The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1894-03-08
WEST VA. MINERS STRIKE

day has passed without any startling
outbreak, the tension is such that 1t
may begin at moments notice. Seven
military companies, under command OF
Adiutant> General Holley, are at Eagle,
and have been detailed to guard the
endangered property. All the rest OF
the State militia has been ordered
under arms, and are prepared TO
move at a moments notice. dover-
nor McCorkle admits that the situation
is grave and that it will require careful
handling to prevent further bloodshed
The Wyants and their men have barrl-
caded their position, and are prepared
to make bloody resistance should an
other attcck be made. The Wyants
men are mostly negroes, and armed with
Winchester rifles and revolvers.
News has just been received from
Eagle that 1000 strikers are gathering
at Montgomery, and expected to attack
the WANTS men to night. The sit
uation is so grave that Captain r. S.
Carr has been ordered to declare mar
tial law if necessary. Companies q and
X, which had been ordered home, have
received later orders to remain.
CHARLESTON, w. VA, March MAR
tial law has been declared at Eagle
and the town is now under absolute mil
itary authority. AT noon to-day gov
ernor MacCorkle received a dispatch
from Major Banks in command of three
companies of volunteers still there, that
the sheriff had asked that other troops
be sent to Powellton to protect life and
property, as there was threatened vio-
lenee.
Powelton is about five miles from
Eagle and off the line of the Chesapeake
and Ohio, up Armstrong Creek. The
Powellton mines went to work at the
reduction several days ago and the Eagle
and Montgomery strikers are threaten
ing to drive them out.
Governor MacCork!e wired Major
Banks that he would not send troops
unless absolutely certain that the sheriff,
with a strong posse -comitatus was I'M
able to maintain order.
w. T. Adkins, the rioter who was
killed in Wednesdays fight at Eagle, will
be buried tomorrow. and it is feared
that the strikers may be aroused by in>
f1ammatory speeches at his funeral.
Governor MacCorkle has three other
companies in readiness to march at
short notice, and says he is determined
to use every effort to prevent violence.
CHARLESTON, w. VA. March "a
mob of 100 miner rioters burned the
Chesapeake and Ohio railroad bridge
at Cohen creek early this morning.
This cuts of all coal shipments from the
Cohen creek branch and will compel
all of the mines on that branch to close
down. Sheriff Sillman and posse hur-
red to the scene but the rioters had re-
tired before the arrival. The sheriff
with 400 militiamen and half as many
deputies is now at the scene. 1t is not
thought the rioters will dare to make an
open attack.
Company | of the State militia, in re-
spouse to the Governors orders, left
Huntington, w. VA, for Eagle at 8
o'clock this morning on special train
provided by the Chesapeake and Ohio
railroad company.
CHARLESTON, w. VA, March 4.--There
is practically no change in the situation
at Eagle to-day. Fourteen rioters were
arrested at Montgomery this morning
and taken to the Fayette county jail.
Ten additional members of Company X.
were sent ND at 4 p NJ from this place
ostensibly to assist in extra guard duty,
but it is believed that the arrest of
strikers will cause trouble, and
that more troops are needed
in case of an outbreak. More men were
sent yesterday FROM Huntington. The
troops will stay on the ground until
legal action is taken against the rioters.
The inquest over Adkins may be COD
cluded tomorrow, in spite of the strange
spectacle of two coroner's fighting for
the same body.
Considerable excitement was caused
at Eagle about S45 tonight by the ar
rest of Wyants, who will be tried at
Fayette in the morning. A large crowd
is at Eagle making ali kinds of threats,
but so far no actual violence has occur
red.
WHEELING, W. VA. March 5 The
gatling gun at the States Prison at
I>olo har hoe
been shipped from here to be used, if
necessary, in quelling the miner riots at
Eagle and Montgomery
CHARLESTON, W. VA, March Can
exciting twenty four hours have passed
in the mining region. The disclosure
of a plot to blow up the troops with dy-
Mantle had an electrical effect on the
strikers, and they are bloodthirsty and
determined to find the man who
''peached."
A mob thronged Handley, spies were
in every house, and the mans life was
in the utmost danger, and how he es-
capped detection is miracle. This morn
ing he was taken secretly from Handley
to Eagle on a locomotive, and there
placed under the protection of the mil
itary. The strikers do not know where
he is.
Alarming reports come from Fayette-
vile that the Jail, if not already fired,
will be before night, strikers released and
Wyant lynched. Crowds of miners have
been hurying in the direction of Fayette-
vile since late in the night by trains
and on foot.
Two Calling guns were sent up this
morning. The trial of Wyant and his
two men is taking place now.
The body of a leading striker lies
buried on the hill back of the Triple at
Eagle. He was killed during the riot,
but the fact has just become known. A
shot from the Sheriff's posse is supposed
to have killed him.
England's Premier.