The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1899-05-05
Big B | p AM WRECKED (
Serious Outcome Of Labor Troubles
in Idaho.
PRESIDENT is ASKED FOR TROOPS.
Union Miners Blow Up a Mill with
Dynamite - Property Worth
- $3.50, 900 Destroyed - One ~.
2 Man killed. ~

-'AAOs Why - AS IAOuO1C NC
tween union and nonunion miners at
Wardner, which has been brewing
there some time, eliminated Saturday
In GU men attacking the Bunker Hill
and Sullivan mine and mill, blowing up
the mill with dynamite, and killing one
man and wounding many others.
Property worth $25O,000 was destroyed.
The damage was done by union miners
and sympathizers from Canyon creek,
about 20 miles from Wardner.
Saturday morning mob of from 500
to 1000 men, all of them armed and
many OF them masked, seized a train
at Burke, the head of Canyon creek.
There were nine box cars and a pas.
senger coach and they were black with
the mob. The visitors brought with
them 5000 pounds of giant powder.
After parley of two hours 40 masked
men armed with rifles, Burke miners
i'll the lead and Wardner following,
started with yells for the Bunker Hill
and Sullivan mill and other buildings
a third of mile from the depot.
They sent out pickets ahead and one
OF the pickets fired a shot as a signal
that the mill was abandoned. This was
misunderstood by the main body of the
mob, who imagined that nonunion
miners in the hills had opened fire
on them and they began to fire upon
their own pickets. About 1000 shots
were thus exchanged between the riot
ers and their pickets, and Jack Smith
one OF the pickets, formerly of British
Columbia, and noted figure in drill
contests, was shot dead. The fatal err
ror was discovered after a few Sec
onds' firing, and Smiths body brought
down from the hillside.
Mill Is Blown Up.
BY this time the strikers had taken
possession of the Bunker Hill and Sui.
Ivan mill, which they found deserted,
the manager having directed his EN-.
ployes not to risk their lives by bat
Ting with the mob. Powder was called
for and 60 50-pound boxes were carried
from the depot to the mill. The heaviest
charge was placed under the brick Of
flee building. Other charges were
placed around the mill. Then the
clearinghouse, frame structure, was
burned.
Fuses leading to the charges were
lighted and the strikers, carrying the
dead body of the picket, retired to a
safe distance. At 1886 p. m. the first
blast went off. It shook the ground for
miles, and buildings in Wardner, two
miles away, trembled. At intervals OF
about 60 seconds four other charges
went off, the fifth being the largest
and completely demolished the mine
The loss to the Bunker Hill and Sulli-
van company is estimated at from $780,
600 to 100000. In a few minutes the
strikers went back to the station, the
whistle was blown for stragglers, the
mob climbed aboard, and at three
| o'clock, just three hours after it's ar
rival, the train hauled out for Canyon
Creek.
Ask for Troops.
State officials who were wired par
ticulars held a council, Congressman
Wilson being called in, as to what course
to take. Gov. Steuenenberg, who is
ill at the hospital, came to the state.
house, and all agreed that stringent
measures must be taken to protect life
| and property. There being no state
| militia of any consequence, President
Mckinley was called on by state off
Gals to send troops at once into Coeu1
d'Alenes, and those near Spokane will
be sent at once.
The company will base it's claim fol
federal interference on the injunction
issued during the riots of 1892 by United
States Judge Beatty at Boise. It for.
ever restraints the members of the
Wardner union from entering upon the
property or interfering with the op.
erations of the company and United
States troops may be called in to en-.
force the orders of the Judge.
Troops Under Arms.
Minneapolis, Mimi, May 1.-Orders
were received at Fort Smelling Sunday
to hold in readiness the troops there fol
departure at any moment for Wardner
Idaho, the scene of Saturdays trouble
among the miners, which resulted in
the loss of one life and the destruction
Of $25o,oo0 worth of property of the
Bunker Hill and Sullivan mines. There
are at Fort Smelling at the present time
40 available soldiers, officers and men
and they are now resting on their arms
awaiting orders to move.
Demand Eight Hours.
New York, May l. An army of labor.
ing men set the East side astir SATURDAY.
night in a demonstration to enforce
their demand for day of eight hours
work. About 5000 men, representing
nearly every branch of industry, gath.
cred at various points and after parad