Hellraisers Journal – Saturday September 12, 1903
Cripple Creek District, Colorado – Citizens Protest Against Military Despotism
Report of Emma F. Langdon of Victor, Colorado:
Citizens of Victor Protest
Emma F. Langdon
There was sent out in the district a few circulars announcing a meeting on the corner of Fourth and Victor avenue, Sept 5, at 4 o’clock for the purpose of making a formal protest against the outrageous proceedings and declaring against the threatened establishment of martial law, and for the purpose of placing the community of law-abiding Americans in the proper light before the world. The meeting was called for the purpose of passing a resolution that would express the sentiment of the people of the district. In answer to the few circulars sent out, hundreds of representative citizens gathered and held a rousing enthusiastic meeting.
J. E. Ferguson of Victor, was elected chairman of the meeting and delivered the following address:
It is a very extraordinary occurrence which has, on such short notice called out this vast assemblage of law-abiding citizens. We are today confronted with a condition which calls forth from the breast of every peace loving, law-abiding citizen expressions of condemnation such as he has never before felt.
Without any provocation whatever we have in our midst an army of soldiers but for what purpose has not yet been declared. Last night while the community was asleep this body of armed men were unloaded in our midst. Up to this hour, I am informed, they have not officially made known to the sheriff or any other peace officer that they are here. Why are we thus afflicted? Why this array of soldiery and munitions of war? It is said that the governor of this state has sent them here and that he has been notified of the existence of that necessity. What peace officer has called for the aid of the state militia? I hear the name of Mayor French mentioned. Whether he is guilty or not I am not prepared to say, but if he is his actions do not show that he has acted in good faith. Mayor French is the mayor of this city. His authority as an executive officer extends only to the limits of his municipality. If there existed in his jurisdiction a necessity for troops why has he not had them sent to Victor? Not a single soldier is stationed within the city limits or so far as I am informed in any other city of the county. Your sheriff has called for no militia. He has need of none. The constitution of the state of Colorado gives power to the governor to call out the militia to execute the laws, suppress insurrection or repel invasion. Can it be said that any of these constitutional conditions existed as a basis for his recent action?…
It is now over three weeks since the present strike was declared and such a condition has at no time existed. I want to say to you as a citizen of your city, and as an officer of the law, for I am an officer of the court, that in over four years that I have resided in Teller county, I have not seen three consecutive weeks that were fraught with as little violence, as little disturbance, as little breaking of the law as the past three weeks have been. It has been charged that the mayor has been guilty of assisting in perpetrating this wrong upon this city and county. If the necessity existed, when did he wake up to his duty? Mr. French was mayor of the city last April and at that time there was not a property holder or renter of property who was not nightly and daily in fear of incendiary fire. House after house was fired all over the city, many of which were burned to the ground. Murder was committed by the setting of the fire. Yet this law-abiding mayor did not think of calling in the militia.
The purpose of this meeting, ladies and gentlemen, is to adopt a set of appropriate resolutions which I am informed has been prepared. It is proper that you should do so. Some action should be taken at once to show the powers that reign over us that we have been misrepresented. That we have no need of martial law, and I hope that proper resolutions will be adopted.
Hellraisers Journal – Friday September 11, 1903 Cripple Creek District, Colorado – Governor Sends the Militia into Strike Zone
Report of Emma F. Langdon of Victor, Colorado:
[Cripple Citizens’ Alliance]
Emma F. Langdon
About Sept. 1 there were many rumors of an alliance being formed in Victor. Upon investigation it was found there was an organization known as the “Citizens’ Alliance” in Cripple Creek. If there was at the above date, such an organization in Victor, there could not be one member located. Just what this organization hoped to accomplish in the Cripple Creek district was hard to understand, but it was not hard to understand from whence the spirit of the movement came. It required but little investigation into the membership to convince one that it was inspired by the mine owners; at least, the most prominent members are their lieutenants in the district. These men, it appears, first interviewed the Victor merchants but received a decided “turndown,” for which all friends of organized labor were grateful. The situation is different here from what it is in Denver. The great mass of people here are union people and just how a “Citizens’ Alliance’” could hope to accomplish any good for itself or anybody else is hard to understand. Just think of it; the idea of the business men, or anyone else of this district, organizing to fight organized labor. What has made the Cripple Creek district from a business standpoint? Has it been the generosity of the mine owners, or the work of organized labor in establishing a wage scale here that would put enough money in circulation to make business here in place of going to Colorado Springs.
