Washington sentinel., 1900-04-07
"a SIBERIA OF HORRORS
The Idaho Bull Pen Worse than
The Black Hole OF Calcutta,

The Black Hole OF Calcutta,
Editor Sen mel
BY one touch of genius. Congressman
Sulzer, at the hearing before the Military
Committee, described the conditions in
the Coeur d'Alene mining district in
Idaho, as "a Siberia OF horrors" An
effort was made to have the remark
withdrawn, but even the Republican
majority, who have made themselves
the champions of the mine owners,
could find no sufficient ground tor doing
so. A volume could not describe the
situation more aptlv, for the horrors Of
Siberia have such dark signif :ance in
the public mind, that even Imagination
ends there. Yet it is doubtful If they
are so revolving as those practised on the
unoffending miners, and their sympathiz
ers, in Shoshone County, Idaho,
The beginning OF the trouble was in
~ when an attempt was made to reduce
the wages of the miners in the Bunker
Hill and Sullivan mines. And here we
meet with two names familiar in
National and International Cuminalogy,
the names ofthe Standard Oil Company,
and John Hays Hammond, the former
of which was convicted IN the courts of
New York OF blowing up an opposition
refinery, and the latter a participant in
the Infamous Jameson raid The Stand
ard Oil was owner Of the mines and Mr..
Hammond, the President. The wages
80
but owirg to strike later it was agreed
to make it equal to that of other mines
in the district"
Then the conspiracy OF the mine own.
ers was entered into. On January u.
ga, every mine in the county was shut
down, Later they offered reduced
wages, which the miners refused to
accept. Those twin agents Of monopoly,
an injunction" and martial law"
| were resorted to, without a particle of
disturbance to warrant them. An armed
gang OF tcughs was imported, who
promptly raided the town OF Gem. The
miners resisted and defeated them
Then 1850 Federal troops were i'm.
ported. They arrested every miner
they could lay hands on but, on trial
the Suprem Court held the men abso
lutely blameless
Mr.. Hammond sought "green fields
and pastures new" The Bunker Hill
and Sullivan mines resumed work with
nonunion miners, and a worthy success.
sor OF his. one Burbrdge, as president.
| They soon asked tor an increase OF
wages, and were promptly discharged,
The men in company with others held
a demonstration. The mines were
visited and the concentratOr blown up
with dynamite.
1t is significant that the concentrator
was insured for double it's value; that
the Standard mine, the largest in the
county,was shut down for that particular
day; that many of the men, as might bC
expected, visited the scene, and tha
they were freely permitted to take
dynamite from other mines on the way
| Then there was another invasion o
Federal troops colorcd troops this time
Aud then the horrors commenced.
The complacent Governor appointed
| OuG DluNldhl WlO hdA DCGh IGAAAONNN
from a position on charges Of embezzle
ment, as his representative. he con
ceived the idea Of the bull pen. II wa
a shed OF rough boards, with straw OF
the floor. There were no culinary
arrangements, not even toilet accommo
dations. Just pen for cattle. that wa
ALL"
Into this pen all the miners who couIC
be laid hold Of were coralled, in thei
wet overalls, just as they came out ofth
mine. After IS hours fast they go
their first meal ofcoffee and "Mulligan. ,
Food brought them by their wives wa
eaten by their guards in their presence
DYsentery, pills., pneumonia, an
kindred diseases broke forth. The wan
Of toilet accommodations made tn
conditions revolving. AS it has bee
graphically said, THE Black Hole G
Calcutta was a bridal bower compare
to it."
! Mike Devine and Mat Johnson die.
To give instances OF the cruelt
: practiced, one Mike Devine. a Who'll
souled lrishman. fell sick OF pneumonia
He was denied the sight of his wife an
child; and the delicacies sent the sic