and the miners say
| they. can secure 5000 more If neces-
sary.
Later dispatches from Knoxville:
| The wires about Coal Creek have been
cut and it is known that there has been
severe fighting between the miners and
Capt. Anderson force. Several evil
IDENTIFY well founded reports have been
| received. One is that Capt. Anderson
had been captured and was being held
as prisoner with a guard to prevent 4
hot-headed faction hanging him. The
details of the reported capture are not
yet known, but it is said that it, 10
some extent, disheartened the militia.
They are, however, fighting with des-
peration, as they know that capture
will be followed by the death of all at
IL r i
About 200 men left Knoxville to re-
inforce Capt. Anderson. At Clinton
they were met by number of citizens
of Clinton and Coal Creek, who had
been witnesses of the fight, and were
urged not TO go forward as such a
small force could do nothing. They
said that over 1000 armed and in
furiated miners would meet them at
Coal Creek and fire upon them as they
left the train. Major Carpenter heard
the citizens through and then said,
Boys, L guess we will go on" The
wires being down beyond Clinton they
have not been heard from.
Gov. Buchanan has called out the
entire. military force Of the state and
the sheriff of each and every county
with their posses. Gen. Carnes has
started for Coal Creek with 400 men.
A special from the scene of war by
courier to Clinton says that the fight
ing began at o'clock and continued
without cessation until o'clock. A
truce was raised and the miners told
Anderson ii they would surrender
their leaders who had been captured
they would allow him to return to his
fort. He took the captured men and
went down among the mob. When out
of range of the guns he was captured
and not allowed to return.
LATER. battle at Coal Creek has
been fought. The soldiers are vic
torious. Gen. Carnes with his militia
and volunteer recruits made forced
march, leaving their train before reach
ing the scene of trouble to avoid being
trapped. The first shot was fired by
the miners as the troops were descend
ing the mountains and young volun-
teer named Waltham fell dead. An
uncertain firing was kept mp for a time
but finally the miners reiterated.
The troops at once charged. Eigh-
teen miners were captured. Two more
soldiers were killed and two dead
miners were found besides many
wounded. Gen. Carnes pushed on in
the darkness-the march was made at
highland at daybreok was at Coal
Creek. The miners having been de-
feated in their own ambush had pre-
ceded the troops and Gen. Carnes took
possession of the field without fight.
There he found that a desultory fight
had been going on between troops and
the miners at Fort Anderson all day.
The miners surrendered at 4:30 p. m,
| Gen. Anderson was restored to his
command and peace was declared.
After reaching Clinton Maj. Carpen-
ter's men, although they had not slept
any for "a hours, went by train directly
TO Coal Creek and reported to Gen.
Carnes as he marched into the town.
They were then sent to Knoxville with
their dead and wounded. 1t is not
known how many miners were killed
and injured.