Hellraisers Journal: From the Spokane Industrial Worker: National Organizer J. H. Walsh Introduces I. W. W. Band

22nd June 2019 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote JH Walsh Overall Brigade, IUB p1, Oct 24, 1908 ———-

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.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From the Spokane Industrial Worker: National Organizer J. H. Walsh Introduces I. W. W. Band” →

Hellraisers Journal: Fellow Worker J. H. Walsh Completes Tale of the Overall Brigade’s Journey to IWW Convention

2nd November 2018 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

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

Hellraisers Journal – Monday November 2, 1908
The Overall Brigade “Abroad the Nation” from Missoula to Chicago

In the Industrial Union Bulletin of September 19th, J. H. Walsh described the journey of the Overall Brigade, riding the rails from Portland, Oregon, to the I. W. W. Convention in Chicago. He ended his account with the Brigade encamped near Missoula, Montana. The Brigade was bent on making it to Chicago by September 21st, the first day of the Convention. The story of the journey to Chicago is found completed in the latest edition of the Bulletin.

From The Industrial Union Bulletin of October 24, 1908:

ABROAD THE NATION

By J. H. WALSH.

The “Overall Brigade,” en route from Portland, Ore., to Chicago to the Fourth Annual Convention of the Industrial Workers of the World at this point, has finished another successful propaganda meeting at Missoula, Mont. This makes three successful meetings in this city. Literature sales have been the best here of any place so far on our route, while the song sales have doubled, running as high as $10 or $12 per meeting. The collections have been in the same proportion. In fact, it is the first place where the audience has thrown dollars into the crowd at the feet of the singers, as well as many smaller pieces of change that came jingling along at the same time. One collection in the hat was $14.25. This all tells one story in brief-and that is the growing sentiment toward Industrial Unionism.

It is plain to see that the lumbermen’s union, which was generally understood to be a part of the W. F. of M., will soon be a part of the I. W. W. But with all the favorable conditions and enthusiasm, and a thousand invitations for the “bunch” to return, we are off again for the railroad yards to continue our journey to the city of Butte-the noted mining camp.

Our special car is found. It goes in our direction as far as Garrison Junction. It is not a long ride, and we are now spinning along at passenger speed. The long blast of the whistle which sounds and resounds through the mountain tops and valleys on this cold morning, announces that we are approaching the junction. We are there, unloaded and off for the jungles. The cook and a delegate are on their way to the store for supplies, while the rest and the “bunch” is shivering around the camp fire.

Soon the fire is burning bright, the breakfast is cooking and the sun is making its appearance above the horizon, which adds some comfort to our condition on these cold mornings in the Rocky Mountain country. The delicious breakfast is ready and the “bunch” is congregated to partake of the passover.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Fellow Worker J. H. Walsh Completes Tale of the Overall Brigade’s Journey to IWW Convention” →

Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn and Western Overall Brigade Present at Chicago Convention of IWW

1st October 201814th January 2022 Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn

Quote Dolly Walsh re IWW Overall Brigrade, Itr Ocn p3, Sept 30, 1908
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday October 1, 1908
Chicago, Illinois – I. W. W. Convention “Running Full Blast”

From the Chicago Inter Ocean of September 30, 1908:

—–

—–

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn and Western Overall Brigade Present at Chicago Convention of IWW” →

Hellraisers Journal: From The Industrial Union Bulletin: J. H. Walsh with Hobo Army Riding the Rails to Chicago

23rd September 201827th August 2018 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote J H Walsh, Revolution in the Streets, IUB, Sept 19, 1908
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday September 23, 1908
Adventures of the Overall Brigade Enroute to Chicago

From The Industrial Union Bulletin of September 19, 1908:

[J. H. Walsh on the I.W.W’s Red Special, Part II of II.]

In Seattle we held several good meetings and then departed for the east. We met a very nice train crew apparently, out of Seattle. They claimed to all be union men, but they proved to be cheap dogs of the railroad. Fearing such a large bunch, they telegraphed ahead to Auburn Junction for a force to take us off. When we arrived at the junction we were surrounded by a band of railroad officials-the papers stated there were 25-when we were covered by guns and told to unload. We were marched to jail and held over night. In the morning the writer was separated from the bunch, but finally we were all turned loose. Being separated, we did not learn until evening where each and all were. However, all except the writer had gotten back to Seattle, and secured the services of Attorney Brown, to take up the case, should it become necessary. It was not necessary. The boys held a street meeting in Seattle, and part started from there for Spokane, over one road, and the rest over another road.

We continued our work of propaganda without missing a single date, and all re-united at Spokane, where we held several good meetings. Leaving Spokane, we took in Sandpoint, Idaho, and then rambled into Missoula, Montana, where we had some of the best meetings of all the places along the route.

