Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-09-24
LEADVILLE MINERS FURIOUS
Attacked Two Miners Monday
With Dynamite.
IMMENSE CROWD HELD AT BAY
Rifles LeveIed at the Fire
Fighters.
Fatal Result OF p Strike which Has Exist
, ed for More Than Three Months-Tbo
Entire Military Force of the stare Order
cd to the Scene of the Trouble.

come. Three men are known to be
dead and two others are dying, the
Coronado shaft house and mahinery are
I IN ashes and four innocent householders
| are homeless as the result OF an attack
by parties as yet unknown upon the
Coronado and Emmett mines in the
dark hours Of the early morning.
The first attack was made upon the
Coronado, which is in the city, being
only half dozen blocks from the post
Office end surrounded by residences.
, The Coronado shaft-house was built on
u large embankment, enclosed by logs,
and the machinery was so feet above
the street level. A heavy plank barri-
pade was erected around the machinery
and shaft house when the mine re-
sumed operations last month and the
house was well stocked with provisions,
Winchesters and ammunition. Beyond
assaults on workingmen seen coming
from the mine at divers times no overt
acts OF violence had been attempted
against this mine until o'clock this
morning. when bullets struck the barri.
Gade and the men on guard prepared
Tor action. 1t was night attack upon
the property. Judging from the sounds
OF the lighting II came from the east.
There was no confusion, no crowds on
the street. The first intimation which
those down town received OF the trouble
was a number of shots, which came
scattered at first, then faster and faster.
All the streets west OF the Coronado
were deserted, with the exception OF
three or four persons. who were at
tracted by the shooting. Suddenly,
after 25 minutes Of firing, sheet Of
flame burAt out, followed by terrible
defamation. The attacking party was
using dynamite. The firing, then
seemed TO slacken slightly. occa-
sionally a bullet went through the air
and then sheet Of fame from Eighth
or Ninth Streets 1t was evident that
an attempt was being made to fire the
property. East Of the engine house are
several tanks OF fuel oil and the attack
was concentrated Oh this point. There
WIS sheet Of fame and sputtering
as though Of blazing powder. The
engine room was in flames A few
moments later and the clang OF the fire
engines was heard coming up the street.
But was not for them to save the Coro-
nado. 1t was marked for destruction
and armed men held the firemen at bay.
When the hose cart reached the Coro.
nado the hose was unreeled and the
marshal and his men were getting ready
for action. when three men, with
+. leveled rifles, appeared and compelled
the firemen to stop work. Meanwhile
the flames grew fiercer and fiercer. The
men in the sbaft-house were finally
driven from their fort, but fought to
the last. When they ran over the high
trestlework a dozen shots were fired,
but the men reached this dump in
safety and escaped.
BY this time large crowd had
gathered, hundreds ready to assist, but
held at bay by the rioters and firebugs,
who we're concealed near the building.
: But presently, when the sheets of flame
: rolled over the buildings, it was APP
/ parent that unless there was timely
1 action the buildings in the vicinity
, would be doomed. The firemen rallied,
for by this time hundreds of citizens,
armed with rifles, appeared and guarded
the fire department and volunteers.
iAll attention was devoted to saving the
houses in the vicinity, but in spite of
every effort four dwellings on East
Eighth street were destroyed. But
more terrible even than the holocaust
'of flames was the loss of life. Jerry
O'keefe, foreman of Hose No. 2, was
turning on water when bullet entered
his side. He is MORALLY wounded. An
unknown man was taken to No. 6l2
East Eighth street dead, blown to
pieces by dynamite. Another unknown
man was mortally wounded by dyna-
mite. John Mahoney, a miner at the
big Four, who was pear the Emmett,
was shot in the stomach. He died 10
the arms Of his companions. One of
the men who brought the report had
his clothes nearly torn off, but vas not
seriously hurt.
At 5. 80 a. m. an attack was made on
the Emmett. More than 100 shots were
fred. A telephone message from the
mine states that the attack was re.
pulsed and that no lives are known to
have been lost and no damage to prop.
: erty has resulted.
{ The strike began June 10th. 1t has
! paralzyed business, caused hunger and
suffering in hundreds of families and
has cut down the mineral output of the
camp more than one half. Io-day's
bloody battle is believed to be the last
desperate one of the radical element of
the strike TO effect the stoppage of all
mines that are not paying the increased
scale OF wages demanded by the union.
MANY OF the strikers have asserted all
along that they would clean out the
State" and even government troops.
II brought here, rather than see outside
labor come to the camp. The mine
managers. who at first refused to
recognize the union, finally offered q,
compromise, but this was rejected and
all efforts by citizens and others TO
terminate the strike since then have
failed.
A CALL FOR TROOPS.
Denver, COL. Sept. 81 - At 2.30
O'Clock this morning Sheriff Newman
Of Leadville and Judge Owens of the
District court OF Lake county called
upon Gov. Mcintyre for troops TO quell
the riot in Leadville. The Governor
at once issued the call and before day.
light the entire military force of the
State was en- route for the scene Of the
trouble. The troops from this city,
two infantry companies, and battery
will reach Leadville by noon.
The Leadviile companies are already
under arms at the scene of the disturb
ance and those of this city and Colorado
Springs are en- route to Leadville in a
special train on the Denver & Rio
,Grande road. The militia was not
ordered out by the Governor until
after he had received the following dis
patch from the sheriff at Leadville:
"Leedyille, COL, Sept. u, 8 a. m.-
Gov. Mcintyre, Denver: The situation
here is beyond MY control. am com