You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday September 17, 1907
Mesabi Iron Miners’ Strike: Good News from the Front Lines
From the Duluth Labor World of September 14, 1907:
GRAND JURY REFUSES TO INDICT STRIKERS
—–
No Miscarriage of Justice in Duluth Courts.—
Won’t Practice Range Methods.
—–
Jury Practically Holds That Petriella Was
Justified in Protecting Himself.
—–
Teofilo Petriella
The cases against the striking miners on the Mesaba range have fallen flat. When the Grand Jury took up the matter of the nine miners who were bound over on the charge of inciting a riot they listened to the evidence presented by the state, and then promptly, and very properly dismissed the matter by asking that the defendants be released.
Petriella too, who was bound over for carrying concealed weapons, was dismissed, and his $1,000 was returned to him.
One of the members of the grand jury in commenting on the cases said: “It was ridiculous to bring such frivilous cases before the grand jury.”
Judge Brady ought to see by this time that he is putting the county to needless expense in binding men over to the grand jury simply because hirelings for the Steel Trust bring them before him.
Petriella admitted carrying a revolver, but the jury thought he was justified, in view of the fact that newspapers on the range were threatening his life, advising tar and feathers, and demanding that he be driven from town. Petriella’s bail money was returned to him.
You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hellraisers Journal, Thursday September 12, 1907
Mother Jones News for August, Part I: Arrives on Mesabi Range
During the month of August 1907, we found Mother Jones in Arizona continuing her work on behalf of the Western Federation of Miners. After a brief visit to Denver to congratulate William D. Haywood on his recent acquittal, Mother turned up briefly in Chicago and from there she traveled to Minnesota’s Mesabi Range to support the W. F. of M. and the ongoing strike of the iron-ore miners of that region.
Today we present Part I of our Mother Jones News round-up for the month of August 1907. We will continue tomorrow with Part II.
From The Clifton Copper Era of August 1, 1907:
Mother Jones in Clifton.
The well known labor champion. Mother Jones, arrived in Clifton last Sunday evening and commenced on Monday with a series of open air meetings, which will be continued throughout the week. She is a white-haired lady of seventy years and has spent the most of her life in the interest of the laboring classes. She is the best feminine speaker that has ever appeared in Clifton and outside of a few strong remarks about companies her talks so far have been very mild, and not what was expected of her.
In some of her talks she drifted back into ancient history among the laboring classes and brought it out to the present time. The main object of her visit here is to give advice to the Mexican laborers, some of whom have taken part in the recent strike at the A. C. smelter. She is a rugged old lady and her voice is exceedingly well suited for the position which she occupies. She has had vast experiences with the laboring classes, having taken active part in almost every strike that has occurred in the United States.
Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday August 27, 1907
From The Labor World: “Labor’s Little Angel” Speaks in Duluth
Mother Jones spoke at the Duluth Armory on Sunday August 18th. With her on the platform where William E. McEwen, editor and publisher of The Labor World, and C. E. Mahoney who served as acting president of the Western Federation of Miners until the recent release of Charles Moyer from jail in Boise.
The striking iron miners of the Mesabi Range were supported by the speakers, and the steel trust and their gunthugs were condemned.
During her speech Mother Jones declared:
When they bring in the guns and the military, they think they have conquered; they rejoice at the thought they have conquered labor. You can conquer the steel trust, you can conquer the paper trust—every other trust in the world, but put it down for the editor in the morning that you can’t conquer the labor trust. If you wipe out the working class, what are the rich people going to do; they can’t even cook a meal of victuals for themselves.
From The Labor World of August 24, 1907:
ARMORY MASS MEETING WAS
MOST SUCCESSFUL
—–
Mother Jones Tells Working People of
Duluth Something About
Labor Conditions.
—–
Large Crowd Turned Out in Spite
of Inclement Weather—
Interest Was Great.
—–
The mass meeting at the armory last Sunday evening [August 18th] brought out 300 of the faithful. The weather was most unfavorable. The worst storm of the season was at its height, and even those on the program as speakers didn’t expect to see more than the committee on hand. However, the attendance was good, and spirit was high.