In the city of Victor the news of the organization caused much amusement at that time, be it said to the credit of Victor’s business men.
[Home of Mr. Dennison, Union Miner, Burned]
[From] when the first non-union men began the work of building a fence at the El Paso, until the completion of the tunnel, there was enacted at the mine many disgraceful scenes of lawlessness. Guards at the mine had fights among themselves; insulted passers-by; stopped respectable people that had business to pass that way, at the point of rifles. They were, it was said, caught stealing. They made indecent exposures before innocent children; for which some of the men employed were arrested. The home of Mr. Dennison, a union miner, was destroyed by incendiaries on the night of Sept. 2, and while it was not proved positively that it was the work of the El Paso crew, evidence was strong against them. If they did not actually light the fire that destroyed the property, they, at least, made plain the fact that they were glad to see Mr. Dennison and family made homeless. While the house was in flames and the work of saving some of the household goods was in progress, the guards stood by and laughed and jeered. They did not offer to assist the unfortunate people. For that reason, I say if they were not instrumental in the burning of the building, at any rate, they made no secret of their joy at the sight of Dennison’s home being in flames.
[Large rewards were offered by the county officials and citizens for evidence leading to the arrest of those guilty of the assault upon businessmen Stewart an Hawkins, however] no reward offered for the villains that burned the home of Mr. Dennison, a union miner, and there was very little said of the matter by the enemies of organized labor.
[Governor Sends Investigating Committee]
When it was announced that an investigating committee was to visit the district a general expression of satisfaction was heard on every side. But, alas, that investigating committee—what a farce.
The members of the committee arrived [in Victor] over the Short Line Sept. 3, at 9:30 p. m. They were hastened through a back alley by F. M. Reardon to a rear entrance into the Bank of Victor, where they were met by Mayor French and a few other prominent citizens and held a short consultation, when they left for the residence of Nelson Franklin. The committee remained at the residence of Nelson Franklin about a half hour and then took the low line electric for Cripple Creek, where they went into session and held a long interview with Sheriff Robertson. They refused to talk. After the meeting with the mine owners they returned to Victor on a special car.
A telegram received at the Victor Daily Record office from Denver shortly after midnight said that the commission was in session at the National hotel in Cripple Creek and would not be ready with the recommendation for several hours. The commission consisted of Attorney General N. C. Miller, Brigadier General John Chase of the National guard, and Lieutenant T. E. H. McClelland, an obscure lawyer of Denver. No intimation was given out as to the possible conclusions.
The commission returned to Denver early the following morning, being in the district less than eight hours and only interviewed one side of the question.
[Troops Arrive]
September 4, about noon, the news reached the district that troops had been ordered to the gold camp and would arrive that night. The people were seized with consternation at this news. A wail of indignation went up from at least two-thirds of the entire population. The people at once understood the mission of the “investigating committee” and why they did not consult. all parties concerned. The first of the state troops arrived in the district Sept. 4 before midnight, and from then on for twenty-four hours they came until there was located, in one of the quietest, most conservative, law-abiding districts in the world, over 1,000 men with munitions of war sufficient to fight a small nation.
The all absorbing subject on the streets of Victor and in the entire district was the question of the arrival of the troops. The farce committee sent here by Governor Peabody to secure an excuse to bring the troops, returned to Denver Sept. 4, early in the morning, and immediately advised the governor to send the troops. Adjutant General Bell had his men in readiness. In fact, they were wearing their uniforms around Denver early in the morning and were simply waiting for the farce committee to report what had been agreed upon the day before.
Hellraisers Journal – Thursday August 13, 1903 Cripple Creek District of Colorado – Miners to Begin Strike Monday August 10th
Official Strike Call from the Western Federation of Miners
This is a copy of the official strike notice issued by the Western Federation of Miners which called the miners out on strike beginning Monday morning August 10th.
The Call
All members of the Western Federation of Miners and all employees in and about the mines of the Cripple Creek district are hereby requested not to report for wok Monday morning, August 10, 1903, except on properties shipping ore to the Economic mill, the Dorcas mill at Florence and the Cyanide mills of the district. BY ORDER OF DISTRICT UNION NO. 1.
