Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-06-15
BLOWN UP BY FIENDS
DASTARDLY PLOT TO KILL NON
UNION MINERS.
Charge of Dynamite Is Exploded Under
Crowded Depot Platform at Independ-
ence, Colorado-TweIve Men Killed
and Others Terribly MangIed.

AS the result OF a fiendish plot to
kill non-unlon miners twelve men are
dead and dismembered, eight fatally
| injured, while the station of the Flor
ence and Cripple Greek Railroad at In
| dependence, Colo, is annihlIated.
About 200 pounds of dynamite, ex-
ploded to destroy an approaching train,
raised a crowd of miners into the air,
and parts of their bodies were picked
up long distance from the scene of
the blast Where the station stood
there is only an immense hole In the
ground to tell of the dastardly deed
the most cruel in the history of the
miners strike,which has made a plague
spot OF the district
The explosion occurred very early
Monday morning. 1t was the result Of
a plot against the non-union miners on
the night shift at the Shurtleff, Findlay
| and Lost Dollar mines. who had just
finished work and were about to re-
turn TO their homes.
Detectives found the machine which
set off the dynamite under the wreck
age of the platform. 1t consisted of a
revolver and 800 feet of steel wire The
revolver was placed under the platform
near the powder. The other end of
the wire was fastened to a chair leg,
which was used as a lever from the
cribbings of the Delmonico property.
The whole district is in arms as a re-
90 70 81 hn nd ft1r n ay.
trouble is feared.
Great Hole in Ground.
1t is supposed that at least two hun
dred pounds of dynamite must have
been used to produce such an explo-
sioH The ground Oh which 1t stood
shows a great cash. as If an earth
quake had torn up the country and left
cavity TO remind the people of great
| upheaval. The impact Of the explosion
was felt in every direction. The min
ers who stood on the platform were
literally shot far into the air.
The scene about the depot was sick
ening. Portions of human bodies were
scattered over the right of way, and in
the twenty-foot hole made by the OK
plosion were found severed skulls
arms, legs and hands. Every object
within a radius of fifty feet from the
hole was bespattered with blood. When
news of the disaster reached Victor,
Mayor Franklin ordered out Company
L, Colorado National Guard.
Although the strike of union miners
| in the Cripple Greek district, which be
gan Aug. 10. 1903. and which led to the
declaration of martial law in Telluride
| County by Governor Peabody, is still
in effect, good order has been main
| tanned for the last six months and mill
| itary rule has been suspended and all
troops withdrawn. The mine owners,
| with the exception of the Portland
! company. say they have as many men
/ working as they need and they require
| all miners TO renounce allegia nee to the
/ Western Federation before giving them
employment A committee appointed
/ nv the Western Federation. now in SEES
/ sion at Denver. to investigate the sit
| uation in the district, visited the camp
| last week Chs lles II. Meyer presi-
dent of the Federation, is in Jail at
| Telluride, which is under martial law,
being held as military prisoner by
| Governor Peabody, who charges him
with inclting instruction and rebel
! lion. Telluride is in Southwestern Col
/ orado ana is about 400 miles from Grip
pie Creek The strikes in the metallif-
erous mines Of Colorado were ordered
/ by the Executive Board of the West
| ern Federation OF Miners for the pur-
pose of cutting off the ore supply Ok
mills and shelters at which 81 eight
hour day was refused to the employees.