The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-08-14
MINERS APPLY THE TORCH
Free Tennessee Workmen Rid Them
selves of Brice's Cheap Prison Labor.
All the Convicts Employed at Tracy City Put
in Box Cars and Sent Away, and the
Siockade Laid in Ashes

NASHVILLE, Tenn. Aug. 13-At o'clock
this morning the stockade at Tracy City
was burned and the 800 convicts were
placed on cars ready to be started for Nash-
vile.
At 5 o'clock this morning q commi ttee of
miners awoke Mr.. 4. c. Nathurst, superin-
tendent of the mines of the Tennessee Coal,
Iron and Railroad Company, and asked him
that the miners be allowed as many hours
work in each week as the c0nvicts. Mr..
Nathurst replied that he would submit the
matter to the company and do what he
could. The committee then left, and
Mr.. Nathurst. knowing that q secret
oath-bound organization had been formed
some weeks ago for purposes unknown. ut
once began to suspect trouble. He went
to Deputy Warden Burton and. together.
they began to circulate among the miners,
who were gathering In groups. and try to
influence them to keep quiet. Their ef-
forts were of no avail. Slowly the ominous
air of suppressed excitement became tinged
with open threats and promises of destruc-
tion to the stockade or hattie.
At $50 o'clock an organized body of $50
men, 100 of whom were armed, and fifty ap-
.parently unarmed. advanced on the stock
ade. To capture it was the work of
minute. Without confusion every piece of
property belonging to the Tennessee Coal.
Iron and Railroad Company was carefully
removed TO a safe distance and the con-
victs who were in the stockade were led
out under guard. Then the torch was ap-
piled, and at o'clock the buildings were
mass of flames. The miners at once pro-
ceeded to the mines. took possession of the
convicts, marched them to the railroad
station and loaded them In box cars. Next
he tel graph wires were cut and guard
placed over every engine in tho yards to
prevent it from 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 labor to be done in the
mines by convicts- Yet the miners at
Tracy City have been among the most con.
servative in the State. and the company
has had very little trouble with them.
They have been earnest in their opposition
to the lease and have been determined to
support no party or candidates In the com-
ing elections that was not pledged to the
prompt abolition of the system. Governor
Buchanan stated that the convicts would
be brought 10 the main prison here ana
kept until new stockade could be built,
when they would be returned, as had been
done at Coal Creek.
Mr.. James BOweron, secretary of the
company, on being asked for further in
formation. said: The trouble has come
from about $50 of the miners at Tracy, or
about one-thlrd or the BODY. 1t is the re-
suit of a secret. oath-bound organization,
which was formed some weeks ago. There
was where the definite action began. The
incident was a reduction of hours necessi-
tated by the lax market We contem-
plated shutting down our furnace two
weeks ago, but thought it better to run
even on half time than not to run at all.
The attack on tue stock ade was unexpect-
ed. i received q letter from Mr.. Nathurst
this morning, in which he reviews the
whole situation, and concludes by the as.
surance that every thing will remain order
ly. i drew n breath of relief when 1 read
it, but his later telegram was shock"
A dispatch from CowaD. Tenn.. says that
after the miners put the convlcts in box
cars they ordered conductor Finch and en-
gineer Bolton to leave immediately. Being
covered by guns they were Obliged to obey.
The train arrived at COwan at p. NJ.
Captain Burton. with twenty-five guards
have the three hundred and fifty or sixty
convicts in charge and under control Be-
t"oeu cowanco anu MONT Eaxle INC cOu-
victs cut the train in two. and ten OF ff-
teen made break for liberty. Several
shots were fired. and John Wilson. white,
was killed. and Tom Smith, colored,
wounded Six OF eight made good tn cir
escape. The wires are cut between Cowan
and Tracy City, and nothing further can
be learned.
Sensational reports como from Coal
Creek regarding the conduct of Tennessee's
standing army. The citizens claim that
the watchers need watching and they have
assumed an aggressive position toward
them. Thev claim that the soldiers amuse
themselves BY firing oyster cans loaded
lage, and that the Gatling gun is fired reck-
lessly into the town. The complaint has
stirred mp much bad feeling
The special train containing the four
hundred convicts employ ed In the mines at
Tracy City reached this city at ~ o'clock
tonight, and the eonvicts were carried to
the penitentiary. The burning of the stoc L.
ade wss confirmed. In attempting TO es-
cape from the train. one convict. white. was
killed and one wounded by the guards. W 20
hred upon them, and eight or ten escaped.
what the authorities or the lessees W i'll dc
rs not known. but there is a probability
that the lessees of the c0nvicts will aban.
don the lease Trouble is feared at the
Coal creek and the Oliver Springs mines.
A committee of three miners from Coal
creek called on Governor Buchanan to-
day and asked TO have the troops
removed. During the interview a dispatch
came announcing the burning of the
stockade and release CT the conylcts at
Tracy CITY. The Governor took the re-
quest under advisemeDt- 1t is expected in
many quarters that another general uprls-
ing will be the result. as matters Mt the
other conyict-worked mines are in a crit
ical condition.