The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-10-17
Eight Hundred Marchers From North
Side Shut Down cne.
TROOPS BUSY WITH OTHER MARCaERS
When Soldiers and Strikers Met Il Looked Like
War For a Few Minutes, But Better
Counsel Prevailed and the
Men Dispersed.
(By the Associated Press.)


Lansford, Pa, Oct. 16.-About 1,500 men
and so women and girls marched eighteen
miles from the Southside Hazleton region
during the night for the Panther Creek
Valley whore they expected to close all
of the ten collieries of the Lehigh Coal
and Navigation Company, but just as the
weary marchers were nearing their des-
tination this morning they were met on
mountain road by three companies of in
fantry and at the point of the bayonet
were driven back four miles to Tamauua
and dispersed. Another crowd OF 800
strikers from the northside of HaZleton
also marched here and succeeded in clos
ing the company's Number / colliery at
Nesquehoning near Mauch Chunk, before
it was scattered. The presence of the
soldiers was entirely unexpected, and the
strikers were much crestfallen that they
failed in accomplishing the object of their
long march.
1t was probably the most exciting morn
ing that the Panther Creek and Mosque
honing vallies have ever experienced
Strikers were scattered over the various
roads and companies of soldiers were
scurrying in all directions heading off the
marching men. The troops were patient
with the mob of strikers while the labor
men were very careful not to commit overt
acts in the presence of the troops. For
moment just after the two forces met
on the road in the darkness it looked as
if clash would come, but the good sense
of the men in charge of the ibzrs pre-
vented a possible conflict. u~
The marchers came down axe two
armies. The southside army concentrated
at McAdoo. and the order to march was
given at 1890 last night There were
several fife and drum corps and brass
band in the line. The women and girls
were conveyed in two large omnibuses.
Five carriages containing newspaper
correspondents who had been trailing
along ct the rear of the procession We're
requested to take the lead so that they
would not interfere with the plans of the
strikers. Following the newspaper men
came the two convelances containing the
women and then followed long line OF
Hungarians. Italians, Slavs and English
speaking mine workers.
At a point half mile from Coaldale
there is a sharp turn in the road, and as
the newspaper men rounded it there came
)a command of Halt" and about SO feet
in front of them were soldiers who were
stretched across the road with bayonets
fixed Sheriff Toole, of Schuylkill county,
was with them. The commander of the
troops, speaking to the waiting crowd
said:
I'm the name of the people of the
State of Pennsylvania, command you to
disperse and return to where you came
The strikers began to protest that they
could not be stopped on public highway,
and many of them showed a disposition to
resist the soldiers. The officer in charge
of the troops, however. kept his men in
position, and the strikers seeing that the
soldiers evidently meant business, slow
ly began returning toward Tamaqua.
Mother" Jones who was in the crowd
vehemently protested against the action
Of the troops in stopping the marchers,
but she was shut off and ordered to move
on. The women had to be almost pushed
along SO slowly did they walk. They con-
tinually jeered the soldiers, calling them
all kinds of names and threatening them
with punishment If they should ever visit
McAdoo. 1t took from o'clock until 6
TO drive the crowd back to Tamaqua.
While all this had been going on the
northside marchers had everything their
own way in the Nesquehoning Valley
They reached there after o'clock and
succeeded in persuading enough men TO
remain away from the Lehigh Valley Coal
and Navigation Company's No. ! colliery
TO compel it's shut down. General Goblin
sent two companies of soldiers over there
and soon had order restored.