The W.F. of M. issued the following statement regarding the necessity of calling the miners out on strike:
Manger MacNeil’s refusal to treat with us left us nothing to do but to order a strike and in so doing we adopted the only plan which promises certain success. In our proposals to him no mention was made of his failure to re-employ men who went out in the former strike, as he had agreed. we confined ourselves strictly to the question as to whether he was willing to pay the union wages demanded by his striking employees, and when he absolutely refused to do so or to recognize us in any way, our mission was ended.
Hellraisers Journal – Friday April 24, 1903
Colorado City, Colorado –Mill and Smeltermen’s Union on Strike, Part V
From The Miners Magazine of April 1903:
THE STRIKE IN COLORADO CITY.
[Part V of V: Miners of Cripple Creek Support Smeltermen]
The Cripple Creek Press, the official organ of organized labor of the Cripple Creek district (since suspended) had the following to say in its editorial columns of March 15:
The announcement of a settlement of the differences between the Mill and Smeltermen’s Union No. 125, of Colorado City, and the managers of the Portland and Telluride mills is pleasing to the people of this district, but the failure of the United States Reduction and Refining Company to enter into the agreement made by the other mills means something which is not pleasing. It means that unless the mines shipping to the Standard mill accede to the demands made upon them by the executive board of the Western Federation of Miners, that they quit shipping their ores to the said United States Reduction and Refining Company on Monday, that the miners employed by them will be called out by the Federation. It means that when these men are called out in support of their brothers on strike against the Standard mill, they will go out and tie up those mines so tight that Manager MacNeil will have a difficult time in getting material to keep his pet scabs at Colorado City employed. The Western Federation has done everything in its power to bring about an amicable settlement, and when Manager MacNiel refuses to accept the terms made by the managers of the other mills he places himself behind the pale of public consideration and the only thing now left for the mine managers who are shipping to his mill will be to whip him into line or submit to a strike of miners employed by them. There is no middle ground with the miners on this question. They will be compelled to insist upon the demands made by them being complied with or walk out.
The governor failed to keep his promise that he would immediately withdraw the troops, and the delay of the governor in issuing his order recalling the state militia caused the following to be issued from the headquarters of the Western Federation of Miners on March 17:
The representatives of the Western Federation of Miners, since the strike was declared at Colorado City, have at all times held themselves in readiness to confer with the mill managers for the purpose of bringing about an amicable adjustment of differences. For months previous to the strike, the officers of the Federation labored early and late to bring about an honorable settlement, which would prevent any open rupture between the mill managers and their employes. The officers of the Federation have given a respectful hearing to representatives in all departments of business, and at all times have shown a disposition to submit their grievances to a board of arbitration. Had the mill managers manifested as earnest a desire to pour oil upon the troubled waters as the Western Federation of Miners, the people of the state of Colorado would never have been compelled to forward protests against the executive of the state for his loyalty to corporate interests.
Had the mill managers exhibited even the slightest disposition to act in a spirit of justice to their employes the strike would have been averted and the treasury of the state would not have become a graft for military officials who are “bug house” when clothed with the uniform of blue. The militia of the state has been used for the purpose of inciting riot, but with all the infamous schemes concocted by Bell and Brown, the strikers have remained unruffled, and have shown to the people of Colorado that they are law-abiding, and that even uniformed ruffians could not goad them to acts of violence. The sheriff of El Paso county has demonstrated that he has been a willing auxiliary in the hands of the mill managers to exaggerate the conditions of the situation at Colorado City so that corporations which refuse to arbitrate could secure the militia to perform picket duty at the expense of the state.
The governor, toward the close of the interview Sunday morning, admitted without any solicitation, that the representatives of the Western Federation of Miners had gone more than three-fourths of the way and had been more than fair in bringing about a settlement and that he would at once issue an order to withdraw the troops. The governor admitted, after his personal investigation of affairs at Colorado City, that he was unable to connect the strikers with any violation of the law. In the interview that was held Sunday at the governor’s office to arbitrate with Manager MacNeil, the governor receded from his former agreement to withdraw the troops. He asked the representatives of the Western Federation of Miners for a further concession, namely, that he would immediately withdraw the troops providing that the Federation would withdraw all suits against the officers of the state militia. The representatives of the Federation were again magnanimous and accepted the proposition of the governor.
Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday April 21, 1903
Colorado City, Colorado –Mill and Smeltermen’s Union on Strike, Part II
From The Miners Magazine of April 1903:
THE STRIKE IN COLORADO CITY.
[Part II of V: W. F. of M. Attempts to Negotiate]
Previous to the strike being declared, the following letter was presented to the mill managers by the Mill and Smeltermen’s union of Colorado City:
We respectfully present for your consideration a schedule relating to employment and wages in and about the mills. This schedule has been carefully considered by members of the Colorado City Mill and Smeltermen’s union No. 125, W. F. M., and they deem it a fair and reasonable minimum scale for the services in the various lines of work, and inasmuch as throughout the immediate surrounding places a like or higher scale is in effect, it is evident that both the employer and the employes regard a scale not lower than the one presented as just and equitable. Should there be any part of the schedule, however, which appears to you as not being fair and just, we will be glad to take the matter up with you, and assure you of our willingness to look at things from the company’s standpoint as well as our own, and do that which will promote harmony and justice.
We are greatly aggrieved over the discharge of individuals who have been, so far as we are informed, faithful employes of the company, and the only reason for their dismissal being the fact of their membership in this union.
We do not object to the company discharging men whose services as workmen are unsatisfactory. We are not now, nor do we intend to uphold incompetent men nor insist that they be either employed or retained in the employment of the company, but we must protect the men in their rights to belong to the union, even to the extent of discontinuing to work for any company which so discriminates against them.
Realizing that you will require some time to consider the accompanying scale, the committee will call upon you on the 25th inst. and expect a definite answer.
This letter was signed by the official committee of the union, but the letter received but little courteous consideration from the managers. When all overtures of the union failed to bring about an amicable adjustment of differences, the strike was declared as a last resort for justice. The mill managers exhausted every resource to fill the places of the strikers, but their efforts were unavailing. The governor then came to the rescue by recognizing the order of the sheriff, who wears the collar of the corporations. The Denver Post contains the following in its issue of March 6:
This is the telegram sent to the Colorado City mill managers by the Denver Post:
“Are you willing to submit to arbitration the trouble between your company and the mill workers employed by you, the arbitration board to be appointed by joint arrangement of parties involved? Please answer at our expense.
THE DENVER POST.
This is the reply:
“There is no trouble between our company and mill workers employed by us. Our employes are now and have been perfectly satisfied with wages and treatment. Wages paid by us more and hours of labor less than ore reducing plants with whom we compete. Our employes don’t ask to arbitrate. Our plants are full-handed and all our employes and plants require is protection from the violence of outsiders not employed by us. We would be pleased to have your representative visit our plants and fully investigate.
C. A. MACNEIL.
Vice President and General Manager
United States Reduction and Refining Company.
Hellraisers Journal – Monday April 20, 1903 Colorado City, Colorado –Mill and Smeltermen’s Union on Strike, Part I
From The Miners Magazine of April 1903:
THE STRIKE IN COLORADO CITY.
[Part I of V, The Strike Begins]
On February 14, 1903, the Mill and Smeltermen’s Union No. 125, of the Western Federation of Miners, was forced to strike a blow on the industrial field against the arrogance of the mill trust, whose employes were denied the right to organize for self-protection under the penalty or a forfeiture of employment. Previous to the Western Federation of Miners sending an organizer to Colorado City to establish a local of the W. F. M., the employes of the mills had maintained a local union which was disrupted and shattered through the employment of Pinkertons by the corporations.
***
When the Western Federation of Miners invaded the domain that was considered sacred to MacNeil, Fullerton and Peck, and organized the Mill and Smeltermen’s Union, corporation coin secured the services of a Benedict Arnold in the union by the name of A. K. Crane, who, for Judas money, prostituted his manhood and betrayed his fellowmen by furnishing the corporations the names of every man who sought shelter in the membership of the Western Federation of Miners. As rapidly as the names of members of the union were furnished by the traitor to Manager MacNeil of the mill trust, they were discharged without ceremony. The union at Colorado City bore with patience this discrimination until patience became so abused “that it ceased to be a virtue.” The representatives of the Western Federation of Miners called upon the management of the mills, protesting against discrimination, but all efforts to bridge the gulf that lay between the union and the mill owners were fruitless, and the strike was declared on February 14, against the United States Reduction and Refining Company. It was but a short time when the Telluride mill owners joined hands with MacNeil and entered into a compact that was backed and supported by the Mine Owners’ Association of Colorado, to fight to a finish any and all efforts of the Western Federation of Miners to establish the right of the mill men to organize for their mutual welfare and collective prosperity.
