Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1894-08-16
DRIVEN FROM VIRGINIA
Two Companies OF Militia Make an
Attack on the Commonweai-
ers' Camp.

SO-caled industrials who have been camn-
ing at Roslyn, we,e driven from the soil
OF Virginia shortly after daybreak this
morning by the militia. The huts which
bad been erected from boughs of trees.
straw, hay and other materials which
could be secured, are but remnants of
their former appearance. After their oc-
,cupants had been forced from them the
torch was applied and every vesti,e that
the flames could destroy was burned.
AT o'clock this morning the men were
lined along the walks of the auueduct
which adjoins the outskirts of Washing
ton with the state of Virginia, watching
their only property go up in smoke They
had been forced upon the bridge, but
there the authority of the militia ended,
and the industrals knew it, They fea red
to enter the District of Columbia, as they
believed arrest as Migrants awaited them.
and there they are waiting for some
thing to turn up Their fears, however,
were groundless, for but Il single police
nan guarded the W. shington end of the
bridge, and he had 10 intention of mo-
testing them, as was evidenced by the
fact that several took their chances and
entered the city limits, though the great
majority remained on the bridge.
Many complaints have poured in upon
Gov. Ot'errall within the past week or
ten days of the growing nuisance at
Roslyn, for which there seemed to be no
remedy but complete routing of the
.rommonwealers by the military After
mature dellberatlon and consultation,
Gov. O'Ferrall decided to act. The strict
est secresy was observed in order to keep
the Washington authorities in ignorance
Of what was going on. The governor de-
tailed three companies of the First Eir-
ginia regiment at Richmond and the
Alexandria Light infantry, under COM
mand of Adjt.-Gen. Anderson. The mi
itiamcn were equipped for field service
with twenty rounds of ammunition each.
The troops started at midnight and
reached Roslyn at 3 a. m, where they
camped, awaiting daybraak before the
raid should be made.
The industrials were unaware of the
coming of the militia for shortly before
that they were to be routed from their
camp. Soon all became hustle and eE-
.citement. Several campfires in addition
to those already lighted were lighted, and
torches were carried from tent to tent.
The entire camp seemed to be afOOt from
the time the scouts were sent among the
men, Several accommodating parties were
sent cut in all directions. 1t was impOs-
Sibie, however, for them to gather any
definite information. They uttered some
threa 5. saying they would crack the
heads of any person who would attempt
to go into the camp again. The tents and
improvised huts were crowded with sleep
,rrS and scores Of men were lying about
the fires ON the ground, some with pieces
of blankets and bits of rugs over them,
and some shivering i'll the cold without
anything but their meager clothing. Sew
,eral complained of sickness, not a few
suffering from malaria:
Just at dawn the militia appeared and
marched to the aqueduct bridge. From
that point line of skirmishers was
drawn around the entire camp and the
iudustrials we're hemmed in on all sides,
their only exit being the aqueduct bridge
to Washington Strict orders were given
70 allow no man to pass back into Nlr-
2iuia Gen. Anderson and his officers
then went to the leaders of the industrials
and told them in plain but courteous and
kindly language that they must leave the
state An hour was allowed for break
fast and gathering up what little effects
each might desire to take away. All of
them except one contingent offered to go
without Il word of protest, but the Cali
foruia men said they wished a show of
force before they retired. Promptly at
q o'clock company OF the mllItlamen
were marched down the steep slope to
the banks of the river to where the CoXey-
ties had made their homes. Gen. Ander-
son said: Here is your show OF force;
now you must GO
Not a murmur or Srumble was heard.
The men packed up their little belong
Jugs and marched from their hurriedly
constructed tents up the banks and onto
Che aqueduct bridge.
After the camp had been routed and the
picket line drawn in, company. was
sent back to the flats upon which the
men were encamped and in few min
utes the flames were destroying every
thing that had been left behind. 1t was
said that there were between 800 and
400 men in camp when the raid occurred:
Three men were too sick to be forced
MI q 11cwpI n p9mD ana
Gen Anderson sent the surgeon OF the
militia to give them medical assistance.
They will be removed today. Gen. An
derson says he does not know how long
the troops will be stationed at the Nlr-
ginia end of the bridge, but will commu-
nicatc what he has done to Gov. OFer-
rail and await his further instructions:
Soon after coming down to his ofnce,
Mai Moore. the superintendent OF ponce,
went to the office of the district commls-
-sioners and had a conference with them
with a view of devising means OF gettinS
the commonwealers out of the ulstriCt:
II was decided that the poiice snould
take charge of the industrals and escort
them to some suitable place most prop
ably Georgetown, until arrangements can
he made for shipping them to the West;
This. it is believed, can be accomplished
in two or three days as the commsslonerS
have some funds at their disposal ana VIII
receive some assistance from citizens VINO
WISH TO rlu NaShihS'o'i VI tlS -. -, -
armies of unemployed" Meantime the
mon will be kept under surveillance by
the police. ..
The district authorities are not lit
tie vexed at the summary acton or GOV.
O'Ferrall in forcing the industrials from
Virginia soil. During the past few days
satisfactory progress in having the men
returned to the West has been made,
more than hundred having been fur
nished transportation in that direction
Pending a decision as to where to tempo
rarily corral them, the unemployed re-
main on the aqueduct bridge, uncertain OF
what will be their next experience.