The Washington herald., 1921-09-02
Special Train Reinforces
Line Where Desperate
Attack Is Continued.
SCOUT PLANES SEE
PARTIAL RETREAT
Strikers Dominate Towns
And Tie Up Railroads.
And Pixies.
Tribune News Service.

MADISON. w. Va. Sept Prose
cutting Attorney Mullen. Boone
County, declared at o'clock to-
night that the battle between the
miners and the Logan troops" now
covered a front OF twenty five miles.
and Is raging all along the Coal
River Valley ridge in the region of
Sharpless and Blair. Logan County.
From a miner who came into
town today. 1t was learned that the
loss of the attackers has been very
heavy. 1T will take a week to
bury their dead" he said. Other
reports are that fifty or more of the
invading miners have been killed.
Heavy lighting between the miners
and sheriff's deputies, State police
and citizen volunteers broke out
again this morning at IL o'clock.
The only information received from
reliable source was given by
Sheriff Don Chafin, of Boone County,
who declared the miners have lost
at least threescore men.
Defenders Lose Three Men.
Very little information has
reached here from the miners side.
According TO Sheriff Chafin. the loss
of three men has been suffered by
the defenders of Boone County.
These men fell in the first clash
early yesterday morning.
According to observers in scout
planes who flew over the battle to-
day, from Blair to Jeffrey 49,
miners 4Tv -. ny withdraw tho
forces row the .H.' 'Aiiis I'D NOV
ing t. she rca-- A rfJ-7s dor
mountains IN the ucle hbc
Blair, where the l.:hr ys~ts.
OF na1s. sarEUlUaTN chATag
Dur.ns the DAY a steady ma r 'D.
gun, barra6e was thrown on F
miners hiding places at the at
OF the ridge in the sIslaiRa secto
which prevented the hordes of heav-
lily armed miners from sallyfng
forth in an effort to reach the top
of the ridge where Sheriff Chain
quickly mobilized troopers who are
fairly we'll entrenched behind crags,
rocks and trees.
ReInforcements by Train.
A special train from BluefieId and
weIch carrying reinforcements of
volunteers for the Chafin army ar
rived this morning. The men were
quickly rushed forward TO the ad-
vance positions on the ridge to re-
lieve a large number of defenders
who had been steadily "at II" for
twenty-four hours.
Word reached here that a large
number of striking miners from
Whitesville. Boone County, had
been able to effect a junction with
the attacking forces near Blair and
that during the day they had in
termittingly poured a hot rifle fire
on the defenders position at the
top of the ridge.
News received from the entire
battle front as well as those areas
which have seen but little fghting.
is to the effect that the striking
miners are in possession of nearly all
the wires leading into the battle
area. Many of these have been cut.
others torn down for miles, and the
few telephone and telegraph lines
left intact, are practically useless.
Several small towns in the Coal
River Valley are now completely
dominated by the miners and, while
little depredations from these sec
tions have been reported, the miners
hordes refuse to permit any person
not favorable to enter the district,
or any ney 5 not censored by them
to leave.
Train Service Tied Up.
All train. service between St.
Albans and Logan has been sus-
pended. 1t is also reported that all
vehicular traffic along that route
has been stopped ky bands of armed
miners who are patrolling the loads
in the Coal River district in a thor
ough and filitary manner.
All ammunition and firsarmS and
a great quantity of provisions nave
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