The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-07-15
THE couR D'ALENE RIOT.
Further Details of the Bloody Conflict Be
tween the Idaho Miners,

WALLACE, Idaho, July l9.-The
strained situation in the Cour d'Alene
labor trouble eliminated yesterday
morning between ) and o'clock.
The events of the day previous con-
sisted of challenges from non-union
men at the Frisco and Gem mines to
the union men at the town of
Gem, and all seemed to indicate
speedy rupture. Both Gem and
Frisco mines were guarded behind
barracks by men armed with Win.
chester rifles, and, as the canyon is
narrow where the mines are located,
the men behind barbados could
sweep the two railroad tracks and the
country with bullets, The Gem mine
barricade is within 300 feet of the
center of the town of Gem.
Yesterday morning at o'clock a
miner from Gem started for Burke.
When opposite the Frisco mine he was
fired upon. He ran back several hun
dred yards TO Gem, where the shot had
been heard, and soon the miners in the
town gathered in arms.
They marched in body toward the
Frisco mill, located directly in front
of the mine. When scarcely within
rifle range from the Frisco mills shots
greeted the miners and lead whistled
all about them, They scattered and q
regular battle cnsucd. 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 u ear with 75O
pounds of giant powder and sent the
ear down the track toward the Frisco
mine. Directly in front of the mill an
explosion occurred, scattering the mill
to spIinters, making it complete
wreck. The non-union men then
showed the white flag and surren-
dercd, They were marched down to
the Miners Union hall and guarded
from any indignities being offered
after the surrender.
While the fight was going ON at Fris-
co the Gem Guards suddenly began
firing volley after vollcy into the town
OF Gem riddling the buildings with
bullets. John Ward, citizen, was
shot through the arm and
Gus Carlson, union miner,
was shot and killed. Attempts
to recover Carson's body were
met with volleys from the Gem breast
works, and when the body was recov-
cred an hour afterward it was lifcless,
another bullet having been sent
through the breast No shots were
returned from Gem until the armed
miners from Frisco, half mile above
Gem returned
At o'clock a truce occurred and the
sheriff, district attorney and deputy
United States marshal appeared ON the
scene. The train was stopped by
armed guards at the Gem mine The
sheriff took the mail on his shoulder
and passed on to Gem The guards
levclled theirriIles at him, but dropped
them when they heard his duty. At
Gem several hundred men were hud-
died in the street with rifles and re-
volvcrs. Peace negotiations were i'm
mediatcly set ON foot, and at IL o'clock
the mine force surrendered to the
union men.
The cause Of the strike was the de-
mand of the union miners of the dis
trict for $751; per day for every man
working under ground The mine
owners held that unsltilled laborers
should be paid only 49, When the
miners refused to accept the scale, the
mines were closed The owners de-
cIared excessive freight rates were the
cause Of the reduction The lockout
was begun April /, by the Mine Own
crs association, and 5000 union min
ers were thrown out of work.
Since then the mine owners have
been making a 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 Il spark was needed 10 start The
flames of riot. The examples at
Homestead and the decision Of the
United States court at Boise against
the miners union brought matters to a
head
Troops Ordered out
A dispatch from Boise City says:
Governor Wiley has ordered compa-
MES A, o, /, n and G of that city to re-
port at 8 p IN. and hold themselves in