The meeting was called lo order by W. E. McEwen. On the platform with him were Alderman Jos. Shartell, Mother Jones, C. E. Mahoney, acting president of the Western Federation of Miners, and M. Kaplin. The Finnish band opened the meeting with the playing of the Marseilles.
You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hellraisers Journal, Sunday July 28, 1907
Mesabi Iron Range, Minnesota – Pinkerton Gunthugs Arrive
One wonders what would happen should strikers import into the state of Minnesota 100 armed gunthugs. We expect that the militia would be immediately called out and the bullpen made ready. The Pinkertons, however, entered the state and proceeded on up to the Range where they will most likely be sworn in as Sheriff’s deputies, as is per usual.
Meanwhile, an arrest warrant has been issued for the peaceful strike leader, Teofilo Petriella, organizer for the Western Federation of Miners.
From The Minneapolis Tribune of July 27, 1907:
—–
BULLETIN.
DULUTH, July 27,-(Special.)-One hundred Pinkerton detectives have arrived in Duluth. It is expected that they will go out to the strike district at once. They are here to protect the interests of the United States Steel corporation.
It’s the wrong way to treat the Miners
It’s the wrong way to go.
It’s the wrong way to best the Miners,
As the Steel Trust soon will know.
God help those dirty Mine Guards,
The Miners won’t forget.
It’s the wrong way to treat the Miners,
And the guards will know that yet.
-Written by a Miner in Jail
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Hellraisers Journal, Saturday September 9, 1916
Virginia, Minnesota – Appeal for Support
From Michigan’s Escanaba Morning Press of September 7, 1916:
SAYS DEPUTY KILLED MYRON
—–
Virginia, Minn., Sept. 6-Deputy Sheriff Edward Shubisky killed Deputy Sheriff Myron during the Biwabik riot July 3 and not Sam Scarlet [Scarlett], Carlo Tresco [Tresca] and others of the I. W. W. indicated for the murder of the officer, according to Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, who made the sensational charge at Socialist hall here last night before an audience made up, it is said, largely of curiosity seers.
She declared that Deputy Shubisky had fired three shots said that three bullets caused the death of Myron’ that Shubisky admitted firing three times. “Myron was struck in the back and it appears that Shubisky, who declares he does not know where he fired the three bullets, killed him,” she shouted. Nick Dillon, special deputy, was accused of the murder of Tom Ladvala, Biwabik pop-man.
Her version of the Biwabik tragedy was that Mr. and Mrs. Masonovich and three boarder were in their home when Deputies Myron, Shubisky, Dillion and Hoffman entered; that Dillion struck Masonovich; that Mrs. Masonovich tried to get her husband’s shoes and that she was knocked down by Dillion and that three boarders jumped to the rescue of Mrs. Masonovich; that Dillion left for help and that in the excitement Shubisky accidentally killed Myron. She claimed that the boarders had no firearms.
There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hellraisers Journal: Thursday September 7, 1916 International Socialist Review: George P. West on Minnesota Strike
THE MESABA STRIKE
By GEORGE P. WEST
The following are extracts from a report on the strike of iron miners now in progress on the Mesaba range in northern Minnesota which has been submitted to the Committee on Industrial Relations by George P. West, author of the report of the United States Commission on Industrial Relations on the Colorado strike. It is based on a field investigation.
The City of Duluth, the County of St. Louis, and the State of Minnesota, as represented by Governor Burnquist and other public officials, have joined hands in a relentless effort to crush out the strike of 15,000 iron miners now in progress on the Mesaba range, 70 miles north of Duluth.
With the support and good will of the United States Steel Corporation and affiliated interests as the stake, Governor Burnquist, Sheriff John R. Meining of Duluth, County Prosecutor Green and the Duluth Chief of Police are playing at ducks and drakes with the most sacred rights of the foreign workmen who mine the ore that goes down to the ships at Duluth for shipment to the Pittsburgh mills.
