—————
Hellraisers Journal – Sunday November 1, 1903
Indianapolis, Indiana – United Mine Workers Issues Strike Call for District 15
From The Rocky Mountain News of October 30, 1903:
Note error above: District 15 coal miners are members of the United Mine Workers of America, not the Western Federation of Miners (metal miners).
News from the Colorado Coalfields:
Friday October 23, 1903
Trinidad, Colorado – U. M. W. Organizer, Duncan MacDonald followed by gunthugs.
Duncan MacDonald, organizer for the United Mine Workers of America, reports that armed gunthugs hired by the coal operators have followed him wherever he goes in Las Animas and Huerfano Counties. Company spys point out any miner seen greeting him with a friendly handshake, and that miner is summarily fired. The coal operators are paying for the hiring of new deputies in both counties and supplying them with a large arsenals of weapons.
—————
Monday October 26, 1903
Indianapolis, Indiana – Mother Jones Bringing Report from District 15 of U. M. W. of A.
Labor’s Joan of Arc in This City.
Reports from Colorado indicate that she met with President Charles Moyer and Secretary Big Bill Haywood of the Western Federation of Miners. She stated her admiration for these two leaders, and her hope that Solidarity would hold the two miners’ unions firm in their alliance. She even offered the olive branch to Governor Peabody, although her optimism that the Governor will stop his war on organized labor is not shared by those who have felt the full effects of that war.
It is also reported that, while she was in the Southern Coalfields, Mother went dressed as a peddler into the coal camps. By way of that disguise, she was able to get past the mine guards, travel the company roads, and visit with miners and their families in the wretched shacks which the coal companies offer as housing for their employees.
Mother has stated many times that the miners and their families live “in practical slavery to the company.” The company owns their houses and all the land on which the company towns are built. If a miner loses his job, he also loses his home, and is summarily thrown out by the brutal company guards. The miners are paid in scrip, and must shop at the company store, at prices set by the company. The miners must send their children to company schools and worship in company churches.
The men are cheated in the weighing of coal by the agent of the coal company. That representative of the miners, chosen by the miners, should act with the company agent as a check weighman, is a demand long ignored by the coal operators. There are also numerous health and safety grievances which concern the companies not at all, knowing full well that the lives of miners are cheaper than props.
At this time, Mother Jones is reported to be on her way back to Indianapolis where she will report directly to John Mitchell, president of the United Mine Workers of America. Mother has indicated that:
The time [is] ripe for revolt against such brutal conditions.
—————
Thursday October 29, 1903
Denver, Colorado – Mother Jones returns with message for miners from John Mitchell
Meanwhile, today is Mitchell Day in the state of Pennsylvania, and will be celebrated with speeches, picnics, and parades. The miners have declared this day to be a holiday bringing coal mining to a halt in the area. The largest celebration will be in Scranton where 40,000 miners are expected to attend a “monster mass meeting.” Mr. Mitchell arrived in that city yesterday. After the parade, the festivities will be held at the circus grounds. John Mitchell will address the gathering as will officials from the United Mine Workers and the American Federation of Labor.
—————
Friday October 30, 1903
Trinidad, Colorado – That Dangerous Woman Comes Bearing Trouble for 20,000 Miners
MOTHER JONES BEARS TROUBLE
She Takes Orders To Colorado For 20,000 Miners To Quit
We must note that this same newspaper does not at all concern itself with the high rate of death and injury to the miners, nor with the deplorable feudal conditions of the miners and their families, living under the watchful eyes of the company gunthugs in the company towns.
—————
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOURCES & IMAGES
Quoted Mother Jones, CFI Owns CO, Ab Chp 13, 1925
https://archive.iww.org/history/library/MotherJones/autobiography/13/
The Rocky Mountain News
(Denver, Colorado)
-Oct 30, 1903
https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/newspapers/image/v2:12C601A5C4B97518@GB3NEWS-146D6F7BA3BBEB30@2416418-146BD6C761601CF8@0-146BD6C761601CF8
https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/newspapers/image/v2:12C601A5C4B97518@GB3NEWS-146D6F7BA3BBEB30@2416418-146BD6C76988A120@8-146BD6C76988A120
Mother Jones
The Most Dangerous Woman in America
-by Elliott J Gorn
NY, 2001
-p102-104
https://books.google.com/books?id=9gRpCAAAQBAJ
The Autobiography of Mother Jones
-ed by Mary Field Parton
Charles H Kerr Pub, 1925
Chp 13: “The Cripple Creek Strike”
Note: here Mother conflates the strikes by UMWA and WFM,
uncorrected by Editor Parton.
https://archive.iww.org/history/library/MotherJones/autobiography/13/
The Scranton Republican
(Scranton, PA)
-of Oct 29, 1903
https://www.newspapers.com/image/48280048/
The Atlanta Constitution
(Atlanta, Georgia)
-of Oct 29, 1903
https://www.newspapers.com/image/34081595/
See also:
Tag: Colorado Coalfield Strike of 1903-1904
https://weneverforget.org/tag/colorado-coalfield-strike-of-1903-1904/
Report on 1903 Colorado Coal Strike by Emma F Langdon:
https://www.rebelgraphics.org/wfmhall/langdon17.html
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.hb0hh2&seq=271
The Cripple Creek strike :
a history of industrial wars in Colorado, 1903-4-5; being a complete and concise history of the efforts of organized capital to crush unionism.
