Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-09-22
LEADVILLE MINERS
Defy the Law and Attack
Mines With Dynamite.
The Entire MiIitaryForce Of the State
Called Out by Governor.
Serious Outcome Of the Fight Between Mine
Owners and kinsrs.

I.eadVille, Col, sept. zl.-DrlVeH 10
desperation by starvation, Leadville's
locked-out miners, who have been
threatening the peace for two months,
I attacked the Coronado mine with guns
and dynamite at l o'clock, this morn
ing, arousing the city and throwing It's
inhabitants into panic Heavy ex-
blossoms aroused sleepers in the east
ern part of the city at the hour
named.
The mine is heavily guarded by spe-
cial police behind stout barricades.
The explosions We're followed by many
rifle shots from the vicinity of the bar
ricade surrounding the mine, which
are thought to have been fired by an
attacking force to cover the retreat of
dynamters in an attack upon the
| works The shooting lasted about 10
minutes and was followed for some
time by scattered firing.
A telephone message received from
the mine after the first explosions,
stated that nobody inside the barri-
| cade had been hurt. After receiving
this message, communication with the
mine was interrupted and has not yet
been restored. Another explosion, pre-
sumably of dynamite, was heard after
the break occurred in the telephone
connection, which was followed by a
bright blaze in the vicinity of the
mine.
At 10 o'clock, this morning, all was
quiet. The streets were thronged but
there We're no new outrages. 1t is
charged that the lawlessness of last
night was due to a mob of strikers who
have long been breeding trouble in
Leadville, and who. seeing that the
strike was nearing an end. were deter
| mined to make final stroke.
The first attack was made on the
Coronado. which was blown up. The
members of the mob. which numbered
not over 80 persons, then went to the
Emmett and Marion mines, where they
We're repulsed.
The arrival of the militia is anxious
ly awaited despite the apparent calm.
The local companies have been sent to
the hills, and armed citizens are pa
trolling the streets.
The city council met, this morning,
and decided to aid the state officers in
experimenting the rioters. Two men
are dead and two are dying. Two
more are reported dead and three in
jured as a result of the trouble, last
night.
The miners were organized recently
by the Western Federation of Miners
and almost every mine worker was in
the union when their demands were
made. The miners asked 50 a day for
all classes of workmen. including sur
face and underground men. The en-
ployers declared at the beginning of the
trouble that they were willing to con-
tinue paying the wages which had
prevailed in Leadville to that time
Under that scale surface workers were
paid only $3.50. and practically the
only change the union proposes is the
advance of the wages of this class of
men to 50.
The mine owners have refused to
listen to any proposition from the en-
ployes. They insist that the Governor,
the courts and the newspapers are
with the miners and it would be i'm
possible for them to manage their own
property if they made any concessions.
The courts say they are powerless I'M
less the sheriff brings offenders with
in their jurisdiction. The mine owners
explain that the sheriff holds the key
to the situation, and he is in league
with the strikers.
Jerry O'keefe, John Mahony and
VIM. Higgins, reported wounded in
mine riot. are dead. The total number
of deaths is six. 1t is believed a num-
Der. variously estimated at from to so,
We're wounded. OF the besieged men
only one injured was slightly wounded
in the foot.
Tonight, the city is quiet and the
saloons are all closed. The militia is
and will do merely patrol
duty. for there is no evidence of riot
ing in the entire camp. The miners and
mine operators who talk say there will
be no further trouble until the militia
returns home. A mine operator, this
evening, said:
we learned, tonight. that the miners
had a meeting, today, and three men
were detailed to shoot down X. T.
Esty. the manager of the Coronado on
sight. They will never do it. They
are too cowardly.'
The miners deplore the whole matter
md seem disposed to lay the blame on
outsiders.