The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1896-10-01
RIOT At LEADvlLLE.
Threatened Assault Of Striking Minor
Has Begun.

Threatened Assault OF Striking Minors
Has Begun.
Leadville, Sept. 22.-At l O'Clock
this morning, three heavy explosions
aroused the sleepers in the eastern part
of the city for blocks around the Coro-
nado mine, which is the one that first
resumed operations, and which was
heavily barricaded. and well stocked
with provisions and arms.
The explosions were followed by a
fusilade of rife shots, apparently from
within the barricade, and rapid but IT.
regular shots from the outside. ap-
parently from widely scattered at
lacking force, who were on hand TO
protect the retreat of the dynamiters'
The shooting lasted for ten minutes,
and all was silent for about five min
utes, when desultory firing was re-
newed and kept up until daybreak.
Ten minutes after the first explo-
sion, a telephone message from the
Coronado stated that nobody inside the
barricade had been injured.
The telegraph Office is watched by
several bands of men grouped in dark
corners and alleys, and this may mean
they propose to prevent any comumnl'
cations The city is in panic OF fear.
County and city officials are out look
ing after the work of the police and
sheriffs. Bullets frequently whistle
over the office from which this message
is being sent.
At Q O'Clock fire has broken out
and is believed to be the oil tanks in
side the barricade at the Coronado
shafthouse A telephone message just
received from the mine says that none
of the defenders have been hurt as yet.
2:1O A. M.-The sights and sounds
beggar description. All the whistles
in the city are blowing, and two or
three steam sirens add disoord to the
dark nights alarming chorus The
sharp cracks of rifles punctuate the
footing at irregular intervals.
Citizens have gone to the scene with
whatever arms they can gather, and
militia company has just marched to-
ward the Coronado under arms.
The whistle which calls out all citi-
zens in case of emergency has just
sounded, and the streets are full OF
rushing men, crying women and chill
dren.
2:15 A. M. Another heavy explo-
sion has just occurred. Five minutes
ago, the Coronado telephone bore the
message that the defenders were too
busy to answer questions.
AS soon as the fire broke out, the fire
department went to the scene and the
flames seem to be dying out, indicating
effective work by the 6remen.
1t is said that fireman named
O'Keefe, when he started to turn on
water at the fire. was shot. Shots are
still heard at infrequent intervals.
800 A. M.-The first Herald Demo.
GRAFT reporter to return from the fire
states that besides Fireman O'Keefe
two unknown men are dead. He can
not tell as yet how many have been
wounded, and is not sure that this is
the list of dead.
$40 A. Mt is now reported that
John Mahoney, who works at the Big
Four, while on his way from the mine,
and near the Emmett mine, was shot
through the stomach and is believed to
be dead. Another man had all his
clothing torn from his body, but es-
capped with his life.
The miners strike, of which to-
~ l. IL I.
gan three months ago yesterday, when
at II o'clock at night the men in two
or three of the leading mines walked
out. The union scale of wages in
Leadville was So for everybody, but in
1898, when the price of silver dropped
below so cents an ounce an agreement
was made that So. 80 should be accept.
ed for some classes of work until sill
yer should return to 83 cents. This
agreement the miners afterward de-
elared was unfair, as many of the
mines paid large dividends. 1t was to
enforce the original scale of 50 that the
men struck. About 5000 men were
involved. Within the last two weeks
several mines have resumed work, and
this week the output has been 1900
tons daily, against 1900 tons before
the strike
A dipsacth from Denver states that
Governor Mcintyre has ordered out the
entire state militia to quell the riot.