The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-09-21
STRIKERS REPULSE OFFICERS.
CTiH MINERS DRIVE DEPUTIES
DOWN MOUNTAIN SIDE.
When Posse Started to- EXtinguish
at Bingham They were Greeted
With Leaden Hail from Breast
works and Forced to Retreat
Sheriff Wires Governor for Aid
Strike Followed Demand for In
crease of Wages.


crease of Wages.
Bingham. Utah, Sept. 1S.-Two
hundred shots were fired in a battle
today between posse of deputy
sheriffs. who started up the mountain
side to extinguish fires in the boilers
Of copper mines affected by the strike.
and crowd of strikers. who had
fortified themselves on the opposite
side of the canyon. The deputies were
driven back. Another train loaded
with officers was ordered out.
Bullets greeted thirty-fve deputy
sheriffs. who attempted to draw the
fires from under boilers at the Big
Copper Mines here today. From
behind breastworks they had thrown
up since morning. striking miners,
who quit work today because the
Utah Copper Company and several
other concerns refused them an in
crease Of wages, fired upon the off,
GERS and drove them from the mine
works. None was injured.
Earlier in the day, however, while
armed strike pickets stood guard at
the approaches of the various pro-
perties firing shots into the air, one
Of their number was wounded by
Theodore Schewitzer, a deputy. The
deputy had ordered the picket to cease
firing. Upon his refusal Schweitzer
shot the miner in the wrist.
Only one Of the grea. copper mines
here, that Of the Utah Apex Mining
Company, continued operations today
The company signed contract with
the miners few days ago.
The Great Utah copper mines, one
Of the most productive copper mines
of the world; the Utah Consolidated,
United States, Bingham-New Haven.
Ohio Copper. Bingham mines and
score of lesser mines, the Bingham
and Garfield Railway and the ore
traffic on the copper belt branch of
the Rio Grande Railway, were closed
tightly. Four thousand men, mostly
foreigners. were idle, and almost every
idle man bore weapon of some sort
They gathered in sulky little groups
discussing their grievances.
After "A conference with mine Off
Gals late today, Sheriff Sharp, of Salt
Lake County. wired Governor Spry
That his force of deputies could not
handle the situation. The Governor
abandoned speaking tour and hur-
ried to Salt Lake City to make a per
sonal investigation Of the situation.
All saloons have been closed by .hc
order of Sheriff Sharp.
The Bingham miners made an in
formal demand several weeks ago fo.'
fiat increase OF wages in all lie
partments Of fifty cents a day. On
September / the Utah Copper Com
pany announced a horizontal Increase
of 20 cents a day for all labor, and
the other employers adopted the same
scale. This was not satisfactory to n
majority Of the men and agitation for
the full so cents raise continued.
Ten days ago a strike vote carried
Overwhelmingly. President Charles
III. Meyer, of the Western Federation
of Miners. came here and urged Gi-
plomacy he exhausted before the dec
laration of n strike. However. the
Greeks. Austrians, Italians, Japanese
and Bulgarians. who largely out
numbered the American miners. were
insistent upon Il walkout The Firms
and Americans in the union are said
to have stood with Mr.. Meyer, but
when they found themselves outnum-
bered ten to one, they joined the ma
Jority In voting for the strike.
President Meyer said today:
while personally / have done what
could to prevent this strike, now
that 1t has come. l regard the de-
mands of the men as fair and lust.
and the western Federation of Min
crs will back them completely. The
men are working too long hours
The high price of copper certainly
justihcs the raise"
Manager Jackling, Of the Great
Utah Copper Company. has been visit
Ing his properties in Arizona and New
Mexico and in his absence his assis-
tant. X. &. Gcmmcll, spoke for tho
company.
we do not treat with the officers
OF the union regarding any matters
connected with the mines" he said.
we d" not recognize the FcdYation
We are always willing To confer with