Tag: July 1909

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for July 1909, Part III: Addresses Convention of W. F. of M.

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, re Ruling Class, AtR p2, Jan 23, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday August 10, 1909
Mother Jones News Round-Up for July 1909, Part III:
-Addresses Convention of Western Federation of Miners

From El Paso Herald of July 17, 1909:

Mother Jones, Elkhart IN Dly Rv p2, Crpd, July 19, 1909

“MOTHER JONES” ADDRESSES MINERS’ CONVENTION

Denver, Col., July 17.-The dispute between the Butte brewery workers and the Western Federation of Miners over the control of the brewery engineers, occupied the attention of the miners this morning and the question is still unsettled. “Mother Jones” addressed the convention this afternoon.

———-

[Photograph added.]

From the Appeal to Reason of July 17, 1909:

SW Edition, Texas, WJ Bell Sec Tyler, AtR p3, July 3, 1909

[…..]

Mineral Wells Encampment.

As encampments on a large scale is the order of the day, the locals and comrades of Parker and Palo Pinto counties instead of trying to hold ordinary encampments separately, have united their resources and efforts in the production of one huge encampment.

Mineral Wells is an ideal spot for and encampment [scheduled for Aug. 9-14]. A full corps of speakers will be on hand for the full six days. Hickey, Brewer, Andrews, Lena Morrow Lewis, Noble, Buchanan, Mother Jones and able local speakers. Every kind of amusement and attraction that goes with an encampment will serve to amuse those in attendance while the speakers educate. Bring your families in your wagons or come by rail at special rates and camp with us for the week.

———-

[Note: Mineral Wells is about 50 miles west of Fort Worth.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for July 1909, Part II: Found Speaking at Convention of the Western Federation of Miners

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, We Will Rest, UMWC Jan 27, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday August 9, 1909
Mother Jones News Round-Up for July 1909, Part II:
-Found Speaking in Denver at W. F. of M. Convention

From Proceedings of the Convention of Western Federation of Miners
-Held at Denver, Colorado, July 12-August 3, 1909:

Third Day, Afternoon Session of July 14, 1909:
-From Financial Report of Secretary-Treasurer Earnest Mills

Mother Jones, Elkhart IN Dly Rv p2, July 19, 1909

We have been in receipt of $3,911.72, principally through the efforts of “Mother” Jones, for the defense of the Mexican Political Refugees, whose cases were discussed at the Sixteenth Annual Convention, and $3,809.75 has been paid to the Bisbee Mexican Defense Committee, and used directly in behalf of securing the liberty of the imprisoned men, while the balance, $101.97, has been forwarded to the Political Refugee Defense Committee at Chicago at the request of “Mother” Jones for the defense of Calixto Guerra, a political refugee, whose extradition is demanded by President Diaz of Mexico.

Fifth Day, Afternoon Session of July 16, 1909:

Mother Jones, having entered the hall at this time [following the Report of Vice-President C. E. Mahoney], was escorted to the platform, where she was introduced by the chair to the delegates, who received the venerable “mother” with ringing applause.

“Mother” Jones spoke at length, describing the struggle of the coal miners who are now on strike, and urging the delegates to elect men to their respective legislatures and congress who would look after the interests of the working class. At the conclusion of her address, “Mother” Jones was loudly applauded.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for July 1909, Part I: Found in New Castle, Pennsylvania

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Old Devil, UMWC Jan 27, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday August 8, 1909
Mother Jones News Round-Up for July 1909, Part I:
-Found Speaking to Tin Workers in New Castle, Pennsylvania

From the Pittsburg National Labor Tribune of July 1, 1909:

Mother Jones, Muncie IN Eve Prs p3, July 17, 1909

VOTE AT NEW CASTLE.
—–

[…]

Pride of New Castle lodge, composed of members of the Amalgamated [Association of Iron, Steel and Tin Workers] employed at the Greer tin mills, decided at a meeting Saturday night to strike against the “open shop” policy the vote was 153 for and 104 against….

———-

Mother Jones Speaks Out.

Many of the tin workers who had voted to strike went to hear Mother Jones speak at the Airdome Sunday night but were not as well pleased with her remarks as they thought they would be as she held out no hope for them winning their strike. Mrs. Jones stated that the men had no hope at all unless they were solidly organized and that they could accomplish nothing in the condition that they were. She did suggest that they all get into the Socialist party and by all uniting under that banner that they would win in the end. That was the gist of her remarks pertaining to the New Castle situation.-News

———-

[Photograph added from The Muncie Evening Press of July 17, 1909.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Western Federation of Miners Dedicates Monuments to John Murphy & George Pettibone, Part II

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote John ONeill re Pettibone, Mnrs Mag p7, July 29, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday August 7, 1909
Denver, Colorado – Monuments for Murphy and Pettibone Dedicated, Part II

From The Miners Magazine of August 5, 1909:

Monument to Murphy and Pettibone Dedicated July 24th.
[Part II]
—–

John Murphy, Pettibone, Mnrs Mag p4, Aug 5, p6, July 29, 1909
—–

Judge Hynes in a neat address then introduced John M. O’Neill, editor of the Miners’ Magazine, who delivered the following address:

