Huntsville gazette., 1892-08-20
THE LABOR WAR.

Free vs.. Convict Labor In the Tennesse0
Mines-The Town OF Inman Captured
and the Convicts Employed in the Mines
There Hustled OF on Train for Nash.
ville-The Stockade Destroyed.
NASHVILLE, Tenn, Aug 16.-The
east Tennessee miners are again seek
| ing vengeance. About a. m 800 OF
them, heavily armed, marched into In
man, little mining town in Sc
quatchie valley. Their object was
we'll known. and the citizens packed
up and fled. The mob Of vengeance
seekers went to the mines and cap
tured the seventeen guards, marched
them to the stockades and
put them under guard. The 272 con-
victs who were at work were then
taken to Victoria, little village near
by, packed in box cars and started to
Nashville. Gov. Buchanan on hearing
of the affair telegraphed the sheriff Of
Marion county to summon posse and
prevent the burning of the stockade. If
further trouble ensues the governor
says he will order out the militia.
Trouble is expected at other mines, and
the whole of east Tennessee is in a
high state of excitement.
There were enough guards to have
kept them at a distance for reason
able time, but the mob of 200 which, it
is said, included forty negroes and
some ex-convicts, had no trouble in TAX
ing possession of the building.
There was talk of burning the stock
ade, but Mr.. Anderson, the superin-
tendent of the road, asked them not to
do this, as the flames would communi-
cate to the railroad bridge near by.
The miners needed the request, but
declared that they would tear the
property down. They had the convicts
form line and under guard they were
marched, from the mines to Victoria,
six miles away. Arriving there the
convicts were placed in coke cars
confscated for that purpose
and the conductor of the train
was ordered to proceed to Bridgeport.
The fact that sixteen armed guards at
Inman offered little if any resistance
upon the approach of the mob has
caused much comment. However, the
guards at the other stockades visited
by the miners during the past year
made no real resistance, and the men
at Inman seem to have merely followed
the example set.
Mr.. Baxter, vice president of the Ten
nessee Coal, Iron & Railroad Co., said:
1.-THE company is willing to surrender
its lease contract and leave the state
free to make such disposition of the
convicts as the state authorities may
deem best. The company offered this
to the last extra session of the general
assembly, but no action was taken
upon it. The offer has stood open to
the state authorities since that date
and is now open to them. The COM
pany only want to be protected in the
execution of the contract or that it b e
Cancelled"
1t is said that the Tracy City miners
by some means learned that the con-
victs had become an elephant on the
hands of the lessees, and that they were
as anxious to get rid Of them as the
miners themselves. The convicts sent
to Nashville from Inman arrived to-
night and are at the state prison. As
there are over 1000 convicts and only
accommodations for roo, they are
packed away like sardines in box.
LATER.
A mob of miners returned to the
stockade at Inman and with axes de-
stroyed one side of the barricade and
all the buildings. When they left a
sheriff's posse took charge and will
probably prevent further damage.