The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-08-26
DYNAMITE PLAYS
PART IN STRIKE
Two Houses Shattered and
Water Pipes Blown Up.
FIRST ACTS OF VIOLENCE
Rewards Offered for Arrest of Man
Guilty of DepredatIons at DoIomlte
and Near oraves-Nobody
Suffered Injuries.
FIRST ACTS OF VIOLENCE

ginning of the present strike occurred iast
nisbt when two houses belonging to an
official of the woodward Iron company
and occnnied by non-union miners were
nartialv wrecked by dynamite and a
water pipe leading to the boilers oil the
I,acev-Buek company near Graves suf-
fered from a similar explosion.
The. damage was not great in either in
stance. but the operators fear 1t has OPEN
ed the way for further attempts and the
sheriff has been importuned to use his
utmost endeavors to prevent recurrence
of such acts of lawlessness. The sheriff of
Jefferson comfy has offered a reward of
$500 for the apprehension of the person or
persons guilty of blowing up the houses
at Dolomlte. He has also wired Acting
Governor Cunningham with the result
that a reward will probably be offered by
the state.
In this issue of The Age-Herald appears
an advertisement by the Lacey-Buek COM
pany in which they offer a reward of 500
for the arrest of the person or persons
who attempted to destroy the water pipes
leading to the boilers near Graves.
NOBODY Was HURT.
Nobody was hurt at either Dolomite or
Graves. but the occupants of the houses
at Dolomite Nare said to have received a
severe shaking up.
An official of the Woodward Iron COM
pany said yesterd-y that for several
nights past there has been considerable
firing of pistols and guns near the prop
lattf,n
of the depredations had been on the prop
erty. He said that the two houses which
suffered from the explosion of dynamite
were not torn to pieces. but that one COR
ner of each house was badly shattered
and knocked out of position.
Mr.. Buck, president OF the Lacey Buck
Company, said last night that the explo-
sion at Graves did not permanently in
jure the pipes and that they were quickly
repaired. There was no delay in the
work at the mines, and in the regular
course of business the depreciation was
hardly noticeable" said Mr.. Buck. Our
mines are running right along just the
same, and we are increasing out output
every day. The reports to the effect that
we would have to suspend operations for
three days on account of the explosion
are untrue. Repairs were quickly made
and work went ahead. There will be
no suspension of work at our mines"
Mr.. Flynn Talks.
Your question is the first information
l have had of the lawless acts" said
President Flynn, of the Miners union,
yesterday afternoon, when asked about
| the trouble at Dolomite and Graves. mo
report has been made to me about the
two affairs, and until am fully con-
versant with the facts l will be unable
| to make a statement. l want to say,
however, that l dsiapprove of any acts
OF lawlessness, and l have continuously
| urged our men to respect the law. Up
to this time I had heard of no acts Of
violence or lawlessness.
1.-The United Mine Workers will not
countenance any such acts of lawlessness
| in the organization, and l think an in
vestigation should be made and the right
persons arrested. If they are found
guilty they should be punished according
to law.
Il am confident that some of the nom
union miners have been held at Brookside
! against their WILL" said Mr.. Flynn when
| asked about the affair which caused a
can believe what these men say you can
have no doubt that they have been held
against their will. There Is no question
| In my mind that influences were brought
to bear to keep these men in the mines
and you ought to have seen how glad
| they were to get over in Brookside"
President Maben. of the Sloss Com
pany said last night that aside from the
depredaions at Dolomite and Graves
there was practically nothing new in the
fsituation. Our force of men is gradu-
ally increasing, and we are continuing to
| turn out coal every day.
New Turn at BrooksIde.
by the way" said Mr. Maben. ten
or twelve OF the Brookside miners who
went over to the strikers the other night
escaped last night and returned to work
this morning. My information is that all
but eleven of the men have returned to
work. The others, l presume, are still
held by the miners"
The operators generally are complaining
that the strikers are attempting to in
timidate the non-union miners and are
resorting to all kinds of schemes to per-
suade them not to go to work 1t was
reported at the sherff's office two days
ago that force of fifty or more miners
had congregated near the property of the
Lacey-Buek Iron company at Graves
armed with shot guns and rifles. When
questioned by the deputy they are re-
ported as having said that they were
merely out shooting squirrels.
The officials of the miners union deny
that there has been any attempts at in
timidation on the part of the miners
further than to discuss the situation with
the new men and explain the cause of
the strike. 1t is said that many men af-
ter hearing the situation presented to
| them by the strikers have refused to re-
turn TO work and have gone back to
| their homes. Last week several miners