Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-10-20
MINING TROUBLES IN COLORADO
Soldiers High Handed Methods Re
mind One of Russian DesDot ism.

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 50 500, 900, and if the pres
ent conditions obtain until the end of the
year the production will fall more than
S6,000,OO0 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
Greek 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 30 mines, mills and shelters after
the voters of the State had adopted
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 Greek 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 Greek 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 projection.
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 dozen
miners, including all the members OF
the executive committee in charge of the
strike, have been arrested and incar-
| cerated IL the guardhouse, otherwise
known as the ''bull pen," some of them
being held there more than two weeks.
In IDEAS corpus proceedings the district
Judge. w. L. 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
! LEGATION 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 a result of the high-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 ana soldiery come into bloody col
lsion.