The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-12


union men at Frisco and the Gem mine to
the union miners at the town of Gem, and
seemed to indicate speedy rupture. Both
the Gem and Frisco mines were guarded
by men behind barricades armed with
Winchesters, and as the canyon
IS narrow where the miners are
located. the men behind the
barricades could sweep two railroad tracks
Gem mine barricade is within 800. feet of
the center of the town of Gem.
This morning at O'Clock miner from
Gem started for Burke. When opposite
the Frisco mine he was fired upon. He
ran back to Gem, several hundred yards,
where the shot was heard, and soon the
miners in town gathered with arms. They
marched in body toward the Frisco mill,
located directly in front of the
mine. When scarcely within rifle
range volley from the Frisco
mill greeted the miners, and
lead whistled all about them. They scat
tered, and regular battle ensued Harry
cummings, union miner, and one scab
were killed and perhaps six wounded dur
ing the engagement. The miners, in the
meantime, got around the hills up the
canyon above the mine, loaded Union
Pacific car with twenty-five pounds of
giant powder and sent the car down the
track toward the Frisco mine. The at
tempt did not Work, and the miners got
upon the hume, shut off the water and
sent the powder in packages down the
water pipe into the mill. A fuse was put
in the last package sent down, and in an
instant terrible explosion occurred,
which shook the canyon for miles. The
scabs then surrendered. The mill was
completely wrecked and seven men killed.
The scabs were marched down to the
Miners Union hall and guarded, no in
dignities being offered after the surrender.
While the fight was going on at the
Frisco the Gem guards suddenly began
firing volley after volley 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 fell. All attempts to re-
cover Carlson's body were met with vol
ieys from the Gem breastworks, and when
his body was recovered an hour afterward
he was dead, having been shot through
the breast. No shots were returned from
Gem until the armed miners from Frisco,
half mile above Gem. returned.
Alter the fight the body of John Hen
messy was found in the Gem mill, shot in
the breast. About o'clock a truce oc-
CURED and the sheriff, district attorney
and deputy United States marshals ap-
peared on the scene. The train was
stopped by armed guards at the Gem mine.
The sheriff took the mail on his shoulder
and proceeded to Gem. The guards
leveled their rifles at him, but
dropped them when they learned
his identity. At Gem several hundred
men were huddled in the street with
rifles and revolvers. Peace negotia-
tions were Immediately set on foot and a
truce declared. AT II o'clock the Gem
mine forces surrendered to the union men.
The number of killed so far as can at pres
ent be learned is nine, and about ten
wounded.
Among the wounded are:
JOHN WARD, citizen of Gem.
HUGH CAMPBELL struck with rife over tho
head-not dangerously.
j. W. GANKARGoGGER, union miner shot
through the hips, will die.
GAM PETERS. from Tacoma, shot in the head,
but not fatally.
GEORGE PETTIBoNE, union man, shot through
the hand.
The Frisco and Gem were the only nom
union mines in the east end of Cnur
d'Alene. There is still considerable ex-
citement everywhere, but no further
trouble is expected. The mines are now
in charge of guards appointed by Presi-
dent O'Brien of the Miners Union.
At o'clock this afternoon about 300
miners from Gem, fifty of whom were
armed with rifles, marched down to Wal
lace. They brought with them their
prisoners, consisting of 10 non-union men.
and five dead bodies. Upon arrival here
the non-union men were turned loose and
the union men began to search for Ames-
Ter, manager of the Frisco mine, against
whom the union has special grudge.
The terms on which the Gem miners and
guards surrendered were that twenty-seyen
Winchesters, 4 number of revolvers and
1900 rounds of ammunition should be
placed in the hands of disinterested
parties, two citizens and two conservative
union men, and that the non-union men
should be shipped out of the country.
An hour after the agreement about arms
was entered into the union men got pos
session of all the rifles and ammunition.
and this evening large bodies of armed
miners went TO Wardner, twelve miles
distant, in wagons and by rail. The mines
employing non-union men there are the ST.
ezra Nevada and Bunker Hill and Sullivan.
The Bunker Hill and Sullivan has a force
of 260 men, and about 100 can be armed
with Winchesters. There is only one way
to reach the mine, and that is directly up
gulch, and the road is steep. If an at
tempt is made there against the men in
the mine there must be serious bloodshed.
The county commissioners, district at
torney and sheriff this afternoon tele-
graphed Governor Wiley for troops. The
governor wired back that the sheriff must
first exhaust the civil power. The sheriff
Immediately commenced the work of sub
penang citizens TO act as a committee of
citizens. and they are to report at Ward
ner at 10 o'clock tonight.
BOISE, Idaho, July 1.-THE following
message was sent by Governor Wiley TO
President Harrison tonight:
This morning riot and boodshed by the .trik
ing miners of the Coeu- d Alene district were
commenced A mill was blown I'D by dvua-
mite, and many men were killed and injured
Ipspeetor-Gene Curtis, ]. y G., informs me
that iour OF five hundred armed men constitute
iae mob. The legislature is not il sessloa, and