The strikers conducted their campaign in a most peaceable manner and their eloquent and moral persuasion left the mills in a condition which baffled the managers whose haughty contempt for unionism forced the battle. Secret meetings of the mill owners and representatives of the Mine Owners’ Association were held, and a plot was hatched that would bring the state militia to the scene of action to assist the corporations in their infamous assault upon the right of labor to organize. The governor of the state became a willing tool to serve the interests of the corporate masters, who, in all probability, a few months before furnished the “sinews of war” to aid him in reaching the goal of his political ambition.
The reason and the cause which led to the strike can be conveyed to the readers in no more abbreviated manner than to quote the language of Secretary-Treasurer Haywood to a reporter of the Denver Post of March 4:
The occasion for the strike was the absolute refusal of the mill managers at Colorado City to treat with or recognize the union. Our men were discharged because they belonged to the union; they were so informed by the managers. We then asked the operators to reinstate these men and consider a wage scale. They would do neither.
We object to compulsory insurance, and claim the constitutional right to organize as do the operators, and want wages that will enable our men to move into houses and not rear their families in tents. The scale asked is lower than in any milling or mining camp in Colorado.
During the bitter cold weather the wives and children of many of the men were huddled together in tents because the wages paid would not suffice to pay house rent and provide other necessities.
The minimum scale paid is $1.80 per day, from which is deducted 5 cents for compulsory insurance and one per cent discount. Checks are drawn in favor of merchants with whom the men trade.
When the mill owners and the representatives of the Mine Owners’ Association realized that the strikers were masters of the situation and their places, a picture was drawn by the corporations to present to the governor that would justify the legality of the state militia being used to break the strike. The governor, in his message to the legislature after having taken the oath of office, was emphatic in his assurance that he would uphold ‘law and order.’ Such words coming from the chief executive of the state were wisely interpreted by the capitalistic anarchists, who knew that the governor would never call out the state militia to prevent the employer from starving his serfs. On the third of March, at the hour of noon, the governor, who but a few months before was living on usury in the convict city of the state, issued an order that swelled the plutocratic heart with gratitude and joy.
Hellraisers Journal – Sunday March 15, 1903
Colorado City, Colorado – Managers Refuse Arbitration with Smeltermen
From The Butte Miner of March 13, 1903:
GOV. ASKS FOR ARBITRATION
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PEABODY CONFERRED WITH MILL MANAGERS AND STRIKERS AT COLORADO ON SETTLEMENT OF DIFFERENCES ———- MANAGERS DECLARE THERE IS NOTHING TO ARBITRATE AND 8,000 CRIPPLE CREEK MINERS MAY GO CUT. ———-
Denver, Colo., March 12.-Governor Peabody returned at noon today from his visit to Colorado City, where he went to make a personal investigation of the strike situation to enable him better to take action looking to a settlement of the trouble.
This evening the governor issued a statement in which he related the incidents of his trip and announced the belief that the militia should be for the present maintained at Colorado City on account of alleged threats which have been made against the nonunion men in their boycotted mills, though he says he could not find, upon the most rigid inquiry, that the threats came from members of the Smeltermen’s union. He testified that he had asked the representatives of both sides of the controversy with their counsel to meet him in conference at the state house Saturday afternoon at two o clock.
The strike leaders have renewed their declaration of willingness to submit all questions in controversy to a proper tribunal. If they are not met half way, they will call out 8,000 Cripple Creek miners on next Monday.
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The officers of the Western Federation of Miners decided today to invoke the law to punish officers of the national guard who, it is alleged, have perpetuated outrages upon the Colorado City strikers and an injunction will be applied for to prevent any repetition of such acts.
[Said W. D. Haywood, of the federation:]
Action will be begun against officers of the militia and others for confiscation of property, invading private houses, arresting men without warrant and holding them without a charge and other illegal acts. In some cases the proceedings may be in the nature of civil suits, while in others criminal action may be instituted.
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