New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-03
$50 Picked Veterans Lead
Column Against 5000
Strikers, With Orders
to Break Up All Bands
Defending Forces
Also Must Disperse
Fighting Continues in the
Hills; Youths in Over
seas Carb Join Rising
By Boyden r. Spsrkcs

ST. ALBANS, W. Va, Sept. g.
United States regulars marched into
the West Virginia coal fields to-
night. Arriving here on troop trains
from Ohio and Kentucky carton
ments, the first units of Federal
troops, sent to stamp out the insur-
rection in this state, started up the
Coal Creek valley tonight, seeking
contact with the miners army of six
thousand that is fighting state
police, deputy sheriffs and voIun-
teers on the Boone-Logan County
line.
A column Of $50 picked veterans
from Fort Thomas, KY, led the way,
followed by the 10Th Infantry. Their
destination is Spruce Fork Ridge,
where the warfare continued to-day
between the attacking miners and
the men who are defending Logan
County against invasion.
Army Planes Cover Miners
Eleven army planes, from a field
that has been established at Ka-
nawha City, previously had made a
reconnaissance flight down the val
ley, noting the concentration camps
of the miners. This information and
other facts noted by the flyers were
relayed from the headquarters of
General Harry A. Bandholtz, com
mander of the troops, in the tele-
phone company's building in Charles
ton, to the commander of the 10th
Infantry.
General Bandholtz's orders were
succinct. They were to disarm and
disperse the miners army. The VOL
unteer force opposing them also is to
be disbanded and disarmed. Cen
eral Bandholtz hopes to accomplish
this without the necessity of firing a
shot. Every precaution that would
further this aim had been taken.
Troops Travel in Darkened Cars
Two companies of United States in
fantry, commanded by Captain John j.
Wilson, reached Madison, w. Va, at 10
O'Clock tonight, after their train had
run the forty miles from ST. Adams in
darkness. The only light was the
searchlight of the engine, that shone
on three fiat cars pushed ahead as 3
protection against mines. No attempt
was made to molest the train. Madison
is within the miners lines.
Forty minutes ahead of the troop
train was commandeered train filed
with miners going to their fighting
front at Sharples, seventeen miles be
yond Madison. Captain Wilson was in
formed that about 800 miners had
passed through Madison to-day on their
way to the battle line.
Assembly sounded when the train
stopped at Madison and the two com
panies formed in the train yard Every
mans cartridge belt was bulging
w. NJ. Blizzard, sub-district presi-
dent Of the United Mine Workers in
charge of all disturbed regions, CON
ferred with Captain Wilson. He had
left Charleston earlier in the day on a
gasoline track motor car and had been
to the battle line.
"Three miners were killed in the ex-
change of rife shots during the day."
Blizzard said. II don't know how manv
were wounded. We have several hospi-
tai units and some trained nurses with
our men"
The soldiers slept on the trains to-
night.
Early to-day Major c. F Thompson.
of General Bandholtz's STAFF, started for
Logan intending to read to Sheriff Den
Chain, the leader of the Logan County
defensive organization, the proclama-
ton of Governor Morgan of West vir-
ginia placing ghe situation in charge Of
the army.
At the same time nine runners" in
automobiles left the headquarters in
Charleston of Philip Murray, vice
president of the United Mine Worker
Of America. They carried messages for
the leaders, so far unidentified, of the
well-organized force of miners Mr.
Murray said the messages were simply
to inform the men that the troops were
coming in. BY these means both
armies" had been apprised of the com
ing of the soldiers
Strikers Hold Sixty Miles
The manner in which the miners
army is being provisioned was learned
to-day, when Murray returned from a
tour of observation within the miners
lines that carried him from Marmet to
Sharples, a distance of about sixty
miles, every foot of which is held by
the striking miners.
Moving along the Coal River Valley
from town to town, the miners entered
every store and bought" the pro-
prietor's entire stock of proviaions. In
payment they gave receipts bearing
their own names and informing the
storekeeper that the United Mine
Workers would settle in cash Neutral
observers reported that all Of the store
keepers agreed TO this arrangement
without protest.
The most striking characteristic Of
the individuals of the miners army was
their youth. Practically eli of them
were young. There were three group
ings: First, native mountaineers Of tie
type that for generations have lived IN
an atmosphere where ali disputes were