The Meeker herald., 1899-05-06
MILL. BLOWN UP.
COur d. Alene Minors Determined to Pre-
vent Non-Union Men From Working

Cour d. Alene Minors Determined to Pre-
vent Non-Union Men From Working,
Spokane, WASH, April 31.-A Ward
ner, Idaho, special to the Spokesman
Review says: Wardner to-day has been
the scene Of the worst riots since the
deadly labor war of 1892.
One man is dead, another is thought
to be mortally wounded, and property
valued at $25O,OOO has been de-
stroyed by giant powder and fire. The
damage was done by union men and
sympathizers from Canyon Creek
about twenty miles from Wardner.
This morning mob of from 800 to
1000 men, all of them armed with
many Of them masked, seized q train
at Burke, the head of Canyon Creek.
There were nine box cars and pas
senger coach, and they were black
with the mob. The visitors brought
with them 5000 pounds of giant pow
der.
After parley of two hours, 14O
masked men, armed with Winchesters,
Burke In the lead, and Wardner follow
ing, started with yells for the Bunker
Hill and Sullivan mill and other build.
ings, a third of mile from the depot
They sent pickets ahead. and one of
the pickets fired shot rs a signal
that the mill was abandoned.
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 pickets.
About 1000 shots were thus ex-
changed between the rioters and their
pickets, and Jack Smith, one of the
pickets, formerly OF British Columbia,
and a noted figure in drill contests,
was shot dead. The fatal error was
discovered after few seconds firing,
and Smiths body was brought down
from the hillside.
By this time the strikers had taken
possession of the Bunker Hill and Sui
livan mill, which they found deserted.
the manager having directed his en-
ployes not to risk their lives by bat
tling with the mob. Powder was
called for and sixty fifty-pound boxes
were carried from the depot to the
mill.
The heaviest charge was placed
among the machinery of the mill. An
other charge was placed under the
brick office building. Other charges
were placed around the mill. Then the
boarding house, frame structure, was
fired.
Fuses leading to the charges were
lighted and the strikers, carrying the
body of the picket. retired to 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 sixty sec
onds, four other charges went OFF, the
fifth being the largest, and completely
demolished the mill The loss to the
Bunker Hill and Sullivan Company is
estimated at from S25O,OOO to $500, 600
In few minutes the strikers went
back to the station, the whistle was
blown for stragglers. the mob soon
climbed aboard. and Mt 3 O'Clock. just
three hours after its arrival, the train
pulled out for Canyon Creek.
The present strike in the COeur
dAlene mining district, in northern
Idaho, was inaugnrated about ten days
ago, and is directed principally against
the Bunker Hill and Sullivan mine. at
Wardner. where non-unlOn men are
employed. The demands of the min
ers for increased wages were met by
mine owners. but the miners demand
ed that the union be recognized. and
that non-union men be discharged.
This the mine owners refused to do,
and the Last Chance mine closed
down. The Bunker Hill and Sullivan.
however, continued to run with non-
union men until to-day. when they
were driven out by an armed mob of
union men.
It is understood that Governor Steun-
enburg will call upon President Nc
Kinley for troops. as the militia is in
the Philippines.
Minneapolis, Mimi. April 3O-Or-
ders were received at Fort Smelling to-
day to hold in readiness the troops
there for departure at any moment for
Wardner, Idaho. the scene of Satur-
days trouble among the miners.
1t Is reported that the troops at 9th
er forts in the West have received sim
liar orders.
st. Louis, NO.. April 3O.-Captain
Woodbury. of the Sixteenth United
States infantry Mt Jefferson Barracks.
received orders to-day to hold the
troops in his command in readiness to
move at moments notice. 1t is be-
lieved they will be sent to Wardner,
Idaho, to help quell the miners riots.