Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-05-01
The MILL WAS
BLOWN UP
Strikers Destroyed the Property
Of the
BUNKER HILL COMPANY
At Wardner Late Saturday Afternoon
lone Of Their Men Was
Killed by Mistake
BUNKER HILL COMPANY

Spokane, Wash. April ga special
from Wardner to the Spokesman-ReVlew
SAYS: Wardner today has been the
scene Of the worst riots since the deadly
la bor war of 1892. One man is dead, an
other is thought to be mortally wounded
and property valued at $780, 900 has been
DESTROYED by giant powder and fire. The
damage was done by union men and
sympathizers from Canyon creek, ABOUT
20 miles from Wardner. This morning
a mob OF from 500 to 1000 men. all OF
them armed and many of the Masked
seized a train at Burke, at the head OF
Canyon creek. The visitors brought
with them 5000 pounds of giant powder.
After a parley of two hours, lao masked
men armed with Winchesters, Burke IN
the lead and Wardner following. started
with yells for the Bunker Hill and Sulll-
van mill and other buildings, a third OF
a mile from the depot. They sent pickets
ahead. and one of these pickets fired a
shot as a signal that the mill was aban-
doned. This was misunderstood by the
main body of the mob. who imagined
that non-union miners in the hills had
opened fire on them, and they began
firing on their own picketA About 1000
shots were thus exchanged between the
rioters and their pickets, and Jack Smith,
one of the pickets, formerly Of British
Columbia and a noted figure in drill con-
tests. was shot dead. The fatal error
was discovered after few seconds fir
ing n Smiths body was brought down
from the hillside.
By this time the strikers had taken
possession of the Bunker Hill n Sui
Ivan mill. which they found deserted,
the manager having directed his en-
ployes not to risk their lives by battling
with the mob. Powder was called for
and sixty 5O-pound boxes were carried
from the depot to the mill. The heaviest
charge was placed among the machinery
of the mill. Another charge was placed
under the brick Office building. Other
charges We're placed around the mill.
Then the boarding house, a frame struc-
ture, was fired. Fuses leading to the
charges were. lighted and the strikers,
carrying the dead body of the picket, re-
tired to a safe distance. At 2:36 p. m. the
first blast went off. 1t shook the ground
for miles, and buildings in Wardner, two
miles away. trembled. At intervals of
about 80 seconds four other charges went
off, the fifth being the largest and COM
pletely demolishing the mill. The loss
" III / I'LL olld SoAll-
pany is estimated at from $25O,O00 to
5000. coo.
In a few minutes the strikers went
back to the station, the whistle was
clown for stragglers, the mob soon
climbed aboard, and at 8 o'clock, just
three hours after it's arrival, the train
pulled out for Canyon creek.
During the fusillade from the guns OF
the mob Jim Chayne, a Bunker Hill and
Sullivan mill man, was severely shot
through the hips. 1t is reported that he
was carried off by the strikers and his
wound is probably fatal.
J.. J. Rogers, a stenographer in the en-
ploy Of the company, was shot through
the lip, but his wound is trivial.
This morning the 230 miners
at the Bunker Hill and Sullivan had
warning of the coming of the mob and
left the mine n took to the hills. They
have not been seen since. Union men
working in the Last Chance left the
mine this morning, presumably to take
part in the riot.
Spokane, Wash, April 30.-A specia'
to the Spokesman-Review from Wallace
Idaho, says: Practically all Of yester-
days Wardner rioters are back at work
Those from Canyon creek nearly al
went home at midnight, while this morn
ing's train for Missoula took the balance
Of those from Mullan. The understand
ing last night was that Jack Smith, the
Burke mar killed at Kellogg, was tt
have been buried here today, but thu
funeral was postponed. There Is mucf
less talk today than yesterday. Sympa-
thizers with the rioters having had time
TO consider the matter calmly, have be.
gun to think of the probable cOnse.
%quences. Many inquiries are made as II
the likelihood of martial law and thu
probable outcome of an attempt to pun
ish the evil-doers by some power really
DESTROYS of melting out Justice. There j:
RIO talk of any attempt at punishment
unless by the federal authorities.
Governor ~Steunenberg's estimate of 5N
troops being necessary to preserve peace
is all right if nothing more is desired, buf
should arrest be attempted many more
will be needed. The miners are nearly
all armed, and their positions at Canyon
creek and at Mullan are nearly all i'm
%pregnable, While the country is full o
men and women who will furnish al
possible information to them. Thes'
men will hesitate at nothing shoult
their liberty be endangered. The thor
oughness of their organization wa
| shown in the way the clans were gath
cred yesterday morning. Sympathizer
all along the line Were ready when tn
train arrived, dropping whatever was il
hand to go. The amount of powder use'
at Wardner was not so great as sup
posed here. only 40 boxes having beel
taken at the Frisco magazine.
The killing of Jack Smith, the riote
from Burke, who fell yesterday. will b