Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1892-07-20

terfered. The miner whipped the
guard severely, and went back to
town and his home. The guard since
the fight claims that rock was thrown
at him. The miner denies this, and
says he was going along unarmed and
when he stepped of the railroad
track thought he WAS beyond the
"dead line" Half al hour or so after
the affair three of the Gem guards.
armed with Winchesters, were seen
to 60 hurriedly up the track. The
alarm was given, and the union men
armed themselves and rushed up the
canyon to protect their comrade from
being shot down. The guards, it is
said, went up to the Frisco. Suisse
quently . warrant was sworn out for
the miners arrest, charged with as
sauIting the guard with deadly mis-.
sile, although, it is claimed, the guard
voluntarily asserted he could whip the
miner and did go beyond the "dead
line" to engage in the fs. fight.
The feeling kept growing more
threatening all the time, and the
union men state that challenges were
frequent from the scabs to come and
fight, "you blank Irish sons Of blank"
John A. Finch, learning the hostile
feeling, went to Gem on Sunday af.
ternoon and directly into the town
and had 4 talk with the leading mem
bers of the miners union. The stu.
alton was discussed openly and Mr..
Finch came back to Wallace. Later
in the evening it was rumored that
troops had been telegraphed for BY
A. NJ. Esler, and that the Governor
would forward a company of militia
from Moscow. Shortly afterwa,d,
about 9 o'clock, special from the
Union Pacific pulled out for the west,
a I'd it was said this train would meet
tie military at Cataldo. This report
spread quickly up the canyon, and all
tie miners who could get arms from
the surrounding towns concentrated
at Gem, with what intention is not
clearly known. The night passed
quietly, but between 5 and 6 O'Clock
III the morning, miner from Gem, so
we are informed, started to walk to
Burke. When nearly opposite tho
Frisco mill he was fred upon by the
guards at the mill. He ran back to
Gem and gave the alarm. In fact it
is claimed the shot was generally
heard by those who were about at
that hour. The signal was given and
when the miners gathered together q
general cry went up to capture the
mill and mine. A conservative miner
says there was no thought Of blowing
up the mill at the time, but that it
became an incident Of the battle. AZ
soon a. the body of miners came IN
view the guards opened FIRE, but the
range was long, and no one was hurt.
The miners, however, scattered and q
desultory engagement ensued. The
guards were we'll protected and
could fire from unseen places, and
this compelled the miners to get into
the hills opposite. One union man
was killed and several wounded dur
ing the engagement, and it is stated
that about ono thousand shots were
fired. Tho miners, seeing that the
guards had the advantage, circled the
hill and got above the mill. Here
they loaded q tramcar with giant
powder, which was sent down toward
the mill. This did no. work. So the
men overhead swung around and got
to the fume where the penstock goes
: to the mill. Tie bullets whistled
about the men. but they had only one
object in view-to get the boxes of
powder down the penstock. The pipe
being full of water. holes were shot
) in it near the wheel. When the wa.
; ter had drained out the powder was
sent down, aud the last box with a
fuse attached caused an explosion
which wrecked the entire old building.
causing a damage of about $50 600.
The adjoining buildings were not in
. jured. aud some of the old building
machinery is unframed. One man
A. J. McDonald-wasa fterward found
dead in the debris. while seven we're
more or less wounded. The non,
union men, immediately after the ex.
plosion, hoisted flag of truce. and
the union men marched over AID took
possession of them. Only one man
was killed and several wounded of
the non-union force. About sixty
men were made prisoners. They
were taken to Miners Union Hall and
guarded. No indignities were offered
to them on their way to the hall and
at the time of their surrender.
Shortly after the engagement be-
; gan At the Frisco mill, . sudden shower
!. ! Is k,,llnA,