Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-05-30
coal WAR BEGUN
N EASTERN OHIO.
,NONUNIoN MINERS GUARDED
BY TROOPS GREETED WITH
T.. STORM OF LEAD. - {. z e. 81
ARE FIRED ON WHEN t. !.
ABOUT TO ENTER PITS
Plum Run Colliery, Near smithfield,
= an Armed camp-Attempt to Dyn-
amite House in Which Workmen
Slept Foiled. -; - '~ - =

Slept Foiled. ~ - IL. - :
Smithfield, o., May 25.-The war in
the eastern Ohio s*coal fields is on,
After night of almost constant fir
ing in the hillssthe Plum Run mine
was opened Thursday morning for the
first time in seven weeks. The non
union miners, 1925 strong. marched
down the hill toward the pits under
heavy guard. Theys were greeted by
fusillade from the bushes. The bull
let's whizzed among the trees and i'm
bedded themselves in the coal cars
on the Cleveland & Pittsburg railway
siding. :; 80. HI d
Drive Strike Breakers to Cover. !;
The strike breakers hurried to
cover. The union men, worried by the
unexpected opening Of the mine, hur-
ried from the settlement and gathered
on the slopes above the mine. Their
women folk, who were picking up coal
about the pit entrances, were ordered
away. After the women had gone.
here and there from among the bushes
sounded the crack of revolvers. The
men behind were invisible.
A newspaper correspondent driving
into camp was fired upon from am
bush outside the dead line of the set
Element. The bullets went high. The
fact that the hollow in which the mine
is situated is heavily overgrown with
underbrush saved the guards and non
union men from harm, as they were
concealed.
If there is to be an actual battle it
will scarcely be before night, when
the nonunion men leave the mine. All
preparations are being made for &C.
tive 11ostilities. Two great search
lights have been put in place, one at
the guard tent and the other at the
coal tipple in the hollow. They will
command three miles of surrounding
territory and are SO arranged that
they cover the sweep of the Maxim
gun.
That there was no loss of life in the
darkness, Of Wednesday night is re-
markable. Revolver bullets pelted
among the leaves of the underground
where the guards were placed until
near daylight.
Night Attack on House.
A party of guards stationed at a cot
tage where 30 nonunion miners we're
sleeping discovered a group of seven
men crawling through the high grass
toward the dwelling. They emptied
their revolvers and rifles and signaled
for help. The men, had vanished be-
fore the searchers found their trail.
The guards declare they were. warned
that an attempt would be made to
dynamite the cottages. The four
guards were discharged Thursday
morning.
1--WE gave orders that there should
be no shooting until an actual attack
is made" said Superintendent Cox.
eve are straining every nerve to pre-
serve peace"
Two mysterious strangers have
joined the guard at the company's
quarters. Unusual conduct on their
part has convinced the company that
they are spies and they are under sur
veillance. Charges and counter
charges of spying are being constantly
interchanged.
May Settle Strike Soon.
Springfield, ILL.,, May .25.-There is
good prospect, according to a promi-
nent coal operator, that the strike in
this state will be settled soon. The
subcommittee on scale appointed
Wednesday favors an immediate set
Element, all members of the commit
tee being in favor of mutual conces-
sions. All questions at issue having
been left to the joint scale committee,
it is probable that it's recommends
lions. will be approved by the general
joint convention,