The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-08-04
THOUSANDS STRONG,
MINERS MARCH BRAVELY TO DE-
ARMlTTiS MINES.

tie Creek, Plum Creek and Sandy
| Creek of DeArmitt. was invaded after
mid Thursday by an army OF
! strikers, who came to attend the great
mass meeting to be held near the
mines. 1t is estimated that by day
break there were several thousand
miners encamped upon the hills sur
rounding the property of the New
York and Cleveland Gas Coal COM
| pany's property. They came from
every direction, headed by brass
bands. Large delegations arrived
from Willocks, Gastonville, Finley
Vile and other points along the wheel
ing divisions. Nearly all of them car.
nv heavy walking sticks and some
were armed. There were no threats
of violence, however, and no indica-
tons of drinking. Many were sup.
piled with food enough to last two
days.
Immediately upon reaching Oak
Hill, the strikers prepared for camp.
In the vally leading up from Turtle
Creek to one of the New York and
| Cleveland mines the company had a
powerful search light. 1t was kept
shifting about in hopes of fanking
any movement of the strikers to creep
! within reach of the mine unknown to
the deputies who guarded every ap'
proach.
Long before daylight the strikers
were up, and after eating their frugal
meal, prepared for the days work.
The intention was to see as many OF
DeArmitt's men before they got into
the pits as possible.
About 4 o'clock, 1,500 strikers as.
sembled at Turtle Greek and headed
by three brass bands and with banners
flying, marched past the houses &C.
cupied by DeArmitt's miners. The
miners booted and yelled and then
marched to the mines where they
planted themselves before the pits,
thus compelling DeArmitt's men to
run the gauntlet to get to work. a
short time later, Sheriff Lowrey, who
had been wired to for assistance, ar
rived from Pittsburg with 80 deputies,
armed with Winchesters. The strik-
ers quietly withdrew and the new
deputies were placed on guard.
When the meeting was called to
order at 10 o'clock this morning there
were 5000 striking miners in attend
ance, and before it was well under way
there were 5000 people in the vicinity
of the school house. About 9 80 o'clock
$50 miners from the Sandy Creek
mines marched to the meeting and
quite a large number came from Tur.
tie Creek. The demonstration had
no effect upon the men at Plum Greek,
and all went to work. .
The strikers used all the powers of
persuasion upon the diggers, but none
were molested and no threats were
made. Previous to the meeting Eu-
! gene V. Debs. District President Do.
Ian, Secretary Warner and NJ. P. Gar
rick went among the strikers and
counselled them to keep within the
bounds of the law and preserve good
order throughout the day. Their ad.
vice was received with good grace by
the men who cheered the officials en-
Enthusiastically.
President Dolan was made chairman
of the meeting and in a short speech
he accused Mr.. DeArmitt of incinceri'
ty. He said that if DeArmitt's men
did not come out there would be a
sympathy strike all over the United
! States.
M. P. Garrick was next introduced
and he said that workingmen all over
the United States were interested in
this strike because it will have a ten
lency to raise wages everywhere.
IF you men of the DeArmitt mines
will not come out now we will march
co. 900 men here and compel you to
come out, not by force but by shame"
When Eugene V. Debs was intro
ducsd there was great enthusiasm. He
said in part:
II am here not to encourage passion
but to appeal to reason. You are in
the midst of the greatest contest the
world has ever known. Whether you
succeed or fail depends upon your.
selves. In order to win you must re.
main absolutely sober until this con-
test is over. Whiskey clouds the brain,
robs you of your money and makes
you brutal, and also makes you do
just what your enemies want you to
do"
After the meeting the Sandy Creek
miners returned to work and the strl-
kers went into camp and had lunch.
Mr.. DeArmitt tonight made the fol.
lowing statement:
"a few of our men from the Turtle
Creek and Plum Creek mines attend.
ed the meeting. About 40 of the
younger men in the Sandy Creek
mines were present. AS far as the eff
feet of the meeting.on our men is con.
cerned. it was q fiat failure. All OF
our mines were in operation and will
be tomorrow"
A large force of deputies are on du-
ty and developments of a sensational
character are likely to occur at any
time. The men in the camp will be
supplied with food.
Late at night William Warner, sec
rotary of the miners union, telephon-
ed that q break in DsArmitt's men has
taken place. He says that after the
day meeting another meeting was ar.
ranged for Thursday night and was at
tended by many of the men who have
been at work. Several local speakers,
he said, placed the matter before them
in such q convincing way that the
men from DeArmitt's Turtle Greek
J mine resolved not to return to work
in the morning. Secretary Warner