Month: December 2017

Hellraisers Journal: Darr Mine Explodes in Pennsylvania; December 1907 Is Most Deadly Month Ever for Miners of USA

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Pray for the dead
And fight like hell for the living.
-Mother Jones

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Hellraisers Journal, Friday December 20, 1907
Jacob’s Creek, Pennsylvania – Massive Explosions at Darr Mine

From The Pittsburgh Press of December 19, 1907:

MnDs Darr PA, Ptt Prs, Dec 19, 1907MnDs Darr, Jacob's Creek PA, Ptt Prs, Dec 19, 1907

Grief-Stricken Families Gather

SCENES AT DARR MINE ARE AWFUL
—–

Connellsville, Pa., Dec. 19.-The force of the Darr mine explosion was felt for miles, and within 30 minutes from the times the smoke from the burning coal reached the exits of the mine, the mouths were surrounded by crowds of agonized members of the families of entombed men.

Some stood shuddering in the cold, with stolid faces, hardly seeming to realize that they were about to become widows, orphans or friendless, while others gave way to uncontrolled grief and uttered heart-piercing shrieks of grief, and wild cries of anguish.

No one made an effort to quiet another grief-stricken spectator. All seemed to feel that the bereavement was inconsolable, and each was busy trying to grasp the situation from a personal standpoint. Some of the women fell prostrate in the dust-covered snow when they full realized that the little community was experiencing the visitation of terrible calamity.

———-

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Hellraisers Journal: Tribute from Eugene Debs for Comrade Father Thomas McGrady, Catholic Socialist

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Thomas McGrady found joy in social service
And his perfect consecration to his social ideals
Was the crowning glory of his life
And the bow of promise at his death.
-Eugene Victor Debs

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Hellraisers Journal, Thursday December 19, 1907
Eugene Debs Bids Fond Farewell to Father Thomas McGrady

From the Appeal to Reason of December 14, 1907:

McGrady by EVD, AtR Dec 14, 1907

Father Thomas McGrady, Arena, July 1907

It is a strange and pathetic coincidence that almost at the very moment I completed the introduction to the brochure of Thomas McGrady on “The Catholic Church and Socialism,” now in press, the sad news came that he had passed away, and the painful duty now devolves upon me to write the word “finis” at the close of his work and add a few words of obitual eulogy.

It is not customary among Socialists to pronounce conventional and meaningless panegyrics upon departed comrades; nor to pay fulsome tribute to virtues they never possessed. Mere form and ceremony have had their day-and a long and gloomy day it has been-and can have no place among Socialists when a comrade living pays his last reverent regards to a comrade dead.

Thomas McGrady was born at Lexington, Ky., June 6, 1863. In 1887, at 24 years of age, he was ordained as a Catholic priest at the Cathedral of Galveston, Tex. His next pastorate was St. Patrick’s church, Houston, followed by his transfer to St. Patrick’s church, Dallas, Tex. In 1890 he returned to his Kentucky home, beginning his pastoral service there in Lexington, his native city. Later he went to St. Anthony’s church, Bellevue, Ky., and it was here, in 1896, that he began his first serious study of economic, political and social questions. He was first attracted by Henry George’s Single Tax, but abandoned that as inadequate after some Socialist literature fell into his hands, and he became convinced that nothing less than a social revolution, and the abolition of the capitalist competitive system would materially better the existing industrial and social condition of the people.

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Hellraisers Journal: December Death Toll for Nation’s Coal Miners Continues Apace with Yolande Explosion in Alabama

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Pray for the dead
And fight like hell for the living.
-Mother Jones

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday December 18, 1907
Yolande, Alabama – Many Miners Feared Dead in Mine Explosion

Broken-hearted families now huddle at the scene of yet another mine explosion, the third such this month, this time in Yolande, Alabama. The latest mine disaster has taken the lives of at least 50 husbands, fathers, brothers and sons, leaving behind widows and orphans to weep and mourn. They now face an uncertain, and likely bleak, future without their family breadwinners.

From The Gadsden Daily Times-News of December 16, 1907:

MnDs Yolande AL, Gadsden Dly Tx Ns, Dec 16, 1907

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Hellraisers Journal: To the Preachers of “Morals” by Ralph Chaplin: “You do the work of hired thugs and spies..”

