The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1914-11-10
HOW ARKANSAS LABOR WAR STARTED:
MINERS NOW WAGE PITCHED BATTLES

FOlsE SMITH, ARK, NOV. IT,
Why Is tho United States govern
ment sending regular army SOL
dicrs into the coaI-mining fields
OF Arkansas?
On the morning OF last March
Is when the miners employed by
the Bachc-Denman interests in
Prairie Greek mine No. went to
work there was contract be-
tween their. union and the en-
ployers. This contract had four
months tn run. 1t did not expire
until July 81.
Before the day, March %, was
over the company broke the con-
tract-tieclared IL void. This ac-
ton was formally taken by Frank
lin Bache, head of the mining con-
Germ and nc also issued this no.
tice to the union miners:
"CLEAN Up AND TAKE
OUT YOUR TOOLS
The union miners did SO. Their
contract had been broken and
they did rot go back to work.
They knew II was no use, for
Franklin Bache had already de-
termined to run open shop"
mines. Had not only SO deter
mined but lie HAD ALREADY
ENGAGED NON-UNION MEN to
man the "open shop"
WAR OPENS; FIRST
ATTACK IN FORCE
Following a mass meeting at
Prairie Greek school house about
mile from the mine, April 6,
a crowd Of about 1900 marched
to the mine headed by band and
took possession. ran off the nom
union miners who had been i'm
ported. beat up armed guards and
took possession.
The fires were drawn from be-
meath the boilers and an Ameri-
can flag roisted over the mine
tipple. M property was de-
stroyed.
Tho guards, non-union miners
and other employees OF the COM
pany fled co Fort Smith.
A temporary injunction re-
strainirg union miners and SYM
pathizers from interfering with
the operation of the Bachelor
man mines was secured before
Judge Jacob Trieber at Little
Rock, April 8, and on May 10,
United States Judge Frank YOU
mans made the Injunction perma-
nent.
United States Attorney General
McReynolis (he's supreme judge
now authorized United States
Marshal ]. +. Mayes on May 20
to swear in, deputies and send
them to Prairie Creek to guard
the mine property and the non-
anion employees.
There was considerable friction
between the union miners and the
|uor-union men and mine guards at
all times.
STATE OFFICIAL DENOUNCES
COMPANY AND IT'S ALLY.
S.ate Commissioner of Labor
Clary weLt to Prairie Creek and
conducted an investigation. He
denounced the Bache-nenman
company ard scored the United
States department of justice for
supplying guards.
On the morning of July II there
was waged six-hour battle be-
tween guards and non-union en-
ployes numbering about rs on one
SIDE ard a crowd of men whose
numbers and identity are un-
known In which thousands of
shots were fired and resulted In
the routing of the guards and
employees end the destruction of
Prairie Creek mine No. 4; also
mines numbers 1, 3 and G.
Colorado mine was destroyed in
broad daylight on July 20.
LIVES LOST, MINES
DESTROYED IN BATTLE.
All the mines destroyed were
located in the Hartford Valley
within radius of a few miles,
and the less was estimated at
100000. Following the battle of
July IL the bodies of two guards
which had been riddled with bull
lets and partly cremated were
found.
Judge Youmans took up the
contempt case of Stewart and
others on August 10. On Sep
TENDER ], P. r. Stewart, John
Manick. George Barnett. Pink
Dunn and Frank Gripp were SEN
fenced to four months imprison-