The record-union., 1896-09-22
THE MINERS STRIKE At LEADVlLLE
LEADS TO SERIOUS TROUBLE.

| AAOAiSAN VI SpiQllSILuS III Chu SAA~--
terrific detonation. This was
| weapon which the miners knew we'll
how to use-a stick of giant powder.
Another stick followed the first, then
third, and with these a fusillade of
small arms. Volley after volley was
poured into the inclosure from two
i sides. The high outer fence and the
inner barricade, however, was evidently
designed wisely, for no one within was
| injured there
| The giant powder soon ignited the
woodwork, broke the pipe which con-
| veyed the crude fuel oil from the res
ervoirs to the battery of boilers, and
the Oil igniting, great sheets Of flame
| quickly Illuminated the scene There,
amidst a rain of bullets and giant
powder, with the exploding oil tanks
and boiler, were twenty men fighting
| as only men under such conditions
could fight. From the engine house
| and from the high vantage point of the
cribbing surrounding the shaft they
| blaZed away at the attacking party.
| For fully half hour the shooting con-
tinued, until Las O'Clock, when the
flames from the engine-house spread
so rapidly that the defending party had
to take refuge in a tunnel under the
cribbing, where they made last stand
for defense, believing that their assail-
ants would enter the inclosure to shoot
| them down.
| They were caught like rats in a trap.
1t was certain death to remain. for fire
| would consume them even if they were
not murdered by the enemy. There was
| only one alternative, and they took it.
Some made rush, leaping the fence;
| others took the trestle across Orange
street, running the gauntlet of a gall
ing fire to the dump, where they made
| their escape.
The explosion of giant powder and
the rattle of small arms aroused the
whole city, and the glare of the flames
brought the fire department promptly
to the scene. One line of hose was
laid, and gallant Jerry O'Keefe. Fore
man of Hose Company No. 2, took the
nozzle. The stream had just begun to
pour forth, when bullet fired from
behind sent O'Keefe to the earth,
| bleeding from a mortal wound. 1t was
a shot aimed by bastard and coward
| ly hand to aSsasSinate a brave man in
the discharge of his duty.
Armed men were hidden in various
places about the Coronado shaft, and
prevented the foreman from working
The hose cart, with Fire Marshal E. "
Roder and one other fireman, drove
| along Orange street, and when beneath
the trestle started to reel off the hose
They had got the line almost laid, when
three men leaped from behind the house
| at the northeast corner of the alley
1 ST1rOp that md
and three revolvers were raised and lev
eled at the Marshal and his men.
Il would stay, by Cod but 1 do not
want to be shot down in cold blood >
| said one of the firemen as he dropped
the hose, and all three were compelled tc
retire to the corner of the cribbing on
the west side Of the alley. The immense
fuel oil tank was now a mass of flames
Great black clouds of smoke rolled
heavenward, Illuminated by the dark
red flames which shot upward for q
hundred feet. Already the houses in the
vicinity were beginning to crackle and
blaze.
| AT this moment an armed force ap-
peared on the scene. From the direc-
ton of Harrison avenue rushed the cit
liens of the town. There were business
men, merchants, bankers. lawyers and
| others, each armed with a Winchester
ready to protect life and property.
| Then commenced the battle with the
| flames. There were plenty of willing
hands to move the hose now, and the
| department could work without hin.
rance. The attacking party disap-
peared.
But while the Coronado was the scene
of great excitement, the thirty men a.
the Emmett mine were not forgetting
| their danger. About 2:30 O'Clock the
sound of musketry was heard in the di
rection of the mine, and soon the thun
der of discharged giant powder fol
lowed The fight made by them was Sc
terrific that the assailants were soor
glad to retire. The only damage done a
the Emmett was the destruction Of 6
small fence inclosing the property
That several men were wounded i:
certain and after dark tonight the deat
body of Mike Dougherty was fount
near by and taken to the undertakers
This makes a death roll Of five of th'
attacking party.
The Coronado shaft is the only evi
dence of the terrible struggle made JUS
| before dawn. The immense mass o.
boilers. steam engines, fans and power
full hoist are but tangled ruins The
tall gallows frame, the temporary bar
ricade about the top of the high crib
bing, are practically intact. The Coro
nado property is but seven blocks from
Harrison avenue, and is surrounded by
small residences. Three of these were
totally destroyed, at loss OF ao,Ooo
The firemen and citizens worked unit
the sun rose over Breeze Hill before tn
80 n
miters had not overlooked the Maid O
Erin. 1t was doomed to destruction
but the presence of mind of Sam Nc
Cummings savB It, During the figh
Of the early morning some one set th'
shaft house afire. Sam discovered it
and extinguished the flames before any
serious damage was done. An investi
CATION showed that there was sufiicien
giant powder below the floor to have
blown ii to atoms.
| Midnight-Some uneasiness exist!
over the delay of the special train from
Denver with the militia and artillery
The train was reported at Granite
eighteen miles below, over two hours
ago. One of the citizens under arms
reports that he has seen a number o
men on horseback riding swiftly out o
town towards Malta and the river road
An attempt to tear UP the tracks below
Malta may have been made by thu
miners. Between Malta and Leadvill'
the track has been patrolled
The families living near the Penros'
received warnings to-day to move away
but as that mine is strongly guarded to
night by members of the citizens com
mittee, no danger of an attack there II
feared.