The Elbert County tribune., 1907-12-19
NUMEROUS DELEGATIONS AS
SURE HIM THAT TROOPS
WERE NEEDED. :
WOMEN TERR0RIzED
STATEMENTS OF THE AMERICAN
FEDERATION OF LABOR
A REVELATION.

the Women's club of Goldfield and
from the chamber of commerce,
Merchants association and Mining ex-
change, called on General Funston
Saturday afternoon to further ac1uaint
him with the conditions which have
prevailed in Goldfield previous 10 the
coming of the United States troops,
and the situation which led 10 the
sending of Governor Sparks dispatch
to Washington asking that troops be
sent here.
The visit of these delegations doubt
less was because of the efforts that
are constantly being made to have the
troops recalled.
General Funston said after the con-
ferences were over that the state
ments made to him were a revelation,
especially those made by the ladies,
who are the wives of prominent citi-
zens of Goldfeld.
The statements, he said, showed
that for days the women of Goldfield
had lived in a state of constant terror,
until the arrival of the company of
troops, though no instances of any
thing more than trivial annoyances
were cited.
Saturday night Secretary Erb of
the Goldfield Mine Owners Associa-
been made to bring a number of
miners from California. Utah. Mon
tant, Arizona and Wyoming, and that
about 450 will arrive soon. No in
formation as to their movements or
the time when they will arrive can be
obtained, and the union men character
ize the statement as false.
No men have arrived in the camp
from other mining districts to take
the places of the strikers of the West
ern Federation. The mine operators
report that more of the Western Fed
Grafton men who formerly worked in
the mines have returned to work, after
signing the agreement to renounce the
Western Federation.
The federation men deny this.
If any considerable number of strike
breakers are to be brought here, it is
becoming evident that the plan is to
quietly bring them in small lots, and
provide places for them and put them
to work with the least ostentation pos
sible.
Both the mine operators and the
labor leaders say that they will vel
come the United States labor commits
sioners, and the officers of the Miners
union are positive in their statement
that no violence will be attempted, and
that the strike will be settled quietly.
Sunday a delegation from the Amer
/ ican Federation of Labor called upon
General Funston, who is continuing
his investigation of conditions here
with view of determining the reces-
sity for the presence of federal troops
/ in Goldfield.
"These gentlemen made the most re-
markable statement have yet heard" "
4 said General Funston, in an interview
with the representative of the Asso-
ciated Press Sunday night. Their
statement is that for months they have
lived in constant fear. They have Con
sidered it necessary for their self pro
lection to go armed at all times and
have been compelled to avoid personal
contact with members of the Western
Federation of Miners in order 20 pre-
vent serious trouble. This condition oi
affairs, they have told me, obtained
until the arrival of the United States
troops, since when the conditions have
been greatly changed"
General Funston stated that he con.
sidered that this statement of the con
ditions came from men who have oeen
iii better position to know the real
situation than any others who have
talked to him since his arrival.
Members of the commission sent by
President Roosevelt arrived in Gold
field Sunday night. They are Charles
Neill, labor commissioner; Herbert
Knox Smith, commissioner of corpora
tions, and Lawrence Murray, assistant
secretary of the department of com
merce and labor. They are &C
companied by F. Patterson as Gecre
tary