The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1903-10-15
MINING TROUBLES COLORADO
Soldiers High Handed Methods Re
mind One of Russian Despotism.

| SOldierS' High. HANDED MetHouo he-
mind One of Russian De>potism.
Strikes and lockouts at the mines in
Cripple Creek and other gold mining dis.
tricts in Colorado have already reduced
the mineral production of the State this
year at least $2,5OO000, and if the pres,
ent conditions obtain until the end of the
year the production will fall more than
| S6,OOO,O0O below what it would have
been under normal conditions.
In consequence of the strike 1000 sol
diers of the Colorado National Guard
have been doing police duty in Cripple
| Creek for several weeks, and as yet
neither the mine owners nor the strikers
show any evidence of weakening. The
cost to the State of maintaining the mill
| tary force in the field is estimated at
$4,000 a month.
The unsettled conditions in the mining
industry are due to failure of the Leg
islature to enact an eight-hour law apply
ing to mines, mills and smelters after
the voters of the State had adopted a
constitutional amendment authorizing
such an amendment. An eight-hOur day
had been generally granted at the mines,
and the Western Federation of Miners
determined to enforce the same in both
mines and smelters.
Strikes were inaugurated last June at
the smelters in Denver, and the mills in
Colorado City, and nine weeks ago 1000
miners in the Cripple Creek district were
ordered by the executive officers of the
Federation to go on strike in support of
the demand for an eight-hour day for
mill and smelter employees, which had
been refused by the American Smelling
and Refining Company and the United
States Reduction and Refining Company
A few weeks after the beginning of
the strike at Cripple Creek two men
were murderously assaulted by unknown
men. Gov. Peabody then sent troops
to the camp in response to request from
the Mine Owners Association which rep
resented that many of the. strikers would
return to work if guaranteed protection.
No violence has occurred since the
soldiers took the field, but there have
been many sensational incidents result
ing from the actions of the military in
making arrests and disregarding the civil
authorities. Although martial law has
not been declared more than a dozen
miners, including all the members of
the executive committee in charge of the
strike, have been arrested and incar-
cerated in the guardhouse, otherwise
known as the "bull pen," some of them
being held there more than two weeks.
In habeas corpus proceedings the district
judge, ". T. Seeds, decided that the
military officers had exceeded their au-
thority and ordered the release of the
prisoners. The latter were, however.
taken back to the guardhouse and held
until ordered released by Gov. Peabody.
The latest act of the soldiers was the
seizure of the entire force of employees
of the Victor Record because of the pub
lication of a statement that two soldiers
on duty in camp were eX-convicts. The
prisoners were detained in the bull pen"
nearly twenty-four hours before charges
of criminal libel were made against them.
Three thousand business. men and citi-
zens of Victor held a mass meeting and
demanded the recall of the soldiers. Their
demand was refused.
As result of the higli-handed meth
DDS of the soldiers a wave of Indignation
is sweeping the mining region of the
State and demands are being. made that
the Governor call a special session of
the Legislature to consider an eight-hour
day in accordance with the constitutional
amendment. Many miners are leaving
the State and fears are felt lest the pop
ulace and soldiery come into bloody col
lision.