El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-10-18
The Trouble at Virden.
Chicago Tribune.


Toe trou Die at the Virden mines be-
gan on April l, 1898, when the miners
Of the fourth district of Illinois went
out on a strike instituted by the United
States Mineworkers. The strikers ask
ed for 10 cents a ton and were offered
% cents.
ON Sept. .25 the Chicago Virden
Company, the principal niue operators
at Virden, imported 100 negroes from
Birmingham. Ala. When the train
arrived with these miners on board IL
was met oy large body OF armed strik-
ers, who threatened to shoot the first
negro who stepped from the cars. The
| negroes returned south and the mines
remained idle.
President I. c. Loucks, of the Chi
cago-Nirden company, made arrange
ments TO get other miners. Ga Oct.
Sheriff Davenport notified Governor
Tanner that there Would certainly be
trouble and that state troops would be
ueeded 10 preserve the peace.
The governor refused to send troops
on the ground that he did not wish 10
use the militia against the citizens of
the state or to aid in bringing in out
s. de labor.
The next day Mr.. Loucks notified
the governor that his miDes would be
operated, and he demanded the pro-
lection of the state. The matter had
been brought before the state board of
arbitration, which decided in favor OF
the white miners, but also held that an
injustice had been done the Chicago
Vlrden company.
The dispute between Governor Tan
ner and the mine operators vas carried
on by kilograms and other communica-
tiOns. The governor steadily refused
TO call out the state troops and chsrp ed
the operators with importing ex-con-
victs aud an undesirable class of work
men.
The operators declared the men they
desired to bring TO their mines bad
been chOsen for their ability and their
capacity TO become good citizens
They also stated they were will ng to
take back the strikers at the scale OF
% cents q ton, but they could not open
tn ir mines at the exorbi,ant demand
Of 40 cents. The mines, it is assersed.
are all operated in accordance with the
state law.
Sheriff Davenport has been in SYM
pathy with the governor and says be
does not want To enforce laws that will
bring negro la Dor into the sta,e, aud
offered TO resign rather than under
take the task.
One hundred Springfield miners re-
inforced the Virden strikers on Oct 10,
armed and determ ned TO prevent the
negroes from going TO work. Armed
men have since practically been in pos
session of the town.
A rumor was circulated that q small
body Of negroes had been landed ON
a Chicago and a ton train just outside
OF Virden and escorted TO the stocS adj
under covor of darkness. They were
opposed TO be making the shaft re ,dy
FOR the miners who were to come. This
made the strikers more than ever
vigilant.
Manager Lukens of the coal COMMA
ny on Oct. 10 secured an injunction
against thirty-four ot the leading strik-
ers. These men have compelled four
policemen In the employ of the opera
tors TO leave town.
The strikers had not displayed vio- 4,
lence until they began to suspect more
negroes would be brought 10. The
freight business of the Chicago and
Alton was then interrupted by the
spiking of the switches.
The railroad company sent mum Der
of it's own men to Virdeu unarmed and |
the business of the road was resumed. |
The strikers were encouraged ard
assisted, IL is said, by the miners who |
had been in troub e at Pana, Ill.