The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-04-04

Washington, April 3.-Frederick Bur.
bridge, manager of the Bunker Hill
and Sullivan mine, was the chief wit
ness at the Coeur D'Alene inVestiga-
tion today. 1t was the mill of this
company which was blown UP in the
uprising last April. Brigadier General
Carlin was to have continued his tes-
timony on the insurrection in 1892, but
his official report of that occurrence
was accepted as sufficient and he then
gave way to Mr.. Burbridge.
Mr.. Burbridge took charge of the
mine in 1873. At that time the miners
and !aborers were paid SO a day, as
against $3.50 the union scale. There
were continual threats to "clean out"
the Bunker Hill mine, but the troops
brought there during the Coxey army
excitement had a calming effect. Af-
ter being closed for time the Bunker
Hill was started up as a strictly non
union mine. The union men had con-
troll, however, of the approaches to
the Occur D'Alene and with arms
frightened away non union men and
"scabs." The mine succeeded, how
ever, in manning it's plant. In 1896,
he said. dynamite was used against
the mine and fire did some damage to
the mill. The mine was injured.
Threats continued, he said, up to the
time of the elimination of the agita-
tion last April. The Miners union at
Wardner met on Sunday, April 90, a
week before the explosion, and sent
delegation to him (Burbridge) to de-
mand $3.50 a day all around. After
fruitless conferences n strike was or
dered. The Bunker Hill employees wer,
stopped on the road by an armed mob,
revoIvers were fourished and the
Workmen We're chased through the
streets. Later in the day an armed
mob took possession of the tramway
Of the mine and held it for a time
Mr.. Burbridge said he received Ere.
quent warnings that he would be killed
and the mine blown up,
Representative Sulzer asked for the
names of those giving the warnings.
Mr.. Burbridge declined to give the
names, saying it would imperil the
lives Of those who gave the warnings.
The Idaho courts had upheld him, he
said, in this refusal to divulge names.
MIR. Sulzer protested but the com.
mittee, on a vote, permitted the wit
ness to proceed without disclosing
names.
Mr.. Burbridge told of the warning
messages received by him, of the arm
ing of 500 men, the putting on of masks
and the details Of the march on the
hill
Where are those messages?" asked
Mr.. Sulzer.
Blown up with the MILL" replied the
witness.
Mr.. Burbridge said he took such pre-
cautions as were possible for the pro-
lection of the mill and then, believing
that he would be an object of special
attack, he left the mill and did not see
the explosion.
The witness said the presence of mill
tary was essential to the maintenance
OF peace; the only objections to the
military came from those who wished
to break the law.
Mr.. Crosthwaite, of counsel for the
state of Idaho, directed the examina-
ton and was followed by Attorney
Robertson In cross-examination. This
brought out that the company dis
| charged men when It was learned they
belonged to a union. The witness said
there was such conflict between the
union and non-union men that the
company took its side with the non
union men, declining to employ mem
bers of the union.
Representative Stevens, of Mime
sofa. asked If this was not violation