Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-11-25
Florence PEOPLE NOT
VIOLENT MOB IT SEEMS
FROM REPORT or WEST
Merely Requested |. w. w. Or
ganizers to Leave and Fur
nished Means.
ALL WILLING TO LEAVE,
Hig Delegation, Fearing Prosperity Of
Community at Stake, Called and
Made Request.

Governor West this morning gave out
the following concerning the deporta-
tion affair at Florence:
.'Having been advised through the
columns Of the press, under date Of No
vember 18th, that certain parties had
been deported from the city Of Flor
ence by the citizens thereof, / immedi-
ately arranged to send Captain Harry
X. Metcalf to the said city as a person.
al representative for the purpose Of
looking carefully into the situation and
reporting, as far as possible, the facts
surrounding the matter.
Captain Metcalf, after making
careful and impartial investigation Of
the whole matter, has just returned,
and believe that tho following is a
fair statement of the situation:
An Isolated Place.
~. That Florence being situated at
the mouth Of the Siuslaw river, near
the coast, and therefore in the extreme
western part Of Lane county, is, owing
TO the lack Of railroad facilities and
the impossible condition OF her roads,
pretty much isolated, and necessarily
receives less attention from tounty Of.
ficials charged with the enforcement Of
tho laws than do other communities
nearer the county seat and castor Of
access.
"2. That the citizens Of Florence
and the surrounding country have been
praying long for railroad and the es.
tablishment Of sawmills and other in.
dustries which, taking advantage Of
its vast resources, would bring new life
and prosperity TO the community.
"3. Some Of the industries prayed
FOR have come, and the railroad is now
on the way, their harbor has been inn
proved and the citizens Of Florence,
through whose efforts those changes
have been brought about, are proud and
pleased with'their work, and, as may be
expected, look with disfavor upon, and
arc fearful Of, any movement which
might rob them Of tho fruits Of long
years of waiting and endeavor
I. W. w. Mon Arrive.
"a, Along in the latter part Of oc.
tober two men, purporting to come
from some Of tho construction camps
along the railroad, whore they said they
had been working, arrived in Florence,
where they rented rooms which they
said were to be used as headquarters
for such worlSingmen as might wish to
make their headquarters there during
tho winter.
"5. The community soon became
satisfied that those gathered and
gathering at the new headquarters were
members Of tho ]. W. W. Being nd.
yised as to the methods Of operation Of
the members Of this organization they
grew alarmed az the remarks made from
time TO timo by some Of the men, as they
led them 10 believe that large number
Of their sympathizers might he brought
IN for the purpose Of interfering with
the operations Of their local industries
aud tho construction Of their rail.
rVsd.
H'6 On tho evening Of Thursday,
November -, a meeting Of about 40
citizens was held, and after fully dis.
GUESSING the situation Il was decided to
inform tho parties that their presence
was not pleasing TO the community, aud
request thcm TO leave.
Asked Thcm to Leave.
~. About Il o'clock the following
morning (Friday, November li,) The
said citizens whose NUMBER thfouRh IN,
addition Of others, including number
of women and children, now amounting
to perhaps 600 called at the !. W. w
headquarters, and asked them to leave
"s. The members Of the T. W. STATED
that they had no objections TO leaving
provided they were reimbursed for fur
niturc and equipment, aud negotiation
were therenpon entered into.
80. II was agreed that thcy shopl'
be paid sao, supplied with food and b.
taken to tho mouth Of the river, lende'
on tho north beach, and such Of thei
effects as they did not wish 70 carr
with them would be shipped 10 an.
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