Ladies and Gentlemen, Members of Organized Labor and Delegates to the Western Federation of Miners:

We have gathered here today to dedicate monuments to the memory of two men, who in life entwined themselves in the hearts of men and women who are scanning with yearning eyes the distant horizon and watching for the faint gleams of that glad morning that shall usher in a civilization that bequeathes to humanity the priceless heritage of industrial liberty. These monuments are the generous gifts of men who mourned the cruel summons of the grim messengers of death that snatched from life’s arena men whose deathless devotion and loyalty to the eternal principles of justice, made their names immortal in the labor movement of Western America. They did not come from the gory field of battle bearing victories that were baptized in human blood. They were not crowned with achievements won amid the fire and smoke of shot and shell, but they were soldiers in that great army of the world’s struggling millions that is slowly but surely marching onward toward the goal of economic freedom.

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Hellraisers Journal: Western Federation of Miners Dedicates Monuments to John Murphy & George Pettibone, Part I

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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———-

Hellraisers Journal – Friday August 6, 1909
Denver, Colorado – Monuments for Murphy and Pettibone Dedicated, Part I

From The Miners Magazine of August 5, 1909:

Monument to Murphy and Pettibone Dedicated July 24th.
[Part I]
—–

John Murphy, Pettibone, Mnrs Mag p4, Aug 5, p6, July 29, 1909
—–

On last Saturday afternoon the monuments erected to the memory of John H. Murphy and George A. Pettibone, were unveiled in the presence of more than 500 people who had gathered in Fairmont cemetery: The convention of the Western Federation of Miners adjourned at noon Saturday in order that the delegates might attend the dedication services in a body. At 2:15 p.m. the delegates left Denver in two special cars for the cemetery, followed by a special car containing members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen and another special car with members of the Granite Cutters’ Union. When the special cars reached the cemetery, the monuments were already surrounded by many of the friends of the departed and at 4 o’clock, Judge W. F. Hynes, who was master of ceremonies, addressed the gathering and paid eloquent tributes to the men who had proven their loyalty to the principles of organized labor. Judge Hynes then introduced A. H. Hawley, general secretary-treasurer of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen, who spoke as follows:

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Hellraisers Journal: McKees Rocks: Faced with Brutality Surpassing Belief, “Steel Strikers Are Determined to Win”

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Powers of Privilege, Ab Chp III———-

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday July 29, 1909
McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania – Conditions No Longer Endurable

From the Duluth Labor World of July 24, 1909:

STEEL STRIKERS ARE DETERMINED TO WIN
—–
Hideous Brutality of Pressed Steel Car Company
Almost Surpasses Belief.
—–

CONDITION OF EMPLOYES NO LONGER ENDURABLE
—–
Startling Revelations Made by
Ex-Coroner Armstrong of Pittsburg.
—–

In spite of the fact that news dispatches from the Pittsburg strike district all emanate from prejudicial sources, enough has leaked out to reveal the exceptionally villainous character of the management of the Pressed Steel Car Company.

McKees Rocks Strike, Armed Deps, State Troops, Albq Ctz p1, July 19, 1909

By Coroner Armstrong.

Some of the facts stated by Mr. Armstrong are as follows:

Sufficient care has not always been exercised by those running the plant. The Pressed Steel Car Company kills at its works one man per cay on an average. Those running the plant didn’t care much whether they killed a few “hunkies ” or not. The company had a sort of insurance that was very dangerous to human life, since it let the company out of all damages for deaths from injuries and permitted it to become very careless. Soon after becoming coroner he was compelled to place six or seven men high in the company under arrest in order to compel them to give him information regarding deaths in the plant. He made it so hot for the company that it was compelled to take some precautions, and its death roll was, in consequence, reduced about 65 per cent.

According to the Pittsburg evening papers one of the mills has long been known as the “slaughter house” because so many men were killed there. Another plant bears the inviting name of the “last chance,” for no man ever seeks work in that mill if he has a chance on earth outside-a magnificent illustration, by the way, of the bountiful opportunities which this marvelously rich country holds out to all men.

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Hellraisers Journal: Speech of IWW Organizer Elizabeth Gurley Flynn at Spokane on June 29, 1909, Part IV

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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Quote EGF, My Aim in Life, Spk Rv p7, July 8, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday July 28, 1909
Spokane, Washington – June 29th Speech of Gurley Flynn, Part IV

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of July 15, 1909:

ELIZABETH G. FLYNN ADDRESS TO WORKERS
—–

(Concluded From Last Week)

Address of Miss Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Organizer and Lecturer of the Industrial Workers of the World, given at Spokane, Wash., on Tuesday evening, June 29, 1909.

Employers Unite Industrially.

EGF, Spokane IW p3, July 22, 1909

The tobacco trust is organized from the tobacco fields straight through all the productions to the United States cigar stores and sell it over the continent; the American woolen trust, from the backs of the sheep clear through the mills, where the cloth is sold to the wholesaler; the beef trust is organized from the ranchers of the West through the slaughter houses and packing houses, and even in through the tannery, where leather is tanned, and they are now grasping out for the shoe factories, where the shoes are made.

