The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1904-04-22
THE STRIKE.
Some Of the Employees of the Chandler and
Pioneer Mines go out and Force Others to Join.
No Serious Damage Done However and Today
Everything is Quiet---Mines Closed Indefinitely

Since the beginning of Ely, the
citizens have always prided
themselves on the total absence of all
labor disturbances. The MINER has
always held up this city as composed
of model employees and employers.
Even today we cannot consistently
say otherwise Notwithstanding the
occurrences beginingwith Wednesday
and ending God knows when. The
late outburst was one which could
n It be foreseen and viewed from all
sides is one of the most unfortunate
affairs ever encountered in any
place in the country.
We have interviewed large num-
Der of those who seemed to be at the
head of the movement and one and
all expressed themselves as perfectly
satisfied with wages, although low,
but say they could no longer bear the
attitude of Supt. Trezona. How far
this goes. as to the truth, we are not
prepared to say.
The affair opened up Wednesday
at O'Clock when the $50 employees OF
the Chandler did not go To work.
About 100 of the employees were i'll
| terested in this move and as fast as
men appeared all were heid back and
compelled to join the striking forces.
The shops and surface work were
also stopped and by six O'Clock lie
mine was ab staf dstill even the
fires having pdlled from under the
boilers.
When the night shift at the Pho
neer went to the mine they found the
Chandler crowd in possession and all
| were asked TO quit. some dtd this
reluctantly but IA large number in'-
| mediately Joined the movement and
| the Pioneer also was at a standsliil
| with the exception Of the pumps,
Capt. TreZona had visited the men at
The Chandler in the afternoon and
inquired if it was more wages they
wanted and the reply was mo" lie
was given to understand they would
no longer work under him.
All the Chandler and Pioneer men
were present at the Pioneer mine IN
the evening as was also Capt. Ire
zona, Mayor Vail and several others.
The men again stated their grievance
and Mayor Vail caat Toned them TO
abstain from all violence TO persons
and property and meeting was call
ed for 10 O'Clock Thursday morning to
talk over affairs.
All saloons were closed during the
| night thus shutting off much in
centive for rioting and about 10
O'Clock about 1000 people were at the
mine. Speeches were made by all the
uationalties interested in the strike
and Capt. Toms asked the men to re-
frain from damaging the mine in any
particular and the strikers promised
| to do so with shout. From appear
ances of the dissatisfied crowd, Aus
trains and Italians were the agrees
sive ones with a slight sprinkling of
other nationalties, Capt. Trezona
was not present. The speakers stated
all they wished was the removal of
Supt. Chas. Tezona and passed re-
solution ''that he leave town within
"a hours aud if not lie be instantly
lynched." 1t was also decided to
have him sign an ultimatum to the
effect that he remain away forever
The crowd then went in several
bodies looking for Mr.. Trezona to
sign the ultimatum but he could not
be located. The signing was to be
done at the city hall before the judge,
Mr.. Trezona did not appear and the
strikers became wrathy and were de-
termined to either hang or make him
sign.
On theenoon train, there arrived
Deputies Bates, Magic and Randall,
having been called from Duluth by
friends. The deputies and the fam
lily induced Mr.. Trezona to leave on
the train in the afternoon until the
affair had subsidized as it was plainly
to be seen that violence would fol-
low his remaining.
The afternoon train was ready to
pull out at the usual ht ur and the
crowd that was at the station was
something terrific. 1t did pull out
as far as the water tank and backed
past the station to the section house
where the Capt. with the deputies
as guard were to get aboard. No
sooner did the strikers see the train