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Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday June 22, 1909
Northwestern Montana – The I. W. W. Band from Eureka, to Kalispell, to Somers
From the Spokane Industrial Worker of June 17, 1909:
The thousands of readers of the Industrial Worker will probably be interested in a few paragraphs relative to I. W. W. brass band that is now on the road doing propaganda work. It was last year that we organized in Portland what was know as the “Overall Brigade,” composed of 20 people who “hoboed” it from Portland, Ore., to Chicago, holding propaganda meetings in nearly every division point between the above mentioned cities.
The great success of those meetings and the receipts of the same was what led to the organization of a brass band for the propaganda work on the road. It was easy to see that if 20 people with no instruments could make their way across the country as the “Overall Brigade” did, that about a dozen, specially selected people in a brass band and bright uniforms would certainly be a howling success. Such it has been for the first week on the road.
It took nearly three months to get the people, instruments, tents, trunks, etc, together. There is an investment of about $800 in the outfit, all of which is owned by the “bunch.” Our first meeting was Eureka, Mont., in the lumber strike district. The head “sprag” of the thieving lumber corporation was there and he was so opposed to the teachings of the I. W. W. and so enraged by the sight of a working class in red revolutionary uniforms, that he bought a couple cases of eggs and proceeded to get company suckers and kids to throw them at the speakers. However, they were caught in the nick of time. The lumberjacks were across the street, a few big fists were thrust into the air and the corporation tools took a sneak.
DURING ALL THIS TIME, THE SHERIFF OF THE COUNTY WAS AWAY ABOUT 40 YARDS FROM THE EGGS, WHILE A 2X4 CROAK OF A JUDGE(?) WAS AT THE CASE WITH ONE IN EACH HAND READY TO THROW. THIS WAS, OF COURSE, YOUR “LAW AND ORDER” ELEMENT.
When the sheriff, about half filled with booze, saw that his masters could not pull off the egg act, he cut in and ordered no street meeting, etc. A good meeting was held, however, in the hall and the whole matter redounded to the benefit of the I. W. W. Finishing our meeting at 9 p.m., we were on our way to Kalispell and thence to Somers. Several meetings were held at both places and each was a howling success. We have been holding from one to three meetings each day. The receipts have run from $12 to $20 at a meeting and the living expense is about 12 cents per meal. Two meals are served daily.
The make-up of the band is as follows: Jas. Wallace, musical director; Joe Brown, cornet; S. E. Bailey, cornet; Edith Bonney Frenette, solo alto; Chas. Frenette, first tenor; J. C. Knust, baritone; Jas. J. Stark, tuba; Dollie Reid Walsh, snare drum; J. H. Walsh, bass drum.
We will add two more good players to the above numbers just as soon as the right people can be secured. All must be able to play in the band, sing, lecture, sell literature, etc., and even before this, they must be I. W. W.’s from head to foot.
Two fine tents constitute the living quarters of the band, and Wm. Hearst, known as “Baldy,” is the “chef.” He is kept exceedingly busy at this time in the strike district ass a number of pickets and strikers are eating with us.
J. H. Walsh,
National Organizer I. W. W.———-
[Emphasis to names and instruments in original, all other emphasis added.]
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SOURCE & IMAGE
Quote JH Walsh Overall Brigade, IUB p1, Oct 24, 1908
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/industrialworker/iub/v2n26-oct-24-1908-iub.pdf
Industrial Worker
(Spokane, Washington)
-June 17, 1909
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/industrialworker/iw/v1n14-jun-17-1909-IW.pdf
See also:
Tag: J. H. Walsh
https://weneverforget.org/tag/j-h-walsh/
Tag: IWW Overall Brigade of 1908
https://weneverforget.org/tag/iww-overall-brigade-of-1908/
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