The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-08-25
IN TENNESSEE,
THE MINING REGION IN THE HANDS
OF A MOB.

Capture and Burn Convict Stockades-
All tho Militia OF tho state Ordered 10
the Scene.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn, August 17.-An-
archy reignS supreme in the mining
regions north OF this city. The excite
ment here is intensified and eightenpd
by lack Of definite information, the
wires having beon cut. The mob is in
actual possession of the property of the
East Tennessee railroad in the neigh
borhood OF Coal Creek and Oliver
Spring. They have cut the wires IN
numerous places, torn up the tracks in
every direction and captured every
locomotive in the mining region.
At a late hour last night more than Il
thousand miners capturrd three loco
motives end several empty coal cars at
Coal Creek, and forced the engineers to
take them to Oliver Springs, where
about ninetyiive cOnyictS were en-
ployed IN the mines of The Cumberland
Coal Company. They arrived at Oliver
Springs about 4 o'clock this morninr,
and at once planned an attack on tie
stCckadr, where the conVictS We're con-
lined. About o'clock they assaulted
the stOckade. and lively battle prU-
ceeded. The stOckIde was defended V
nifty picked guards and Il company OF
thirty-eight militiamen. Two com
panies Of National Guards en- route
from Chattanooga, via Hartman, were
compelled TO take the sidetrack a few
miles from divers. on accou 1t of dis
placed rails. Hundreds of shots were
exchanged, but no one was injured.
The guards and militia, seeing that it.
was useless to combat d force OF 1000
lnfuriated men, quietly surrendered.
The conyIcts, guards and soldiers
were loaded on Il train of flat cars, and
the engineer, at the p )int of Il Winches-
ter rifle, was compellt to pull the tram
out in the direction of Knoxville. The
stockade was then burned to the ground.
ARRIVING at Clinton, permission was
obtained from the railway 'ilicials to
bring the convicts to this city. The
train, which was the only one in or out
for twenty-fOur hours, arrived in Knox
VILE about 3 o'clock, and was soon sur
rounded by an immense throng of the
curious. ~ special train LETT the station
at 3 p M. taking the convicts to the
main prison at Nashville. -Four con-
victs escaped between Oliver and this
city.
Communication with Coal Creek was
res ored this afternoon. The line was
no sooner r,Upened than the miners
took peaceabie possession Of the Office
at Coal Creek, and TO prevent the dis
patch of regular business they filed
thousands or words Of matter. They
paid for all messages at regular rates,
and the company could not refuse
them. The miners have two or three
operators employed, and it is utterly
impossible to get message through
with anything like accuracy or speed.
Last nights fight at Oliver Springs
was a desperate affair. Seventeen
hundred miners attacked the stockade.
The troops there had been reinforced
by the military company from Chatta-
nOOga, and Off red a stubborn rcsis-
tanCe. According TO the best informa-
tlon obtainaOle, twelve men were killed
and twenty wounded in the engage
ment. Alter al hours lighting, the
military, being greatly outnumbered,
surrendered. They were placed under
guard, and, with the couvicts, were
marchel toward Knoxville. The wires
are cut and communication is unre!la.
BILE.
a mass meeting of miners was held
at Coal Creek this morning, at which it.
was resolved to at ack the stockade at
that point and drive of the convlcts
and soldiers. The Knoxville companies
OF militia are stationed at Hartman,
and will await rclnforcementS before
attempting to do anything. A dispatch
from Chattanooga Says that 5000 men
have volunteered Il as militia and will 90
to Coal Creek this afternoon.
Threats Of lynchng Governor
Buchanan, if he ventures into this sec
tloD, are freely made. The Governor is
still "Waiting for developments" II is
not likely that he will J. ave Nashville.
The conVicts and soldiers from Oliver
Springs arrived at Knoxville urder il
heavy guard of miners. They were at
once placed in box cars and started for
Chattanooga.
Bulletins post ed in the leading build
ings of the city tell the following story:
tennessee to arms! VIII You allow
have captured soldiers. Let volunteers
come at once. Lieutenant RoyStcr is in
the armOry, ready TO receive volunteers.
Bring any kind OF weapon You may
have"
q thousand people stood in the driZ-
Zling rain reading the bulletins. Terror
Was added when Col. WO0lf0rd wired
from Hartman that the thirty Knox
vile soldiers had been captured en-
route 10 Oliver Springs. Wires were
cut and no one could say what fate
they would meet. Mayor Andrews
wired Col. Woolford not TO leave IIar-
riman with the boys if he doubled his
ahllty to put up skillful fight, and
lhe dispatch, together with the story Of
the capture OF the Knoxville BOYS,
caused instant decentralization aiuunK
the troops, and they are badly phased 4
1t IS estimated that 1000 armed nm
ers are in the field in East Tennessee,
and the fight against the troops is un.
even, TO say the least. Governor Buch.
anan has not offered to assist the little
knot of men from Chattanooga, and no
other State troops arc even thinking of
going 10 the mine district. Citizens are
very indignant at the Governors
course, and loud threats oflynching the
Governor are freely made OH the
streets.
A corporal's guard is trying to corral
the unwilling military ana get them III.
to the armOries. Some have been ar.
rested, but very few can be found. Some
OF the citizens are forming companies
to leave at o'clock for the scene of the
trouble and all kinds of weapons are be-
ing gathered for use in the fight, which
ia Giro fn ppma