The Valentine Democrat. [volume] (Valentine, Cherry Co., Neb.) 1896-1898, 1896-09-24
A War in LeadVille.

aroused sleepers In the eastern part OF
the city for blocks around the Corona
do mine, which is the one which first
resumed operations and which was
heavily barricaded and well stocked
with provisions and arms. The explo-
sions were followed by fusillade OK
rifle shots apparently from within the
barricade and rapid but irregular shots
from outside, apparently from a widely
scattered attacking force, who were on
hand to protect the retreat OF the dy-
narniters. The shooting lasted for ten
minutes and all was silent for five min
utes, when desutory firing was re-
newed and has been kept up ever since
At this writing Q:5O a m9. another
explosion was heard, sounding Ike dy-
Mantle. Ten minutes after the first ex-
plosions a telephone message from the
Coronado stated that nobody inside lthe
barricade had been hurt. Since tneh
it Is impossible to reach the CorohaSS-
by phone. The Herald-Democrat Is
now being watched by several bands OF
men grouped in dark corners and alleys,
and this may mean they propose to
prevent any communication with the
telegraph Offices, the watchers not
knowing that the Herald-Democrat has
the Associated Press leased wire ana
a long distance telephone. The city is
i'm a panic Of fear County and city
officials are out looking after the work
of the police and the sheriff. Bullets
frequently whiz over the Herald-Demo-
crat office, and altogether the situation
Is warlike.
Ills a. ma bright blaze has just
broken out at the Coronado mine in the
immediate vicinity and shots are still
being exchanged The local militia
companies have been called out ard are
now at their armories getting ready
for instant action. All the whistles in
town are blowing.
a. m.-The fire is believed to be the
oil tanks inside the barricade at the
Coronado shaft house. A telephone
message just received from the mine
SAYS that none of the defenders have
been hurt as yet.
1:5O a. m--The sights and sounds
beggar description. All the whistles in
the city are blowing and two or three
steam sirens add discord 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 could gather and a militia com
pany quartered across the street hss,
just marched toward the Coronado un-
der arms. The whistle which calls ov
all citizens in case of emergency mas
just sounded and the streets are fill Of
rushing men, crying women and chfI-
dren.
2:1S a. m.-Another heavy explosion
has just occurred. Five minutes ago
the Coronado telephone bore the mes
sage that the defenders were too busy
to answer questions.
2:20 a. MAS soon as the fire broke
out the fire department went to the
scene and the flames are now dying
down. indicating effective work by the
firemen. The shots are growing less
frequent and it seems probable that
something definite from the battlefield
may be obtained.
The miners strike, of which tonights
Iawlessness is the outcome began 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 LeadyiIle was
So for everybody, but in 1893 when the
price of silver dropped below so cents -
an ounce, agreement was made that
81. so should be accepted for some Glass;
es of work until silver should return 70
80 cents. This agreement, the miners
afterward declared was unfair. as
many Of the mines paid large diyi4
dends. 1t was TO enforce the original
scale of So that the men struck. About y
:, 900 men were involved Within the
last two weeks several mines have re-
sumed work and this week the output
has been 1,200 tons daily, against 1000
tons before the strike.
ESQ a. m.-Everything is on fire at
the Coronado and the fire department Z
which are thickly clustered about The -
fatal shaft house.
The firemen hope to save the houses
and are helped by a heavy rain which
began a few minutes ago. When the
fremen went to turn Oh water they
were ordered to desist, which they did
from one hydrant, but got others 70
working.
2:55 a. m.-Another heavy explosion
has just occurred. Forty or fifty shots
have just been heard in the direction
Of the Emmett and Marian mines, 10
Gated about a mile and q half from the
city. These mines were recently fenced
and work resumed by q small force OF
men, which was being AUGMENTED
every day. It would seem from this
that having finished their work at the
Coronado where the buildings are now
. mass Of smoking e1nbers, the merci-
less gang has gone to wipe out the
Emmett and Marian.
a. m.-The first Herald-Democrat re-
9orter to return from the fire states
that Fireman O'Keefe and two IN
known men are dead. He cannot tell
as yet how many have been injured and
is not sure that this covers the list of
dead.