The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-12-09
NO SIGNS Of
TROUBLE IN
MINING CAMP
Nine Companies of Soldiers in
Goldfield With No Prospect
They Will Be Needed.
MINES TO OPEN UP WITH
FORCE OF N-UNI0N MEN
EMPLOYERS HAD PURPOSE IN
VIEW WHEN THEY REFUSED
TO GUARANTEE SCRIP.

Goldfield, New, Dec. S.-Captain VIII
liam Cox, the representative of Gov
ernOr Sparks in Goldfield, stated this
afternoon that he had information from
the Mine Owners association that ali
attempt will be made during the week
to reopen the mines here with nom
union men. This information has been
communicated to the governor and is
i'm the hands of Colonel Alfred Rey-
nolds, commanding the federal troops
now encamped in this city. Officials
of the Mine Owners association re-
fuse to say positively that such is the
case. but every indication points to the
fact that Wednesday next has been de-
cided on as the day when the attempt
Will be made to put men i'm the mines
TO pump out the water that is fast fill
ing the lower levels. If there is to be
a clash between the members of the
Western Federation of Miners and the
soldiers of Uncle Sam il Will come at
this time.
Troops in Camp.
There are now nine companies of
from Monterey having gone into per-
manent camp on Combination hill,
within 300 yards of the mill of the
Goldfield Consolidated company. The
first detachment, which came from
San Francisco remains in the camp
established in the northwestern part
of the city a mile and a half from the
nearest mine.
Colonel Reynolds, commanding all of
the troops here, is quartered in a tent
in the first camp and will remain there.
He refuses to say whether he will de
tail soldiers to patrol the mines when
the attempt is made to reopen, but
r1erely states that the troops are here
TO preserve order and that they are
prepared to handle the situation.
Able to Handle the Situation.
Sheriff Ingalls, of Esmeralda county,
in which GoldfieId is located. haz gone
away TO some distant mines. an the
sheriffs office is in the hands of I'm
der Sheriff Bert knight who asserts
that he is amply able to handle any
crisis that may arise from the attempt
10 reopen the mines.
He has sworn in a dozen deputies. He
characterizes the statements made by
the mine owners that the union men
are arming themselves and preparing
TO make trouble as false, and says
that, i'm his belief. there will be no eff
fort made TO prevent the mine owners
from working the mines with whatever
men they may employ.
A telegram which the sheriff sent TO
Governor Sparks, protesting against
the presence of federal troops in Gold
field, remains unanswered. There will
be no cooperation between the local
peace officers and the troops in the
event Of any trouble.
Statements are being issued to the
public by both the Mine Owners asso-
citation and the officials of the local
miners union, setting forth the views
of both sides on the situation
Mine Owners Responsible.
From what can be gathered it seems
probable that the Mine Owners asso-
citation was primarily responsible for
She presence of the federal troops here
but that il was not intended in the first
place that troops should be sent at
this time. 1t was intended to have
them i'm readiness to respond to an ur-
gent call, but when the fact became
public that the sending of troops was
contemplated the gov ernOr was told
that 1t would be best to have the troops
on the ground. as the miners were in
censed over the fact of the trOoDs he
ing held in readiness to come and
might commit violence at any minute.
The mine owners then saw the chance
20 take advantage Of the presence Of
the troops here to begin preparations
to reopen. Denial is made that miners |
from other camps are to be brought in. !
and the statement of the owners is /
that they believe enough men can be !
had in Goldfi I'D to reopen during the
present week. but at the same time the
statement is made. openly and posi-
lively, that men from the outside will
be brought in if the local men will not
accept scrip in part payment and go
10 work
There is but little denial of the state
ment being freely made here that the /
mine owners have all along deliberate
ly refused TO guarantee the scrip in the |
manner demanded by the union with |
the intention of precipitating a strug- |
gle and settling, once for all, the |
question of union domination of Gold |
field Their statement is that they are |
worn out with the constant struggle |
between themselves and the union, and /
that they mean to maintain an open |
camp in the future and be free TO en- |
Continued on Page 2.