We put the “Starvation Army” on the bum, and packed the streets from one side to the other. The literature sales were good, the collections good, and the red cards containing the songs sold like hot cakes.

At Missoula, Mont., we have completed two full week’s work on the road. We left Portland with 20 members. We lost 4 of them, but we picked up one at Seattle, and two at Spokane, so our industrial band is practically the same as when we started.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From The Industrial Union Bulletin: J. H. Walsh with Hobo Army Riding the Rails to Chicago” →

Hellraisers Journal: From The Industrial Union Bulletin: J. H. Walsh, “I.W.W. ‘Red Special’ Overall Brigade, On Its Way”

22nd September 201827th August 2018 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

The morning is bright and all
are sleeping on the jungle grass,
with our arms for pillows,
and coats for covers.
-J. H. Walsh
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday September 22, 1908
Adventures of the Overall Brigade Enroute to Chicago

From The Industrial Union Bulletin of September 19, 1908:

[J. H. Walsh on the I.W.W’s Red Special, Part I of II.]

In my last article to the Bulletin, I concluded just as we were ready to get to the railroad yards, to take our “Special” en route to Chicago.

Well, we’re in the yards, gathered together at the water tank. In order to know if all are present, we have numbered ourselves. The numbers run from one to nineteen, Mrs. Walsh making twenty. A switchman is seen and he informs us where our “Special car” will be found. The train is late however, and we are delayed a few hours. “Fly Cops” are pretty busy in the yards. They are watching their master’s property that some hobo may not break a sacred seal and pile into a car where valuable merchandise is stored.

Two blasts of the locomotive whistle are heard and the train is starting on it’s journey, and simultaneously nineteen men, all dressed in black overalls and jumpers, black shirts and red ties, with an I. W. W. book in his pocket and an I.W. W. button on his coat, are in a “cattle car” and on our way.

In a short time a glim (lantern) appears and the breakman jumps into the car. His unionism is skin-deep. He belongs to the B. of R. T., but never heard of the class struggle. He is unsuccessful, however, in the collecting of fares, and we continue are journey.

Our first stop, where we expect to hold a meeting is Centralia, and when about half way there, “our car” is set out. There is only one now left in the train to ride on. It is an oil car, so nineteen men will be found “riding” on that car as soon as the train starts. Being delayed for a few hours again, while the train is being transferred across the ferry, we are hovered around the first campfire toward the wee sma’ hours of morning. At last two short blasts of the whistle are heard, and all are aboard. It is only a short distance to our destination and the train is whirling along at passenger speed. The morning is turning cold and spitting a little rain, but all are determined to stick to the car, when again, appears the brakeman and tells us we cannot ride since daylight has come, but he is informed that we must get to Centralia. He insists we’ll get off at the next stop, but we fail to get off, and in a few minutes we arrive at our first stop.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From The Industrial Union Bulletin: J. H. Walsh, “I.W.W. ‘Red Special’ Overall Brigade, On Its Way”” →

Hellraisers Journal: Socialist Montana News Editor Finds J. H. Walsh and His Hobo Army Encamped in Billings

21st September 20182nd November 2018 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Am I to die, starving in the midst of plenty?
Or shall I die fighting?
For my part, a thousand times over,
I’ll die fighting before I’ll die starving.
-J. H. Walsh
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal Monday September 21, 1908
Billings, Montana – Mrs. Hazlett Encounters Walsh and His Army

From the Socialist Montana News of September 17, 1908:

On Mrs. Hazlett’s trip to Red Lodge, where the Labor day committee refused to let her speak after having engaged her, she spoke Saturday night at Billings. She had to combat a patent medicine doctor, another street fakir, and J. H. Walsh was there also with his industrial army. This “army” is a curious development of the unemployed protest. It will be remembered that J. H. Walsh was the first editor of the Montana News. He has since been a national organizer for I. W. W., and has been speaking along the coast, and through the western country. He has recently organize this hobo army of twenty, and they are on their way to the convention of the Industrial Workers of the World at Chicago.

They hobo it through the country and camp out. Mrs. Walsh goes through on a Pullman and he takes the baggage. They sing songs of the red flag and revolution, sell literature and take collections. They do not talk for socialism, but only for industrial unionism. Walsh does not believe in political action at all, but only in “direct action.” At the same time he says their propaganda is addressed to the large ranks of the unemployed, floaters, who are disfranchised because of no place to stay. Such work as the “hobo army” does may arouse the spirit of revolt in this class made miserable by society’s injustice, and so teach the only possible remedy for these terrible evils-the ownership by all mankind of the means of life.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Socialist Montana News Editor Finds J. H. Walsh and His Hobo Army Encamped in Billings” →