Everywhere in the field of industry you see the organization according to the commodity produced, from the source of the raw material straight through the distribution of the finished product; and you find that straight line of capitalist industry sliced across by the union, just a little slice here and there; and by that method a class that has no capital hope to defeat those that have every power at their command. We have only our organization, fellow workers; they have capital; they have the power of the government, the slugging community of the capitalist class; they have the power of the state; they have the power of international capital-and we have but our power of organization. They can call out against us the militia, the army and the navy, and we have no means of stopping it, until we are organized to shut off from that army and navy their supply of food and their means of transportation. (Applause.)

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Hellraisers Journal: Speech of IWW Organizer Elizabeth Gurley Flynn at Spokane on June 29, 1909, Part III

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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Quote EGF, My Aim in Life, Spk Rv p7, July 8, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday July 27, 1909
Spokane, Washington – June 29th Speech of Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Part III

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of July 15, 1909:

ELIZABETH G. FLYNN ADDRESS TO WORKERS
—–

(Concluded From Last Week)

Address of Miss Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Organizer and Lecturer of the Industrial Workers of the World, given at Spokane, Wash., on Tuesday evening, June 29, 1909.

EGF, Spokane IW p3, July 22, 1909

We had another strike, or contemplated strike, last spring in the coal mining district, the United Mine Workers of America-I was going to say one of the backbones of the America Federation of Labor, because it is like a jelly fish, it has lots of backbone! That organization had a convention in Scranton and they decided not to strike, though they were very anxious to get better conditions in the mines. A good mine contract expired in April. What kind of a time is that to strike? Who cares anything about coal in April The time for a coal mine to strike is very much the same time as the time for a hotel workers strike.

The strikers in Butte told me that they were dissatisfied with their wages, and they wanted more and they were going to wait until prosperity came back and then they were going to strike. Can’t you see them waiting? And I said, “The time for you to strike is next week when there will be a convention of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and the town will be filled with members and all the hotels will be on their good behaviour and the town of Butte trying to make a great show of their wealth and generosity; then would be the time to strike.” And can’t you see the hotel managers and the restaurant owners coming to time if the girls struck then? The time to strike is when you are most needed and when it hurts the boss most. (Applause.)

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Hellraisers Journal: Miss Gurley Flynn, Dressed as Miner, Visits Mine with P. W. Flynn, President of Butte Miners’ Union

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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Quote EGF, My Aim in Life, Spk Rv p7, July 8, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday July 26, 1909
Butte, Montana – Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Visits Mine with P. W. Flynn

The following is a photograph of Miss Flynn and P. W. Flynn (on her left), President of the Butte Miners’ Union, Local No. 1 of the Western Federation of Miners. The photograph was taken June 16th during a visit to one of Butte’s many mining operations. Sadly, the others in the photograph remain unidentified to this date.

EGF, Butte Mine w PW Flynn, June 16, 1909, Rebel Girl p98

Miss Flynn describes the visit:

President Flynn and a committee…escorted me down into a mine. We donned miners’ caps and overalls to make the trip. The mine was so deep that the earth was actually hot. They also took me through a smelter, where a friendly worker ran an iron bar an inch or two into the molten copper and then cooled and hardened it [and gave it to her as a souvenir].

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Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Interview with Spokane Review: “Girl, 19, Fights in Cause of Labor”

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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———

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday July 25, 1909
Spokane, Washington – Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Devoted to Downtrodden

From the Spokane Spokesman-Review of July 8, 1909:

GIRL, 19, FIGHTS IN CAUSE OF LABOR
—–
Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Industrial Agitator,
Devotes Life to Downtrodden.
—–

STARTED WHEN ONLY 15
—–
Young Woman Believes in Evolution and
Socialism and Rejects Christianity.
—–

EGF, Restored, Spk Rv p7, July 9, 1909

I will devote my life to the cause of the downtrodden wage-earner.

My father was a victim of the master class and my brothers and sisters and myself have felt the pinch of poverty as the result of industrial tyranny and I am in the fight to a finish.

My sole aim in life is to do what lies in my power to right the wrongs and lighten the burdens of the laboring class.

In these words Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, not yet 19 years old, explained how she came to take to the lecture platform in the interests of the Industrial Workers of the World, an organization which conceives all capitalists to be its deadly enemies.

Only Slip of a Girl.

She is only a slip of a girl, tall, pale and slender, but she has strong convictions and a will to stick to a purpose.

Taking the lecture platform before she was 16 years old, at the completion of her high school course in New York city, she has followed her work persistently for more than three years and is regarded as one of the most effective apostles of the organization.

She has appeared in nearly every city in the country.

She sat for nearly an hour last night telling of her work and its purpose.

There was no bitterness in her words as she spoke of industrial conditions as she sees them, in fact, she smiled several times and her eyes sparkled with a kindly light.

There was no denunciation, no venom, only regret that things are not better than they are.

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