Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-18
CITIZENS IN
TERROR ASK
7ROOPS'AD
NO LIGHT OR POWER IN MINING
TOWN
FUNSTON ASKED TO DECLARE
MARTIAL LAW
All Work Suspended, Owing to Break
in Lines Of Company Bringing
Electricity from
Bishop, Cal.

By Associated Press.
GOLDFIELD, New, Dec. 1.-THE power
wires of the Nevada California Power
company went down at 5 o'clock this aft
ernoon and Goldfeld is without electric
light or power tonight Many rumors are
afioat, the most reliable being that the
wires have been cut at Palmetto, twenty
five miles distant
Many people are alarmed, and an effort
is now being made to have Gen. Funston
take charge Of the camp and patrol it with
troops.
Three mines we're operated today with
the men brought in from other points.
and those who have signed the agree
ment of the Goldfield Mine Owners asso-
citation. The mill of the Consolidated
company and the Nevada -Goldfield re-
duction works also were in operation all
day.
Work Suspended
Tonight there is no work being done in
any of the mines or mills, owing to the
lack of power, the wires which bring tho
power from Bishop, Inyo county. Cal.
fifty miles away, having gone down.
The total number of men at work to-
tonight by the operators that fifty more
will arrive tomorrow. Operators tonight
say that if the break in the power line
can be repaired before time for the morn
ing shift to go over 200 men will be
working in the mines tomorrow.
The commission sent by President
Roosevelt to investigate the labor CON
ditions here has been busy all day with
statements made by the Goldfield Mine
Owners association and in receiving vis-
| itors who have information for them. The
commissioners would make no statement
tonight.
Gen. Funston was to have left for San
Francisco tomorrow morning. and Gov
ernor Sparks also had intended leaving
tomorrow for his ranch near Reno. 1t is
improbable however, that either will
leave the camp tomorrow if the break in
the power wires proves to have been an
act of vandalism.
General Funston, Colonel Reynolds
and Governor Sparks were in CONSUL
tc lion early in the evening and shortly
afterward Colonel Reynolds left for the
camp of the federal troops and all
s. diers on the streets were gathered
up and taken into camp. AS near as
can be learned the break in the wires
is near Palmetto, mining camp about
twenty one miles southwest of Gold
field.
The power which is brought to Gold
field is developed near Bishop in Inyo
county, California, about fifty miles
away.
For the past five weeks the power
company has had large force of men
pa rolling the line, which passes over
the highest portion of the Sierra Blanca
range A telephone line extends the
entire length of the power line and this
also is down, so that communication
with the men patrolling the power line
is impossible.
Fail to Find Break
At II o'clock tonight the power was still
off and tine ment sent out from this city
to locate the trouble had not reported.
General Manager Hobbs of the power
company states that his belief is that a
storm on White mountain has blown
down some of the poles supporting tie
wires.
The alarm felt by the greater portion
of the people of Goldfeld, based on the
theory that some vandalism has been
committed, is not shared by the officers OF
the power company, who are exerting
themselves to the utmost to discover the
cause of the trouble and remedy it before
morning if possible.
Hundreds of candles are burning
throughout the camp tonight and people
are generally keeping within doors. The
animated streets are very quiet. No vio-
lence of anv sort has heen reDorted