The Glenwood post., 1904-08-20

Chicago, Aug. 12.-Walter Well
man, continuing his story of the
Cripple Creek strike, writes as fol
lows in the Record Herald under a
Cripple Creek date.
Just as the throwing of bomb in
Haymarket square broke up anarchism
in Chicago, SO the explosion of an
internal machine at Independence de-
pot worked the destruction of the west
ern Federation of Miners in this great
gold camp. 1t created tempest of
public indignation which was not
stilled till that organization had been
extirpated, root and branch. But for
this appalling crime the union might
have won its struggle with the mine
owners at least, its chances were
good to secure compromise which
would have left the organization in
tact.
But in the fierce heat of public feel
ing which followed this climactric
crime of long series of crimes for
which the federation was held respon
sible, there was no hesitancy, no
compromise, no middle ground no
mercy. At once the cry was raised
that the union must be destroyed :;
that its leaders must be banished ;
that an end must be put, once for all,
to an organization whose whole career
had been nothing hut a series of
crimes against persons and property
that at any cost the reign of terror
must be brought to an end.
Deportation or Hanging
1t is fact not generally known,
but fact nevertheless that in this
dread crisis Cripple Greek and its sis
ter city, Victor. narrowly escaped a
far greater tragedy. But for the in
sAhuence of cool heads among the lead
ing and angered citizens vigilance
cmmittee would have set to work
without delay adorning lamp posts
and telegraph poles with the hanging
bodies of dozen or a score of labor
agitators.
j have said there was no mercy
But this is rot literally true if Danish
ment is more merciful than hanging
1t had to be one or the other
To realize how great theprovocation
was one has but to visit the wrecked
railway station. 1t stands on hill
side between the towns of Victor and
Cripple Creek. 1t has been aban-
doned by the railway company, and
exists only as ruin, as a monument
to mark the scene of one of the most
savage and sventful crimes in the
annals of our country. The building
itself stands, after a fashion, window
less, doorless, shattered bits of glass
and stains of blood covering its floors
OF the platform little remains.
Upon that platform about thirty
non union men had gathered just after
9 clock in the morning, June 8 this
fyear, TO take the train for their homes
after their eight hours work in the
Findley mine, near 10y. Their train
was approaching Other wOrkmen
Were rushing down the hillside to-
ward the station Then the platform
shot into the air. An Internal
machine, charged with 200 or 800
ounds of giant powder had been eN-
Nodel underneath it, The timher-
and planks were driven mp through
the bodies of the unfortunate men.
Shoes We're found with the legbones
sticking through the leathern heels.
Bodies and lee- and heads and arms
went flying through the air and were
afterwarls ttherel mp from the sur
rounding gire
Thirteei men were killed and they
left six willows and eleven children,
Six men We're injured, two losing both
legs and one one leg, All Of these
victims save one We're non-union men.
Whn followed in the Cripple Creek
distrir is already written in history
but itis well to complete the record:
The same day a mass meeting was
nel6 in vacant lot in Victor. While
Secretary Hamlin of the Mine Owners
association was addressing the cti-
Gems from wagon shots were fired
into the crowd from the union head
quarters on the opposite side of the
street; two non union men were killed
outright and many wounded. 1t is
worthy of note that Mr.. Hamlin
calmly continued his address as if
nothing had. happened.
Then Q company of the local militia