Idaho Springs siftings., 1903-08-01
Member of Local Miners Union Meets
Death While Attempting TO Destroy
Life and Property at Sun and
Moon Mine.
Citizens Escort Leaders and AgitatOrS to
Edge Of Town. No Violence is
ShGWn.

One man dead, the Sun and Moon transformer
house wrecked by powder, and the city Jail filled
with some twenty suspects-sum up the
dongs of last Tuesday night
Since the closing down of the Sun and Moon
mine by abe walking out of the men last February
everything has been comparatively peaceful.
While there was more or less feeling, there
open demonstration. The local union, which had
takeu up the of the striking miners on the
Sun and Moon through its conservatism at first
gained some sympathizers, but the deed of Tuesday
night has lost for the union all that it had won.
The formation of the citizens alliance here and
the employment of a sufficient number of deputies
to guard properties considered in danger of overt
acts no doubt served to defer any unlawful inten-
tion-Jr it may be that 1t was deemed advisable to
attempt boycotting first to bring the employers to
terms. Picketing resorted TO and found inef-
fectve, as there great number of willing
men who preferred working for a living rather
than be dependent upon the earnings OF their
brethren in other fields called upon to contribute
through sympathy.
The Idaho Springs miners union has to bear
the brunt of the odium attached to the blowing up
of the transformer house at the Sun and Moon and
to the chances taken of killing the men employed
in the mine. The dead man, Philip Fire, is silent
witness to this statement Among his effects he
carried his miners union card which showed him
to be in good active standing. While suffering in
the last death throes and in the full possession of
his faculties, he resolutely refused to make any
statement that would tend to incriminate anv of
his associates. He died in the possession of his
secret being evidently oath. bound, and his guilty
associates can only be determined through the
efforts of the officers of the law.
Fire for some years a tenant of Jack Chan
dlcr the financial secretary and one of the leading
spirits of the union, and was known to be close
intimate Chandler disappeared from this city
nearly two weeks since. ostensibly to make a visit
with his family, somewhere in Karsas or Nebraska.
Some surmise there is a significance in his depart
ure at this time. There is strong circumstantal
evidence in the case that will in any event be hard
for Chandler to overcome, and as he has fire.
ouently made threats of different kinds, it will be
difficult matter for him to square himself.
The local union. we have stated, will have to
bear the blame. Its members comprise all classes
of mine workers, and no doubt the great majority
of the entire membership would not coNntenance
acts that threaten life and property. But it would
seem that the time has arrived to choose between
the organizations of order and disorder This
view is taken by of the mine employers, at
any rate, and it is not improbable, in view of the
tendencies of the times, that miners employed
the union or lose their jobs. This drastic course
may cause tieup for time but there is no ques
ton that it will ultimately win. Men do not want
employees who. not only irresponsible but
hostile to the material interests of the great ma
iority of citizens and taxpayers.
The crime committed at the Sun and Moon
that night is the more inexcusable because of the
following fact: The union had gained every
terial thing for which it had cuntended. Every
member of the mine operators association had
signed scale of hours and wages that was pri-
vately admitted by members of the union to be in
every way satisfactory. Then was raised the ques-
ton of recognition of the union, which means, if
it means anything, that hereafter the mines could
not run if not by union men. This was the stick
ing point, and finally led to the attempt upon the
Sun and Moon property, the manager of which
was demonstrating that he conld run his mine
without outside interference. He was willing.
expressed by his signing tine employers agree
ment, to accede to the scale of wages and the
eght-hour day, but he did not propose to let all
control slip out of his hands. That the extent
of his offending.
THE EXPLOSION.