The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1905-03-20

1rer hand-to-hond conflict
With = crowd ~ farmers and their
wives. lasting from midnight untIi
daylight squad Of 60 pole and
itucmsu employed by the Seattle
! Tacoma Power company erected "A
half mtlc of power line poles along "A
country road a mile and Il hHlf south /
Of Auburn early sunday morning.
The battle Ia which the opposing
forcen engaged Was a fierce and /
lHtrenuuua one. but wus conducted
entirely lu accordance with the rules
for civilized warfare. ia such cases
made and provided and AZ inter
pref by deputy sheriff who had
been summoned BY the agricultural
brigade for that purpose.
The contested pole line S. a part
OF the company new power line be-
tween Rentan aud Tacoma at that
place follows "a county road. Two
farmers owning places bordering on
the road. Dave Boyd and "A man
named TrasEer. objected 70 the
erection % the poles and the string
ing Of the wires and have delayed
the cumpanys workmen for several
weeks by making covert threats 81
personal violence against any one
attempting TO proceed with the
work
In order TO avoid the compiler
tioua resulting from court iuJunc-
ton the company chose the middle
Of the night Saturday Hight as the
uost favorable time for its assault
z aHrsaf "A
b the company and placed under
the command Of Norwood ". Brock
EFT. the comuany's assistant general
IeounHeI
The party consisted Of 30 well
chosen braves. half Of whom were
recruited in the vicinity Of Auburn.
Mr.. HHucketIs Instructions we're 70
advance upon the Entertainments Of
the enemy under cover Of darkness.
70 take him by surprise. n possible.
but 10 discovered TO proceed with the
work ia hand with all possible dis
patch taking an the usual precsu-
lions against the unnecessary sacri-
flee % human life.
The party with teams. pole wag-
ons and poles started from Auburn
] for the scene of battle about Il.
O'Clock They had hardly passed be-
yong the limits Of the town when a
gallant young imitator 81 the inn
mortal Paul Revere dashed BY them
GA foamiug charger In the diree-
ton u the euemys works This In
eIdent dispelIed all hopes Of a sur
prise. but the assauitiuE force pro-
ecsdtd undauutcd on us way.
| Arriving on the scene OF action
they found some 20 farmers and
their wives sons and daughters.
ranging in axe from six to 90 years,
drawn up In battle array. 4 pre-
ilimmaFg conference cnEued In which
the defenders cndeayored 90 induce
the invaders 90 peacefully refrain
from tho intended attack
/ These negotiations failed OF their
| purpose. however. and the defenders
Withdrew for council Of war while
the attacking party armed with
long ahoyels. proceeded with the
work Of digging holes for the poles.
/ The commander OF the farmers dis
patched the heroic Paul Revere 10
Auburn Co summon 10 his assistance
the city marshal OF the town. who
holds also. a commission as deputy
sheriff extending his Jurisdiction
outside Of the corporate limits
Before the marshal arrived on the
scene the holes had an been dug and
the pole men were ready to begin 20
erect the poles They had about
concluded that they were 60 be per-
mittcd TO do this when. upon app
I rroaching the first hole they found
II occupied by "a uli-sized farmers
wife with "a determined touch me n
you dare" expression ON her face.
/ Urged forward 10 the combat by
General Rrockett, the assailants lBid
gentle hands upon the bold Amazon
and bore her from the field In
triumph. In iris they met with Wig
orous Interference from the farmers,
which their superior strength Of
numbers enabled them TO successful
llyovercome.
| Having disposed Of their charge in
n nearby fence corner. they returned
again u the work. only TO find the
hole occupied by another woman
They thereupon turned their atten-
tion 20 setting poles in the other
holes, only To find that the enemy
had filled them up.
by this time the marshal arrived
and he ruled that, while all parties
present had a right TO the use OF the
public road. none OF them could
forcihly interfere with any others.
Forming a Gordon around a place
where they wished to dig. the COM
pany's men dug a hole and placed
one Of their number IN Il while
the pole was brought Il was then
raised, tho wires strung. a man left
on guard and the party proceeded
10 the next pole.
In this way the entire half mile