Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-01-01
II DIE IN PANIC;
TRAGEDY MAY END
STRIKE OF MINERS

S1luIllcl, NllCl.. bcc. Sl.-N ME lOul
separate Investigations of Calumet's
Christmas tree disaster. in which 70
persons, most of them children, We're
killed were being made today and a
dispute was being waged as to who
should bury the dead, leacemakers
We're at work in a supreme effort to
bring about an end to the copper mine
strike in his region.
Over the bodies of the little ones,
the leaders of the peace movement
hoped to see an end to the labor strife
which has torn the Calumet copper
district for several months.
United in their grief over the snuff
mig out of so many young lives. the
warning factions mine operators.
guards and strik. breakers n the
stricken union miners and their friends
gave no thought to the big labor battle
that indirectly is blamed for tic most
gruesolne horror In the historJ OF
Calumet. There was still a dispute
over whether the offer OF the Citizens
considered hostile to the strikers. to
defray all the burial expense would be
permitted. Officials of the Western
Federation of Miners declared that the
offer would be spurned. We will care
| for our own dead" was the response to
the alliance.
All Help Stricken Families.
IIt leclllS OIL InoSJlIllS MIS- IOL 81
marked today when ii was seen that
the citizens OF Calumet and other
cities in the mining district Were
earnest in their efforts to raise funds
for the stricken families. Almost I'M
limited mounts of money We're
pledged by min owners and merchants
who have been opposing the strikers
The committees and representatives. of
the alliance went from house to house
comforting the surviving members Of
families whose dear ones We're taken
from them in the unnecessary panic.
Following these committees went
others with suggestions that peace be
declared between the forces represent
sng capital and labor were diplomatic
ally expressed.
After the funeral of all the victims
which were to be arranged for later
today, it was expected by many tina,
the spirit OF fight will have been in
tered with the bodies of the inno-
cent children and wives of the strikers
and that peace will prevail.
Burial will be in cemetery
on the shore of Lake Superior. 1t was
stated today that the morgues of Calu-
met contained IS bodies, although only
~ are known to a been killed Wed
nesday night. None of the undertakes
claimed to have bodies Of others thar
those killed Christmas v and the au-
thorities We're at a loss to account fol
the differences in figures.
Man Who Caused II Sought.
A search was begun at once for the
man who caused the panic. Some O
the strikers asserted that they hac
reason to believe that the man wa.
a member Of the citizens alliance re.
Gently organized TO restore law ant
order in the zone affected by the min.
ers' strike began several weeks ago
This charge was quickly denied by
alliance members, hundreds OF whom
We're early IN the scene aiding in the
removal of the bodies and carryint
out the injured and bereaved.
1t was said by those near the dool
that the man came ZIP the stairs from
q saloon below and that his breatl
blown forth with the word lire,
smelled strongly Of alcohol. 1t wa.
said by some of those present that tn,
man may have been in a maudlin con,
dition and shouted the word withou
any thought as to what he was doing
Many men in the crowd about tn,
hall after the fatal accident, swor,
vengeance If the man could be found
1t is also feared that the distraugh
condition of mind under which man,
persons are laboring as a result @
the catastrophe may renew open hos
Titles between members of the min
ers' union and the citizens alliance
but there has been nothing to war
rant such fears.
The citizens committee which me
all night now has 100000 in it's hands
all donated by residents Of Calumet
In Houghton, a large sum has See
raised and donations are coming Ii
from all parts of the district. The citi
zens' committee is inviting donation
from outside h copper country.
Among the donors are Quincy A. Shaw
r. l.. AgassiZ, G. r. Agassiz and Max
tmillian Agassiz, all heavy holders 0
Calumet and Hecla Mining compan,
stock. and the first two diron4n.. =