The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-07-28
DENVER MINERS.
A Flock Arrived in Madison Last Eve
ming and are Cared for by the City
Authorities. Twenty Thousand
Unemployed Men in Denver.

The closing down Of the silver mines
of Colorado and Nevada has thrown
many thousands OF honest men out of
work and the papers the past few days
have been full OF reports Of their at
teinpts to capture trains and work their
way north. Two days ago The DAILY
LEADER referred to a gang OF over a
hundred who had taken possession of
the freight train at Woonsocket bound
for Madison, but we're finally put off and
they started this way on foot. OF the
lit at Woonsocket, rs were left when
they reached Artesian where the people
gave them supper and breakfast. The
others had found work by the way.
They were miners from Colorado want
ing work, willing to work at any thing
or price. They were under the orders OF
a leader whom they obeyed promptly,
were peaceable aud with the exception
OF trying to catch a ride between points,
on the trains, were law abiding. At Ar
tesian the railway company. furnished
them q box car to sleep and ride in and
notified Madison that IL the city would
provide them with supper il would
bring them along and then shove them
along farther. The city authorities
made due preparation q feed them and
when they arrived here last evening
there were only "a OF them left. AS
they came along from station to station
the leader had assiduously peddled out
the men to farmers and others insuring
them work until all but these had gone.
Mayor Patterson and Chief OF Police
Davis had an ample supper OF bread,
boiled meat and warm coffee in the
council o ready for the working men
and while the leader cut up the bread
and meat your reporter chatted with
him in regard to their condition and
trip.
He says there are twenty thousand
idle men in Denver. Business OF all
kinds was virtually suspended. The
banks failed and what the men had
saved in many cases was lost. There
was 70 work and the men had to start
out. Five hundred OF these came up
through Nebraska where many OF them
got work.
They chose q leader and agreed to
obey him implicitly. One OF the rules
laid down was that they should do no
violence or unlawful act unless driven to
it. Nor should they approach houses
and beg. In one instance they went two
days without anything to eat. At Grand
Island, Neb., they were publicly fed for
the first time. At Sioux City they were
ordered out OF town, without anything
to eat; but at their request the police
were kind enough to relieve them Of the
presence OF several professional trampe
who had crept into their gang and whom
they will not keer in their company il
they know OF one. While they
were getting rid of many OF the
men by finding work for them
their numbers were being continually
augmented by others. The leader
thinks he must have had a thousand
different men in his gang since starting
At Missouri Valley Junction they were
again publicly fed and many of their
companions left for eastern points where
they had friends. The rest came north
seeking work by the way and we're hos.
pitably treated at Mitchell, Woonsocket
Artesian and Madison.
They received their breakfast here
this morning at which time six more oil
them had found work and it 10 highly
probable that all will in this county be.
fore the day is ever. They appear to be
honest, industrious men and il one OF
them comes back to the gang after hav.
ing found work they will have nothing
further to do with him. They sire him
OUT bodily.