Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-07-30
URGE HIS MEN TO QUIT WORK.
THE MINES GUARDED ny A STRONG
FORCE OF DEPUTIES.
Crusaders Seem to Have Met With
Little Success, Although Secre-
tary Warner Claims Many
Men VIII Quit To-
day-Strike News.

came to attend the great mass meeting to
| be held near the mines to-day. BY day
| break there were several thousand miners
| encamped upon the hills surrounding the
| property of the New York and Clevsland
| Gas Company. They came from every di-
rection, headed by brass bands. Nearly all
of them carried heavy walking sticks and
| some were armed.
| Immediately upon reaching Oak Hill the
| strikers prepared for camp. The scenes
| around Turtle Creek after midnight We're
| strange. Poor clad miners stretched them
! selves out in the softest spots they could
| find. Each detachment was in charge Of
| men selected before the march was begun.
| Orders were implicitly followed. In the
valley leading from Turtle Creek to one of
the New York and Cleveland mines the
company had a powerful searchlight 1t
| was kept shifting about, in hopes OF flank
| ing any movement of the strikers TO CT. r.ep
| within reach of the mine unknown to the
| deputies who guarded every approach.
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 DeArmits men be-
fore they got into the pits this morning, as
possible.
at Turtle creek, and, headed by three brass
bands, with flags and banners flying,
marched past the houses occupied Dy lie
Armit's men. The strikers hooted and
yelled and then marched to the mines,
where they planted themselves before the
pits, thus compelling DeArmit's men to
run the gauntlet to get to work.
A short time later, Sheriff Lowry, who
had been wired to for assistance. arrived
from Pittsburg with fifty deputies. armed
with Winchesters. The strikers quietly
Withdrew and the new deputies were placed
The strikers used all their powers of per-
suasion upon the diggers, but none were
molested and no threats made. The strik-
ers told the miners they were JeopardiZing
the success of the strike by continuing at
work and urged them to come out and
make the suspension complete. The min
ers, who were hurrying into the pits, were
Overtaken and asked not to go to work.
Most of them said they were afraid they
would lose their jobs if they stayed away
from work. They decided. after a short
parley, to go into the mine. The miners
were carrying dinner buckets. As they
turned TO leave the strikers, their dinner
buckets were taken from them. The fright
ened miners. without stopping to attempt
to regain their buckets, turned and ran for
the pit, and did not stop until they were
behind the shelter of the deputies Win
Chesters.
When the miners gathered for the mass
meeting that mad been called for 10 O'Clock,
President DOlan was made chairman, and
in a short speech he accused Mr.. De Ar
nit of insincerity. He said that if De
Armit's men did not come out, there would
be { sympathy strike all over the United
States.
NJ. +. Carrick was next introduced. lie
said: "If you men of the De Armit mines
will not come out now, we will march So
900 men here and compel you to come out:
not by force. but by shame. We will
children. You are clogging the wheels of
commerce, and the whole labor world will
strike in sympathy if need be. Resort to
no violence. my friends: Trust in your
leaders and we will win this strike in other
ways than by violence
When Eugene V. Debs was introduced
there was great enthusiasm. He said. in
part: Il am here not TO encourage pas
sion, 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 yourselves. In order to
win. you must remain absolutely sober
until this contest is over. whisky 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 min
returned to work and the strikers went
into camp and bad lunch; The presence of
the deputy sheriffs was not needed, as there
was no trouble of any kind.
Mr.. DeArmit tonight makes the follow
ing statement:
"A few of our men from the Turtle Creek
and Plum Creek mines attended the meet
ing. About forty of the younger men in
the Sandy Creek were present. As far as
the effect of the meeting on our men is
concerned, II was a fiat failure. All of
our mines were in operation and will be
A large force of deputies are on duty
and developments of a sensational char
aCteT are name 10 occur AT any time Inc
men in the camp will be supplied with
food.
Late tonight. William Warner. secretary
of the Miners Union, telephoned that a
break in DeArmit's men had taken place.
He says that after the day meeting an
other meeting was arranged for tonight
and il attended by many of the men
who have been at work. Several local
speakers. he says, placed the matter be-
fore them in such a convincing way that
the men from DeArmit's Turtle creek mine
resolved not to return TO work in the morn
ing. Secretary Warner says this is the
most important result of the big meeting.
and it will be taken advantage of at once
TO influence the men at the other two mines
TO come out. The miners officials are jubi-
liant over this alleged victory.
Eugene Debs left the city tonight for
Columbus. on business which he declined
to make public. Before leaving he ex-
pressed himself as greatly encouraged. He
expects great results from tO-day's meet
ing.