Note: the following excerpt is from the 1908 edition
with Part II begining p259, and Appendix beginning p464.
https://books.google.com/books?id=WrF-AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA1&dq=%22the+cripple+creek+strike%22+%22emma+f+langdon%22&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjvy8HcuaWCAxWPomoFHZNkByEQ6AF6BAgNEAI#v=onepage&q=%22the%20cripple%20creek%20strike%22%20%22emma%20f%20langdon%22&f=false
Compare to 1904 edition, 248 pages, no part II, no Appendix.
https://books.google.com/books?id=fSBYAAAAMAAJ&pg=PP17&dq=%22the+cripple+creek+strike%22+%22emma+f+langdon%22&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj3t-O5uaWCAxVOm2oFHUVPAooQ6AF6BAgEEAI#v=onepage&q=%22the%20cripple%20creek%20strike%22%20%22emma%20f%20langdon%22&f=false
[THE COAL STRIKE.]
November 9, 1903, the strike of the coal miners of District No. 15, United Mine Workers of America, comprising the states of Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico, was called and was not declared off until early in 1905.
Officers and members of the organization for months before the crisis used every means to avert the anticipated trouble. But all operators except those of the northern district of Colorado refused the union representatives a hearing.
As early as August, 1903, efforts were made by committees of the organization to have the differences adjusted and grievances complained of considered. The committees went so far as to invoke the aid of the governor and labor commissioner, both of whom responded, and, September 8, sent the operators and superintendents of mines an official communication requesting a conference. In response to the invitation, many of the operators from the northern district were in attendance and-waited for representatives from the other districts of Colorado, but as they did not attend, the meeting adjourned to meet one week later—hoping that influence could be brought to bear to induce the managers of the larger southern companies to send representatives to the conference.
The second meeting had in attendance a very conservative committee from the miner’s unions of the north and the representatives from the principal mines of that district, in addition to the governor and labor commissioner. After much discussion, the conference adjourned without result. The governor and commissioner promising to do all in their power to bring about a meeting of the operators of the southern fields and labor committee; but were unable to do so.
Later, however, a representative of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company and the Victor Fuel Company, with legal representatives, with labor commissioner held a meeting in the governor’s office. At this meeting it was asserted that the companies had nothing to arbitrate and would not treat with a committee from the United Mine Workers, neither would the companies recognize the organization in any manner.
Affairs, practically, were the same as stated when the executive board of the United Mine Workers of America held a meeting in Indianapolis, Ind. The matter was brought before the board. The deputy labor commissioner appeared before the board with a written report and endeavored to show the members that a strike at that time was inauspicious and would be erroneous. The result of this was that the matter was referred to the executive officers of the organization, Messrs. Mitchell, Lewis and Wilson.
Before the above meeting there had been a convention of delegates, elected by the locals of District 15, held in Pueblo, September 23-26, at which sentiment was strongly in favor of calling a strike in the southern fields. The delegates believed that a strike would be the only way in which the miners could be reached for organization, and that four-fifths of the miners would respond to a call for a strike that had the endorsement of the National board.
The substance of the demand of the miners was as follows:
An increased scale of wages of 20 per cent, as paid by other districts.
An eight-hour day.
No discrimination against members of the United Mine Workers of America.
A bi-monthly pay day.
A fair system of weights.
April 27, Unions of Superior, Erie, Marshall, Louisville and Lafayette, of the northern fields, made a demand for the eighthour day. The demand was not granted at that time but the operators informed the unions that other operators were to be consulted and their refusal was not to be taken as final.
Those who opposed the strike and believed that it would prove a failure appealed to President John Mitchell to come to Colorado to use his influence to prevent the strike. It was said that after the adjournment of the National Civic Federation convention, which he was attending, business of importance kept him from visiting Colorado for some time. “Mother” Jones and other representatives came to the state and made efforts to bring about a settlement if possible, but regardless of all efforts, it seemed utterly impossible to gain recognition or have a conference.
At the time the strike was called Wm. Howels was president of District 15, and was notified that the national executive board had carefully considered the advisability of calling the strike and had decided upon the only alternative—to call the strike. The official communication pledged the national organization to render all possible assistance and was signed by President Mitchell, Vice President T. L. Lewis, and Secretary-Treasurer W. B. Wilson.
The call affected about 22,000 persons in the district. I may mention here that the entire membership of District 15, voted to strike or not to strike and the result of the vote was practically unanimously in favor of calling the strike.