The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-10-15
Another Exciting Day at the Coal
Mines.
MORE TROOPS ARRIVE
FIVE HUNDRED SOLDIERS NOW
ON THE SCENE.
Warrants Issued For the Operators
On Charge of Conspiracy to
Murder-Gcv. Tanner Determined
to Prevent Further Importations-
Railroad Company In the Fight.

Virden, Ills, Oct. IA new wave of
excitement swept over this town hourly
during the afternoon, and from 2 O'Clock
till nightfall rumor followed rumor, and
not even the best-informed had any idea
of what would develop during the night
I Rumors that another train load of ne
groes was on its way here kept the ex-
! element to a high tension, but the mill
! tia is in complete possession of the stock
ade and are closely guarding the railroad
| property.
The coroner's jury heard large num-
4 Der of witnesses today, but did not con-
clude its work. The inquest will last I'M
I til Monday or Tuesday.
! Warrants were sworn out today before
/ the local magistrate by an officer of the
Miners union charging President Loucks
Manager Luckens and others with CON
! spiracy to murder" But on advice of the
military officers in charge here, they were
not served. This action, however, caused
! Colonel Young to refuse to allow several
guards who had been employed by the
coal company to depart for their homes in
! Chicago, as he thought they might be
| needed as witnesses.
! Six guards from st. Louis who came
upon the train carrying the blacks We'd
nesday. and who were more or less Sc
/ riously wounded, were allowed to leave
! for home after a consultation, participant
ed in by Colonel Young. Manager Lukens,
Coroner Hart, Police Magistrate Roberts
and Attorney Patton. Three of the men
were so badly injured that it was neceS-
sary to carry them to the train.
General Manager LukenS OF the Chi
cago-Virden Coal company today made
the following statement in regard to the
wages paid by his company and the de-
mands of the strikers:
Under the old scale of wages, prior to
the summer of 1897, the pay at our mines
fairly good miners could and did earn
S2.25 per day for ten hours, free of all
expenses. The pay rolls show an average
of 1929 per day, net, for every miner in
the mine with q of 81 10 70 81 l6
day. The price of powder has been re-
duced 80 cents a key since then, which
makes a material increase in the miners
wages. AT the price the miners are de-
manding, 40 cents per ton, an average
miner can make from 50 to "a per day,
and a good workman would have no diff
Guilty in earning Sc a. day.
I'VE do not object TO the men making
good wages-the more the better All we
desire is an opportunity to get-our coal
dug at a. price that will allow US to enter
the market and sell without loss to our
selves. and this is impossible at the rate
demanded by the union workmen.'
THE state has taken absolute possess
sion of our property he said land has
practically prohibited US from operating
our mines"
Sheriff Davenport, who left Virden dur
from Carlinville today. He was summon
ed here to appear before the coroners
jury to give testimony bearing on the
A FALSE ALARM.
This afternoon a rumor became general
that the negroes were to be brought back
at any moment. Captain Craig's men i'm
mediately surrounded the railroad station
and the vicinity was cleared of citizens.
Newspaper men alone. were admitted TO
the premises.
Lieutenant Henry stated that his orders
are not TO stop any more passenger trains,
as was done last night, but under no cir
cumstances to allow the negro train to.
pass the depot. From now on the station
1HraTt-
and only those who want to take passage
on trains will be permitted 10 pass the
line.
Colonel Young's Illinois cavalry today
relieved Battery OF guard duty in the
city.
Colonel Young, as ranking officer will
be in command of all troops here. but
will not assume his duties until he has
looked the ground over and held a consul
tation with the mine officials and Cap
tains Craig and FEWER, who have been
in command since troops were first or
dered here.
All trains with freight or passengers
stopping here are carefully searched for
Two hundred members of the First cav
airy and Third infantry. under command
Of Colonel Young, are here today, and 10
mere are expected before night. These.
with the 12S men in the Galesburg battery
and Elgin company of the Sons of Veterl-
ans, viii give Colonel Young force of
over 500 men.
The arrival of Colonel Young's command
has caused a feeling among the strlhets
that the negroes will be kept out al al
hazards. The town presents most mill
tary aspect today. Soldiers are met
everywhere, even out in the most lone
some streets on the outskirts of town
Some of the militiamen were m any
thing but a happy frame of mind. as they
had been on duty nearly y hours without
anything to eat. There are only two
small bakeries in the town and they nave
been badly rushed during the last TWO
DAYS on account of large numbers OF out
siders who have arrived here.
A SCARED ENGINEER
A bad scare was given the engineer on
a freight train going north To-Day At'-
parently the freight had orders not to
stop at Virden, as it was going az very
high rate of speed inside the yards.
Suddenly there was q loud report from
a torpedo on the tracks, signal that Is
a standstill. The engineer did not near
the report or decided to pay no attention
to il. for the train gathered speed.
Quickly there came another report from
a couple of Springfield rifles in the hands
of the soldiers on the depot hattornl i ne
engineer with white face threw the
trottle over and applied the prakeS IN
such a manner as to leave no doubt that
he was willing to obey orders. Alter the
cars had been searched the train was al
lowed to continue on It's Journey north.
Springfield Ills, Oct. 15.-In an inter-
view with a representative of the AsSo-
ciated Press this morning, Governor ran
ner said: ''On learning this afternoon
that the national guard were searching
trains I at once gave orders to General
Reece. adjutant general. to instruct
Colonel Young that the national guard
hereafter they would not board the trains; |
that their orders were to prevent the land
ing of imported labor. which would Eeces- |
sarily result in the precipitation OF riot;
that they were to keep the peace and to |
prevent any persons from provoking
riot