The Washington herald., 1914-05-03

the nearest coal mine, placed their wom-
en- and children in what they considered
places of safety and made an armed at
tack upon the militia encamped nearby.
The fight continued throughout the day
and several men were killed. During the
battle the tent colony was destroyed by
fire. Next day, the bodies of two women
atnd eleven children were discovered In
d hole under a tent, where the strikers
had placed them when the attack upon
the soldiers was begun. They had all
been suffocated.
None Of these children and no woman
was killed by rife fire. nor did the sol
diers know or have any reason to
suspect the presence OF noncombatants
where the strikers had concealed them.
On April 9, Lawson. international
board member, United Mine Workers of
America, the leader Of the strikers. in
an interview published throughout the
State, asserted that a war of extermina-
ton. would thenceforth be conducted by
the strikers. and Doyle, secretary Of the
United Mine Workers OF America, by
wire, instructed the officials of local
unions to watch for the approach OF the
militia which had been again ordered
back into the field.
Series of ~Outrages.
The meaning and purpose OF such
language was obvious Since that time
the strikers in armed bands varying IN
number from fifty to 400 have attacked
the town OF Delagua from the hills and
killed three men. They have dynamited
and burned the buildings and equipment
OF the Empire. Southwestern and Green
Canon mines at Aguilar. They hay-
driven men, womer and children into
the Empire mine and sealed the entrance
with explosives After the declaration oil
a truce agreed to between the governo,
and Hawkins, attorney for the United
Mine Workers OF America, they drove
the postmaster and others away from
the Sunnyside mine and took possession
Of IL as well as the Pictou mine. They
dynamited the tipple at the Mclaughlin
mine and fired many shots into the
buildings at Maitland.
They forcibly entered the store build
ing at Rockvale and carried away guns
and ammunition. They attacked the
buildings and dwelling houses at the
Chandler mine and kept up a merciless
fire from the hills for nearly forty hours,
killed one man and finally took posses
sion of the camp by slipping in a num-
Der of men under a white flag. They
have burned, dynamited and completely
destroyed the McNslly mine in Huerfano
SOuHIN, hCpI UP dlDlOSl
fire from entrenchments. for fifty hours
upon the Walsen mine, wounded one
woman. killed and wounded four men.
and killed a surgeon wearing Red Cross
insignia while attending wounded soldiers
on the field. They viciously attacked
the Hecla mine in Boulder County. killed
one and wounded three men and drove
all employees and their families to cover
for many hours. They attacked the
T., AYf, rxrff -
force of 400 armed men. killed seven
miners, including four Japanese. and
burned everything in sight, including a
stable and thirty-threc mules.
"'In the prosecution of their campaign
of determination, the foregoing are some
of the things those men have done dur
ing the past few days with the tacit
consent. active cooperation, and under
the personal direction and control OF off,
GERS and paid agents of the United Mine
Workers of America.
Miners Are Loyal.
"As before stated. the coal mine opera
tors Of this State now have in their en-
pIoy about 10000 men who are satisfied
with the conditions OF their employment.
We promised these men protection from
personal violence when the strike was
called and they have stood loyalty by
their employers under most trying cir
disreGarding the dangers and
priva tions incident TO the recent armed
attacks of the strikers upon them and
their homes. With these men we will
always treat concerning matters affect
ing their welfare, bu: we cannot enter
into negotiations of any character with
the officers and agents OF the United
Mine Workers of America. who alone are
efH fn.- la al -
order and bloodshed which has disgraced
this State.
Instead of il being our duty so to do,
We conceive il rather TO be the duty Of
the officials OF the United Mine Workers
OF America. who called the strike. TO
now call it OF. They can do so II they
see fit, and by so doing they will. within
an hour, in a great measure restore in
dustrial peace and prosperity to this
State. In no event will the American
people. when fully advised. long permit
200 or 1,5OO armed strikers TO continue
their unlawful efforts to prevent 10000
and Industrious men from
working for whom. when. and upon such
terms as they see fit"
Signed:
The Colorado Fuel & Iron Company, by
J. F. Welborn. president.
The Rocky Mountain Fuel Company, by
David W. Brown. president
The Victor American Fuel Company, by
C. F. Bartlett. jr., vice president.
The Oakdale Coal Company, by William
B. Lewis. president
The South Canon Coal Company, by
Harry F. Nash general manager.
The Primrose Coal Company, by H. B.
King, president
The Rugby Fuel Company, by George d.
Kimball, general manager
The Huerfano Coal Company, by S. S.
Murphy, president
truth and Autrey.
The Consolidated Coal and Coke Com
pany, by c. L. Baum.
The Routt County Fuel Company, by E.
L. Prentiss, president.
The Hampa Valley Coal Company, by P.
NJ. feltier, president.
Hayden Brothers Juniper Mine), byI
Lewis A. Hayden.
The Empire Coal Mining Company, by
Marthens & Siple.
The Southwestern Fuel Company, by J.
w. Siple, president.
National Fuel Company, by /. van
Mater, president.
The Royal Fuel Company. by H. van
Mater, president
The Union Coal and Coke Company, by
]. V. Bowen, president
Moffat Coal Company, by S. n. Perry, |
president.
Isig) Leyden Coal Company, by s. NJ
Perry, president
To this Representative Foster replied: !
May l, 1914.
j. F. welborn. president OF the Colorado