The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-05-26
MINERS IN BATTLE ARRAY.
They Open the War by Blowing Up a
Shaft House With Dynamite.

Forty-three Deputy sheriffs Sent to
Guard the Mine Taken Prisoners and
Disarmed-Another Force of 1875
Deputies Encamped Behind a Barri-
cade of Crossties-Three Hundred
Miners Armed With winchesters
and 500 Armed With Pistols in Posi-
tion to Attack Them at Moments
Notice.
Cripple Creek, Col, May 25.-The
striking miners to-day destroyed much
property near this thriving little mining
town, but Notwithstanding that many
conflicts seemed inevitable all were
luckily averted and no lives were lost.
All is quiet tonight, but hostilities are
likely to be resumed in the morning. Last
February the miners here struck against
the inauguration of the nine-hour day.
They asked So for eight hours work
or pay accordingly for a nine-hour
day. This the owners refused and
the mines were closed. The owners
waited some time for a break in the
strikers ranks, but this failing to mater
lalize, they requested the state to send
deputies for the protection OF non-union
men with which they proposed to open one
mine, the Independence, as a test. If those
working the mine were interfered
with, the deputies were to
arrest the trouble-makers and thus
have basis for action in the courts.
Last night about 10 O'Clock heavily armed
deputies left here to do guard duty aJ
Victor Twenty of them were surrounded
there and their arms and ammunition
taken away. Twenty-three managed to
reach the Independence mine, where they
remained until IL o'clock to-day.
SURROUNDED BY A MOB.
Al that hours the shaft house was sur
rounded by 800 armed men, and the al
tentative submitted to the deputies to
stack their arms and surrender or be
blown up with giant powder, which had
been placed in beer kegs and
fuses attached and ready for bust
ness on an adjoining hill. The
guards agreed to leave, and were
escorted about mile by a heavy guard
and then permitted to return to the city.
I he balance of the force returned here by
a circuitous route, and were not mo-
| Tested.
THE SHAFT HOUSE BLOWN Up.
About 9 O'Clock this morning when the
train on the Florence and Cripple Creek
railroad came in sight of Victor, carrying
of the Strong mine was blown up with
| giant powder, the machinery ruined and
the shaft house subsequently burned.
! When the explosion occurred, the train
/ stopped and the deputies disembarked
and went into camp near the railroad
tracks, where they fortified their
/ positions with ties and other timber to
resist night attack If one is made.
! There are about 400 miners armed with
! Winchester rifles and not less than 500
whose arms are pistols of improved pat
tern with an abundance of ammunition.
NO PITCHED BATTLE YET.
Stories of pitched battles having been
/ fought between the miners and the depu-
ties are untrue. There is, however, dan
| ger that the miners will make battle at
/ any time on the deputies that came in
! from Denver. The latter are not strong
| enough in numbers TO resist the force of
/ miners that can be sent against them al a
moments notice. The miners have all
! the roads heavily guarded, and no one is
| allowed TO pass the guards without stat
! ing his business and destination.