There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hellraisers Journal, Friday August 18, 1916
Mesabi Iron Range, Minnesota-I. W. W. Leaders Under Arrest
From Indiana’s Evansville Press of August 17, 1916:
LEADERS OF MESABI MINE STRIKE KIDNAPPED?
FORTS AND SEARCHLIGHTS PART OF WAR PLAN!
Special Correspondence.
HIBBING, Minn., Aug, 17.-“Forts” are being erected by gunmen of the steel trust interest in the hills of Mesabi iron range; searchlights play by night over the mining villages, up and down the main streets of Hibbing, Virginia and Eveleth; kidnaping, the “bullpen” and wholesale intimidation are said to be an attempt to crush the growing strike of workers.
Put in Jail
On the smaller Cuyuna range, south of this district, the strike already has resulted in a miners’ victory, and this fact is spurring the Mesabi strikers on to greater effort and sacrifices in their own strike.
The county jail at Duluth, 75 to 100 miles from the scene of the strike, is filled with miners’ leaders arrested on technical charges of “murder,” the only excuse for which seems to be in the fact that in a free-for-all fight at Biwabik, responsibility for which has not been yet fixed, two men were killed!
You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunday July 30, 1916
Hibbing, Minnesota – Joe Ettor Speaks to Striking Miners
From The Duluth News Tribune of July 27, 1916:
STRIKERS AT HIBBING OPEN DOORS TO PUBLIC
—–
Non-Members Hear Speakers- Joseph Ettor,
Long Expected, Arrives on Scene-
Says conditions Are Deplorable.
—–
HIBBING, July 26.-With two of their foremost leaders on the scene the I. W. W. here made a change in tactics today when they abandoned their former secretive methods and opened the doors of Workers’ hall to the public to hear speeches on the strike situation as viewed by the strikers. Joseph Ettor, who gained notoriety for his share in various eastern strikers, arrived here this afternoon by automobile from Virginia, joining Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, who addressed a meeting here last night. Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Smiling Joe Ettor, Long Expected, Arrives on the Mesabi, Finds Conditions Deplorable.”→
You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday July 29, 1916
Mesabi Range, Minnesota: Miss Flynn Speaks to Striking Miners
From The Duluth News Tribune of
July 24, 1916:
I. W. W. LEADER GOES BACK TO STRIKE ZONE
—–
Elizabeth G. Flynn’s Departure Causes
Postponement of Rallies in Duluth.
—–
Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, I. W. W. leader, returned to the range yesterday, forcing the postponement of last night’s meetings here, at which she was scheduled to appear to renew her local efforts for funds with which to continue the strike.
It was announced at local I. W. W. headquarters that Miss Flynn, after arriving in the city Saturday night to fill Sunday’s speech-making engagements, received orders to return immediately to the range. Louis Meles, secretary of the local branch of the organization, professed ignorance of the contingency requiring her presence in the strike zone.
J. S. Randolph substituted for Miss Flynn at a street meeting last night at Sixth avenue West and Michigan street. A few dollars was collected from the throng who heard his plea for financial assistance in behalf of the miners.
“Conditions on the Range” were discussed by Einar Ljungberg, Socialist orator, in an address last night before 300 Duluth Scandinavians at the Woodman hall. It was Ljungberg’s last speech in this country before returning to his home in Stockholm, Sweden.
You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday July 28, 1916
From Mesabi Strike Zone: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Fights for Miners
From the Duluth News Tribune of July 23, 1916:
Miss Flynn in City.
Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, I. W. W. agent, returned to Duluth last night, after a week spent among the strikers on the range. She said she would rest here today and return to the strike zone the first of the week.
“i delivered speeches in nearly all the range towns last week,” she said at the Holland hotel. “Sometimes I spoke in two or three towns in one day. The situation is quiet with both strikers and operators playing a ‘watchful, waiting’ game. It seems to have developed into a test of endurance-a test to see which faction can stand it the longest.”
