The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-09-20
SERIOUS SITUATION
EXISTS IN THE
MINING SECTION

OF the serious situation in the min
ing section of this county, the Barlow
Record of yesterday says:
1T has been about three weeks
since the Record has attempted to
publish anything in regard to trouble
in the phosphate region. This has
not been because all was peace and
quiet, for such has not been the case.
There have been disturbances, and
rumors of this, that and the other in
the way of violence, but no one has
been killed since Sheriff Langford
took charge of the Office.
"Our position in the matter was not
for the purpose of shielding any one
but rather to keep down trouble by
ignoring it and at least give the new
Sheriff all the opportunities possible
to handle the situation which we all
know is no little task.
But the time has come when we
feel it our duty to report some Of the
depredations that are getting to be
almost of daily occurrence and if not
checked soon may develop into more
serious trouble than any we have
yet had.
1T has been about ten days since
any freight has been pulled into or
out Of any Of the mines. This was
caused by threats made to train men
that if they took their engines into
these districts it would be at their
peril A few ventured in after this
threat with the result that one cab
was shot into but no one hurt. This
part Of the trouble we understand has
been carried to Washington for a So
luton and from what we are told it
is probable that freight services will
soon begin again.
"To begin with, other trouble that
has occurred since Mr.. Langford went
in, we mention the shooting into the
home of Ed Fortner, assistant general
manager at Brewster on Tuesday
night September 9th One bullet
went through the wall and into the
sleeping porch going within a few
inches of the head of one of the chill
dren and close to another child. II
was high power rifle shot. Mr.
, Langford says he went Immediately
to this house after getting informa
ton, but did not get word until fou,
o'clock next afternoon. He and Mr.
Fortner and others examined the
grounds but the grass and pine straw
: was too thick to detect any tracks
, from the place where Mr.. Fortner hat
) picked up the shells.
J Sheriff Langford says the trouble
: with all these acts of violelce is tina
J deputies at these places haven't Civ
| en- prompt notice after their occur
renee, but as soon as he has beer
: notified he HAS gone to make investi
) cations.
/ This was particularly true as t
/ the shooting at Pierce on Wednesda!
. night of this week. Mr.. Langfort
! says some 30 to 40 shells were fount
/. there from high pressure rifles. Som'
' say so shots were fired that night In
. to the negro quarters, but Mr.. Lang
r ford thinks it. was probably about 40
These he states, were fired into a sec
j, ton Of tenement houses that are nov
vacant. He states that so far as h,
! can learn shots fired into other quar-
!, tiers of other mines have general.
been into vacant houses. Going t,
!, Pierce after being notified next da,
!, tracks had been SO oblterated tina
nothing very definite was found il
the way of shoe prints. One or tw
: however were run down and foun
not to tally. They were army sho
tracks.
J. "On Sunday night, September 14tl
|. eight shots were fired into the qual
II tiers at Nichols. On Thursday nigh
e the 18th, SO shots were fired into tn
It quarters at Nichols, On Friday nigh
e the 18th, IL shots were Gred int
= Prairie Pebble and on Tuesday nigh
the 18th, more shots were fired II
to the same quarters.
:" = Sheriff Langford says he has talke
= with strike leaders and with the pho
r. plate owners and is doing all he ca
t, to keep down trouble. The striker
q claim this shooting is from men ne
belonging to the Union while tn
mine owners claim the work is thf
of the strikers. Both claim they wi
do all in their power to catch an