The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-07-12

CONFLICT BETWEEN UNION AND
NON-UNION MINERS.
The Frisco Mill Blown Up With Dyna-
mite During the Fight-Four People
Killed and Ten Wounded So Far as
is known, Although There May be
Bodies Underneath the Wrecked
MILL

Mill.
Special to the REcoED-UNIoN.
WALLACE Qdaho), July II. = The
strained situation in the Coeur d'Alene
labor troubles eliminated this morning
between. 5 and O'Clock. Among the
events of the day previous were chal-
lenges from the non-union men at the
Frisco and Gem mines to the union min
ers at the town of Gem, and ali seemed to
indicate a speedy rupture.
Both the Gem and Frisco mines were
guarded by men behind a barricade,
armed with Winchesters, and as the
canyon is narrow where the mines are
located, the men behind the barricades
could sweep the two railroad tracks and
the county road with bullets. The Gem
mine barricade is within 800 feet of the
center of the town of Gem.
This morning at o'clock a miner from
the Gem started for the Burke. When
opposite the Frisco mine he was fired
upon. He ran back to the Gem, several
hundred yards, where a shot was heard,
and soon the miners in town gathered
with arms. They marched in a body to-
ward the Frisco mine.
When shortly within rife range a vol
ley from the Frisco mine greeted the
miners and lead whistled all about them,
They scattered and a regular battle en-
sued. One miner and one non-union
man were killed and perhaps six
wounded during the engagement.
anti
around the hills up the canyon above the
mine, loaded Union Pacific car with
$50 pounds of giant powder and sent the
car down the track toward the Frisco
mine. Directly in front Of the mill an
explosion occurred, SCATTERING the mill
to splinters, making it a complete wreck.
The non-union men then showed the
white flag and surrendered. They were
marched down to the Miners Union hall
and guarded, no indignities being offered
after their surrender.
While the fight was going on. at the
Frisco mine 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, a
union miner, was shot and fell. All at
tempts to recover Carlson's body were
met with volley from the Gem breast
works, and when the body was recovered
an hour afterward he was dead, having
been shot through the breast. No shots
were returned from the Gem until armed
miners from the Frisco mine, half mile
above the Gem, returned.
About s o'clock a truce occurred and the
Sheriff, District Attorney and Deputy
United States Marshals appeared on the
scene.
The train was stopped by armed guards
at the Gem mine. The Sheriff took the
mail on his shoulders and passed on to
Gem. The guards leveled rifles at him,
but dropped them when they learned his
identity.
At Gem several hundred men were
huddled in the street with rifles and re-
volvers. Peace negotiations were imme-
diately set on foot, and truce declared.
At II o'clock the Gem mine force sur
renderd to the union men.
The number of killed, so far as can be
learned, is four and about ten wounded,
Frisco mill.
Two of the killed are Gus Carlson an d
Harry Cummings, union miners. The
other two are non-union men, names I'M
known.
The wounded are John Ward, citizen
of Gem; Hugh Campbell, struck with a
rifle over the head, not dangerously; J.
w. Gankargoger, union miner shot
through the hip and will die; Gain Peters.
from Tacoma, shot in the head, but not
fatally; George Petterbone, union man.
shot through the hand.
The Frisco and Gem were the oplv
non-union mines in the east end of Coeur
d. Alene. There is still considerable ex-
element everywhere, but no further
trouble is expected.
The Bunker Hill and Sullivan have a
force of 260 men and about one hundred
can be armed with Winchesters. There
is only one way to reach the mine and
that is directly up the gulch and the road
is steep. Ii an attempt is made there
against the men in the mine there must
be serious bloodshed.
The County Coroner, District Attorney
and Sheriff this afternoon telegranbed
Governor Wiley for troops. The Gov
ernor wired back that the Sheriff must
first exhaust the civil power. The Sher
iff Immediately commenced work SUBJ
p9naing citizens to act as committee of
citizens, and they are to report at Ward
ner at 10 o'clock tonight.
Instead of $50 pounds of giant powder
being used in blowing up the Frisco mill.
there was only 80 pounds. The attempt
to run the car down did not work. and tho
miners got upon the fume and shut off
the water and sent the powder in pack
ages down the water pipe into the mill.
A fuse was put in the last package sent
down, and in an instant a terrible ex-
ploSion occurred, which shook the CANYON
for miles. The non-union men then sur
rendered.
At o'clock this afternoon about 800
miners from Gem, fifty of whom were
armed with rifles, marched to Wallace.
They brought with them their prisoners.
consisting of 100 non-union men and five
dead bodies, another dead man, James
Hennessy, being found in the mill at
Gem, shot through thesbreast. Upon their
arrival here the non-union men were
turned loose and the union men began
to search for a. NJ. Esler, manager Of the
Frisco mine, against whom the union
men have special grudge.
The terms on which the Gem miners
and guards surrendered were that twenty
seven Winchesters, number of revolv-
ers and 1000 rounds of ammunition be
placed in the hands of disinterested par
ties-two citizens and two conservative