The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1908-08-26
The SITUATION
WELL IN HAND
Need Of TrOO)s at Springfield
Is Passing.
some OF Them GOIllG HOME

Governor Deneen Orders the First In
fantry Guard to Return to Chicago
Today, Which Is Taken as an lndica-
ton That the Danger of Further Sc
rious Trouble Is Over-Friction Has
Now Developed Between White and
CoIored Miners in the Springfield
Neighborhood.
That those in authority at Spring
field, H., consider that the danger OF
serious trouble in the race war there
is practically over was made evident
when Governor Deneen issued orders
that the First infantry, of Chicago, re-
turn to that city Wednesday.
While the new special grand jury
was hearing witnesses in riot cases
and citizens were holding meeting
and passing resolutions fitting to the
crisis, antagonism between whites and
blacks, already responsible for seven
deaths and scores of injuries, struck
underground White miners at Wood
side coal mine, a mile out of town, and
the TuxhOrn mine, four miles distant,
refused to work with negroes. The
two mines employ about. $50 men,
about $50 of whom are cOlOred.
The white miners came to President
Clark of the Springfield sub-district of
the United Mine Workers with the
declaration that the negroes were arm
ed and they did not feel safe in the
underground darkness with them. On
the other hand, it is said that the ne
groes have armed with no thought of
taking initial action but to protect
themselves in event of repetition of
the rioting of Friday and Saturday
nights. President Clark said that so
far as he knew there had been no
clashes between whites and blacks in
the mines.
They are just nervous, l guess, y
commented the organization leader.
Both races belong to the union and
the union will see that no serious trOu-
Bile arises"
Mr.. Clark's office was filled with the
white miners who had quit work, new
shaven. dressed in honor of the I'M
expected holiday and gloomily deter
mined not to take chances under the
earth. Said one young miner with a
rich brogue:
eff they amt armed they ought to
be, and if they are they ought to be
disarmede You can't blame 'em for
being nervous, nor you can't blame us
for getting away from the kind of
nerves that carries a razor. If chunk
Of coal broke loose and fell on some
one lie might think = he probably
would. with all this talk-that riOting
had started again. Then there would
be trouble. / don't know whether THE
black man next to me has got gun
or knife, but suppose he has one OIL
the other, and man can't mine coal
feeling that way
This and similar stories were pour
cd into Mr. Clark's ear, but he insisted
that a mere matter of nerves" did not
iuetify quitting work, and asserted thai
the two mines would be working full
handed tomorrow The whole matter
was referred to an examining board
which Is spending the day quizZins
both blacks and whites as to warlike
preparations, IL any, down in the
shafts. Some of the white men insist
work every negro must be searched
at the mouth of the pit before descend
ing. 1t is claimed that the trouble eX
lists in the Tuxhorn and WoOdsidt
mines alone There are approximate!
forty coal mines within a radius of ter
miles of Springfield. They employ al
together some 5000 men, about 10 pc
cent Of whom are negroes.
Following Governor Deneen's proc
lamation calling upon all citizens t.
aid in restoring order and promoting
Justice, an enthusiastic meeting of bus
mess men was held at the Chamber o
Commerce. 1t was called to order b,
DR.. E. A. Hall, who introduced E. L
Chaplin as chairman. The lattel
launched into a fiery address, in the
course of which he said:
"This is the most extraordinar,
meeting we have ever held. The ques
ton before us is whether law and or
der shall prevail in this community Of
whether It shall be committed to the
rule of riot, ruin and rebellion. YOl
know about these events and their re
suits in bloodshed and property loss
I believe that out of every ten men in
this city nine are law-abiding, faithful
citizens. Of the persons in that moi
there was not one to whom any of us
would entrust single dollar Not one
of them felt any degree of responsible
ity for the welfare Of this community
Are we going to stand the rule of such
a mob; is life so dear and sweet thai
we would surrender it to cowardice
We love this city, and no mob, large
or small, shall defy the law"
A torrent Of applause followed the
speech and was continued when other
orators delivered themselves Of sim
liar sentiments, after WHICH resolutions