The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-02-04
JOE LETTERS LITTLE
COLORADO At zE|GLEn
Former Wheat Gambler Max.
ing Poor Success as Coal
Operator.
Tries to Go Peabody One Better
in Establishing a Small
Hierarchy. 4,

AA0A0ACAys #.,
Chicago, ILL.,, Feb. 2.-When old Levti
z. Letter, the Chicago multi millions
aire, died recently, he willed to his son
Joe coal mining property at Zedgler.
ILL.,, valued at $2,000,00O. Letter own
ed the town and large stretch Of
country surrounding it, but he seems
to have been no more successful in
conducting the business of coal min-
ing than he was in attempting to corner
the grain market few years ago. n
venture WHICH cost the elder Letter
several millions Of dollars, he being
called on to make good Joe's losses.
The young man has recently had
trouble with his workmen which cul-s
minated in a strike, and, with the ex-s
ample of Peabody and Bell before him.
Letter started in to make of his prin-
cipality a little Colorado. How close
ly he followed the Colorado method
the following, taken from an exchange.
will show: s
I'm fear of his life, behind a. high
oaken stockade, fortified with gatling
guns, surrounded by a hundred armed
cred Joe Letter. His guards have or.
aching nearer than a furlong from the
outer line of defenses around his $2,-5
100000 Zeigler Nl) coal mines.
Five miles away are the miners he
fears. They have sworn to respect the
majesty of the law, they have pledged
themselves not to interfere with the
management Of the mines, in order to
abide by the restraining injunction Of
the United States Court. Is
"Peasefully they sit in their tented
homes with ther children and wives.
To watch them, chat with them In their
Shaded vacation resort, one could not
easily believe that these men were the
men whom Joe Letter, coming and go-
ing only at night, fears lest they take
his life. They laugh at Joe's fright.
They smile and keep on playing cards.
when the rattling of the gatling guns
is heard.
"'We don't fear the strikers said
Supt. a. c. Whittier, as he glanced
anxiously along the road, but thia1
district contains ten thousand coal
miners. every one of whom Is a strong
sympathizer with the strikers. II they
turn loose nothing but those guns and
our armed guards and the stockades
201la s.
s. $ Vhtn viii you start hoisting coa1
In. a few days s awas the svasivs
answer. - -,
1--WE have some men, and will have
more in a few days.
Thirty men are said to be inside the
stockade, and If reports be true they
have been taken there under false
pretenses and they would leave it if
they could. -
IS. eGntil, the only one who has
escaped, has told in an affidavit now
in the hands Of w. T. Morris, in charge
of the strike, how he was thrown in-s
to the bulJ-pen when he found he had
been deceived. He was beaten with
freedom.
"'Colorado bull-pens and Northern
Michigan stockades are combined In
Zeigler,' said Gentil, as he showed the
bruises caused by the rifle butts .
I'll kill every man in Illinois before
I give in to the strikers, said Joe Leit-3.
er ferociously, just before going to. st.
Louis for thirty miners. He brought
the miners after midnight over the hills
and by the most dismal back way, out
of sight of the watchful pickets that
have worried him into the loss Of twen-
ty pounds of flesh by turning back hia
recruits. 5ssSS
This general injunction has appar-
emily not scared the strikers. While
a lawyer is preparing a, motion for
of the court order they are
planning to ask an injunction on their
own hook, in addition to criminal pro-
secution for violation of the state law.
the bringing of strike
breakers into Illinois without telling
them that they are to take the places
of strikers. For each conviction under
this statute the law provides fine
of $4,000 The strikers say they havo
indisputable evidence.
by barring all persons from tho
postoffice under threats of being fired
on or arrested for trespass on his
private property Mr.. Letter also IL {
stewing pot of trouble for himself.
The postoffice is outside the stockade,
but the rifle-armed guards don't aI.
low anyone to approach nearer than
within about five blocks, the distanco
Of the outposts. The government post
office Inspector took away a mass az
mail for which the strikers were nof
allowed to call. -
"The single coach of the illinois,
Central trains on the stub line from
Chicago, which makes two, trips day,
s compelled to land its passengers
some distance fro mthe+ stockade.
This is fight Of millions, and
against Letters great wealth is pitted
he full treasury Of the United Minos
Workers Of Amerika, said to contain
l2,00O.OOO., The strikers are drawing
Is a week and greenbacks are plentift1s.s 8
n their camp"
-38 BELOW AT HIBBNG.
= HIDING. FEE H. .Tssssss ss