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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The World’s great Wrong cries out; you do not heed,
But drivel rot with heaven-uplifted eyes,
Then creep away behind a cloud of lies
To kiss the palsied hand of murderous Greed.
-Ralph Chaplin

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Hellraisers Journal, Monday December 17, 1917
A Rebel Verse from Ralph Chaplin

Ralph Chaplin, Preachers of Morals, Leaves, 1917

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Hellraisers Journal: 103 Fellow Workers Plead “Not Guilty” to Charges of Conspiracy in Chicago Federal Court

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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Don’t worry, Fellow Worker,
all we’re going to need
from now on is guts.
-Frank Little

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Hellraisers Journal: Sunday December 16, 1917
Chicago, Illinois – I. W. W. Defendants Appear Before Judge Landis

From the Kansas Pittsburg Daily Headlight of December 15, 1917:


I.W.W. DEFENDANTS FILLED
A COURT ROOM
—


BEFORE JUDGE LANDIS AT CHICAGO,
ACCUSED AGITATORS PLEADED NOT GUILTY.
—–
“American Bolsheviki Without Whiskers,”
as U. S. Lawyer Described Them,
Appeared to Answer Conspiracy Charge.
—–

Big Bill Haywood, ISR, Nov 1917

Chicago, Dec. 15.-One hundred and three alleged members of the Industrial Workers of the World, probably the largest number ever assembled in one court room to answer the charges of conspiracy against the federal government, pleaded “not guilty” when arraigned before Judge Landis in the United States district court today.

In general appearance the defendants resembled a typical jury panel. There were exceptions, however, for among the I. W. W. there are not a few who pretend to literary merit. There are some who confess themselves poets, and a few are orators. These might be distinguished by the flowing Windsor tie and the soft collar of the artist or musician, by the stiff rearward brush of the hair, or, in one or two instances, by a neatly trimmed Van Dyke beard. One of the government lawyers referred to them as “the American Bolsheviki, without the whiskers.”

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Hellraisers Journal: Miss Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Tours Mesabi Iron Range, Speaks on Industrial Unionism

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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It’s great to fight for freedom
with a Rebel Girl.
-Joe Hill

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Hellraisers Journal, Sunday December 15, 1907
Northern Minnesota – Miss Flynn Tours and Speaks

From The Industrial Union Bulletin of Dec 14, 1907:

Miss Flynn’s Tour a Success

EGF, DEN (ca) p 21, crpd, Sept 21, 1907

I arrived in Duluth, Minn., on Friday, November 14th, and on Sunday afternoon, November 16th, the first meeting was held in Superior, Wis., with an audience of 300 people. The second was held the same evening in Duluth, Minn., with an attendance of from 600 to 700 people. At the two meetings the people were enthusiastic in demonstrating their appreciation of industrial unionism. The capitalist papers gave us extended write-ups, copies of which have been forwarded to headquarters, carefully omitting the portions of the talks which dealt with themselves and “the panic.” The chairman of both meetings was Fellow Worker Zollner, a fighter of ability in this vicinity.

The first range town we visited was Proctor, Minn., the home of the “Duluth, Mesaba and Northern” transportation workers. The round-houses and yards of this ore-carrying road are located here, all of it being stock-trust property. The company very generously gave their employers a special train into Duluth to see the “Land of Nod,” which was playing there that night, which had the effect of diminishing the size of our audience. “The Land of Nod” is better for the proletarians than an industrial awakening. Miss Flynn promised to come again, however-one hundred times, if necessary-to get the doctrines of industrial unionism before the workers. Let the company take notice.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for November 1907, Found Lauded in the Appeal to Reason

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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EVD Quote re Mother Jones, AtR, Nov 23, 1907


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Hellraisers Journal, Saturday December 14, 1907
Mother Jones News Round-Up for November:
-Found Covered with Fond Tributes in the Appeal to Reason

From the Appeal to Reason of November 2, 1907

Texas SP Sec Bell, AtR, Nov 2, 1907

The Typewriter Fund.

Mother Jones, Mar 11, 1905, AtR

As correspondents will have noticed, the state office is now in possessions of a typewriter as a result of the movement in that direction started by Mother Jones.

The entire fund for that purpose, however, has never been raise.

Seeing the great need for a typewriter, Comrade N. B. Hunt, unsolicited, tendered a loan of $20 for the purpose of getting the much-needed machine without delay.

A machine was purchased from Comrade C. L. Vincent for $35; $2 of the fund has been contributed by Comrade Vincent…

Amount to be raised to cancel loan…$16.25.

