Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1892-08-18
OPPOSITION TO CONVICTS.
Free Miners in Tennessee Revolt Against
the Lease System.


NASHVILLE. Tenn, Aug. 13.-At 8
O'Clock this morning the stockade at
Tracy City was burned, and the 3o9 con-
yicts we're placed on cars ready TO Dc
started for Nashville. At O'Clock this
morning a committee Of miners awoke +.
O. Nathurst, superintendent tthe mines
ofthe Tennessee Coal Iron and Railroad
COMPANY. and asked that the miners
be allowed as many hours work IN
each week as the convicts. MI. Nath-
nrst replied that he would submit the
matter to the company and do what ne
could. The committee then lett ana
Mr.. Nathurst, knowing that secret
oath-bound organization had been
formed some weeks ago for purposes
unknown, at once. began to suspect
trouble. He went to Deputy Warden
Burton and together they began to CIR
culate among the miners, who were
gathering in groups, and try TO lnnu-
ence them to keep quiet: Their EFFORTS
were of no avail. Slowly the omlnous
air Of suppressed excitement became
tinged with open threats OF destrucllon
of the stockade or battle.
At $50 o'clock an organized body of
$50 men, 100 of them armed and oO ap-
narently unarmed, advanced on the
stockade. To capture it was the work
OF minute. Without undue confusion
every piece of property belonging to
the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad
Company was carefully removed to
safe distance and the convicts who were
in the stockadewere led out under guard.
Then the torch was applied and at
8 O'Clock the buildings were q mass OF
flames. The miners at once proceeded
to the mines, took possession OF the
convlcts, marched them to the railroad
station and loaded them in box cars:
Next the telegraph wires were cut and
a guard placed over everything In the
wards to prevent carrying the news
down the mountain.
There has been much dissatisfaction
among the free miners at Tracy City be-
cause of the lease system, which allowed
the bulk of the work in the mines to be
done by convicts. Yet the miners at
Tracy CITY have been among the most
conservative in the state, and the COM
pany has had very little trouble with
| them. They have been determined to
support no party or candidate in the
| coming elections that was not pledged
to the prompt abolition Of the system.
Gov. Buchanan stated that the con-
victs would be brought to the main
| prison here and kept until new stock
ade could be built, when they would be
returned as had been done at Coal
Creek. James Rowerson, secretary of
the company. on being asked Tor fur
| Their information, said.
| ''The trouble has come from about 100
! miners at Tracy, or about one-third of
the body. 1t is the result Of secret
oath-bound organization which was
| formed some weeks ago. That was
where the definite action began. The
| incident was reduction of hours neces-
STATED by the lax markets. We con-
templated shutting down our furnaces
two weeks ago, but thought 1t better to
run even on half time than not to run
at all. The attack on the stockade was
| absolutely unexpected. | received a
letter from Mr.. Nathurst this morning
in which he reviews the whole situation
and concludes by the assurance that
| everything will remain orderly. |
drew breath of relief when l read it
and the telegram was shock
A special from Cowan, Tenn, says:
| This morning, after the convicts entered
the mines at Tracy City, about 400
armed men walked into the stockade
and after clearing it of everything of
| value set it on fire and burned it to the
ground. They then marched to the
miners and ordered the convicts
brought out and took charge OF them
and the guards, loaded them in box
| cars and ordered Conductor Finch and
Engineer Bolton to leave Immediately.
Being covered by guns they We're
obliged to obey. The train arrived
here at l P. NJ Capt. Burton, with
twenty-five guards, has the 800 to $50
convicts in charge and under control.
Of MnnfQQOIn
conyicts cut the train in two and ten or
fifteen made break for liberty. Sew
eral shots were fired. Matt Wilson
(white) was killed and Tom Smith (col-
ored) wounded. Six or eight made
good their escape. The wires were cut
between here and Tracy City and moth
ing further can be learned of the insur-
gents.
The special train containing the 400
convicts employed in the Tracy mines
by the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Rail-
road Company reached this city at IL
o'clock tonight, aid the convicts were
taken to the penitentiary. In attempt
ing to escape from the train one white
convict was killed and one wounded by
the guards who fired upon them, and
eight or ten escaped. What the au-
thorities or lessees will do is not known,
but there is probability that the lessees
| of the convicts will abandon the lease.
Trouble is feared at Coal Creek mines
and Oliver Springs mines. A commit
tee of three miners from Coal Creek
called on Gov. Buchanan to-day and
asked to have the troops removed.
During the interview dispatch can e
announcing the burning of the stock
| ade. The Governor took the request
under advisement. It is expected in
many quarters that another general up
rising will be the result at the other
convict mines.
Bad Fire at New Orleans.
New ORLEANS, La, Aug. l4.-Fire