Let us have your contribution to this fund and wipe out the debt.

—–

[Photograph & emphasis added.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for November 1907, Found Lauded in the Appeal to Reason” →

WE NEVER FORGET: Mamie Fasig-13, Who Lost Her Life in Freedom’s Cause at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, November 1907

Janet RayeWe Never Forget
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Pray for the dead
And fight like hell for the living.
-Mother Jones

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WNF Mamie Fasig, IWW Lancaster Silk Strike PA, Nov 19, 1907


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WE NEVER FORGET
Mamie Fasig-13
Member: Industrial Workers of the World
Lancaster Silk Strike
November 19, 1907

From The Industrial Union Bulletin of December 7, 1907:

The Striking Silk Workers

…In Lancaster the recently chartered local of the I. W. W. is fighting bravely against one of the most bitter enemies of organized labor. Mr. J. E. Stehli, a man who with his two sons and a brother (a general in the Swiss army), owns several large mills in Switzerland, France and Italy, besides the one owned by that family in Lancaster.

The strike is now in progress four weeks and the girls and men and children are standing out firmly, although it is their first strike, their first battle. And it is a battle, indeed.

On Friday they all marched out to give the last escort to one of the little comrades who died, a victim of the cruel conduct of the firm.

In order to humiliate the strikers the firm’s representative superintendent, Mr. Schnabeli (whom the firm imported from Switzerland), had issued the order that the strikers would not be paid off at the mill, but at a small store on Grand street. Upon arriving there the strikers were not permitted to enter the store but were paid off through the window. Here all the men as well as girls had to stand in a drenching rain for a long time.

Mamie Farig [Fasig], one of the youngest I. W. W. members, 15 [13] years old, caught cold and died several days after, a victim of capitalist brutality. A wreath of red carnations bearing the I. W. W. emblem was laid on her grave.

Continue reading “WE NEVER FORGET: Mamie Fasig-13, Who Lost Her Life in Freedom’s Cause at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, November 1907” →

Hellraisers Journal: MONONGAH: Rescuers Worn Out; Women & Children Wait in Silent Grief in Driving Rain

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Pray for the dead
And fight like hell for the living.
-Mother Jones

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday December 12, 1907
Monongah, West Virginia – Grim Work Continues in Driving Rain

From The Pittsburgh Press of December 10, 1907:

Women at Mouth of the Monongah Mine

Monongah MnDs, Women at Mouth of Mine, Ptt Prs, Dec 10, 1907

Rescuers Worn Out

Monongah MnDs, Rescuers Worn Out, Ptt Prs, Dec 10, 1907

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Hellraisers Journal: Little Girls, Orphans of Monongah, Beg for Work: “Please letta me work lady; gotta getta money.”

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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“Oh, damn it, dagos are cheaper than props.”
-Mother Jones quoting a mine manager.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday December 11, 1907
Monongah, West Virginia – Little Orphan Girls Beg for Work

Journalist Dorothy Dale reports from the devastated town:

Please letta me work, lady; gotta getta money…Please you get something for me, I can do.

A little hand touched my arm. The curl-framed face of a girl of 10 years looked into mine.

[She said pitifully:]

You know mans all dead. Boys all dead. Only girls left to work.

From The Pittsburgh Press of Dec 10, 1907:

Monongah MnDs, Tots Beg for Work, Ptt Prs, Dec 10, 1907

Fairmont, W. Va., December 10.-“Please letta me work, lady; gotta getta money.”

It was the appeal on every side in Monongah on Tuesday and it came from little girls, many of them not 10 years old. It is the newest development in the mine horror. Girls-mind you-not boys!

The boys of Monongah lie sleeping under the coal-weighted hills. Early Tuesday the corpse of a slender child form was brought out of No. 6. It was identified as Johnny Yaconis, and taken to the tumble down shack up in Red Row, over the mine, where a stony faced little woman kissed it until her face was black from the charred flesh. Another body, that of the boy’s father, Franco Yaconis, is still concealed in one of those underground rooms.

Dominic, her boy of 15, lies in the company hospital, where his crushed leg was amputated. Only her Johnny had been brought to her. “Devil Johnny,” they called him, but there was nothing devilish about him. At the age of 12 years the stunted little overalled figure trudged every morning to the mines, where he was a trapper. At 13 years of age he died in those mines.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Little Girls, Orphans of Monongah, Beg for Work: “Please letta me work lady; gotta getta money.”” →