Tag: Ludlow CO

Hellraisers Journal: From United Mine Workers Journal: Thousands Gather for Memorial Services at Ludlow Monument

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote Frank Hayes, Here on Ludlow Field, UMWJ June 6, 1918—————

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday July 6, 1921
Ludlow, Colorado – Memorial Services Held at Ludlow Monument

From the United Mine Workers Journal of July 1, 1921:

Memorial at Ludlow Monument, UMWJ p8, July 1, 1921

Ludlow Monument ed small, UMWJ -p6, May 16, 1918

LUDLOW, Colo., June 20.-A crowd of more than 4,000 attended the annual memorial services at Ludlow monument yesterday. Ludlow monument was erected by the United Mine Workers of America on the scene of the inhuman massacre in 1914 of eighteen men, women and children by thugs and assassins in the employ of coal companies in the murderous campaign to prevent the mine workers of Colorado from joining the union. It was the largest crowd that ever attended a memorial service in memory of these heroic, helpless victims of the gunman’s fury.

An almost perfect June day and the published announcements that the international heads of the U. M. W. of A. would be present served to create more interest than usual.

There was considerable disappointment when a telegram was read by President Jno. McLennan of Dist. 15 stating John L. Lewis and Wm. Green would not be present because they had very important business on hand early Monday morning in Denver and, in view of the disarranged train schedules, feared they could not take a chance on delay.

Instead the principal address was delegated to Philip Murray of Pittsburgh, International Vice-President. Mr. Murray was the last speaker of the program and held his audience with a talk that was a mixture of real oratory, sentiment and humor, all delivered with a very pleasing and pronounced Irish brogue…..

[Vice-President Murray] spoke directly to the women and children during part of his address, urging them to use their influence on the non-union miners to join the organization…..

Reference was made to the Mingo county mine war in West Virginia, which Murray said had cost the lives of fifty union men in the past year. He said the miners there were made of stern stuff and were prepared to defend their homes with their lives.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From United Mine Workers Journal: Thousands Gather for Memorial Services at Ludlow Monument” →

WE NEVER FORGET the Men, Women and Little Children Who Lost Their Lives in Freedom’s Cause at Ludlow, Colorado, on April 20, 1914

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote Mother Jones, Pray for dead, ed, Ab Chp 6, 1925———-

WE NEVER FORGET WNF List of Ludlow Martyrs ed———

Sept 15, 1913 – Trinidad, Colorado
Convention of District 15 of the United Mine Workers of America

The delegates opened their convention by singing The Battle Cry of Union:

We will win the fight today, boys,
We’ll win the fight today,
Shouting the Battle Cry of Union;
We will rally from the coal mines,
We’ll fight them to the end,
Shouting the Battle Cry of Union.

The Union forever, hurrah boys, hurrah!
Down with the Baldwins and up with the law;
For we’re coming, Colorado, we’re coming all the way,
Shouting the Battle Cry of Union.

The miners faced the grim prospect of going out on strike against the powerful southern coalfield companies, chief among them, John D Rockefeller’s Colorado Fuel and Iron Company. The coal operators had steadfastly refused to recognize the Union and had ignored all attempts at negotiation.

The miners had had their fill of dangerous working conditions, crooked checkweighmen, long hours, and low pay. They lived in peonage in company towns, were paid in company scrip, and were forced to shop for their daily needs in high-priced company stores which kept them always in debt. But, mostly they hated the notorious company guard system. Every attempt to organize had been met with brutality on the part of the coal operators.

Mother Jones addressed the convention for over an hour, urging the men to:

Rise up and strike! …Strike and stay with it as we did in West Virginia. We are going to stay here in Southern Colorado until the banner of industrial freedom floats over every coal mine. We are going to stand together and never surrender…

Pledge to yourselves in this convention to stand as one solid army against the foes of human labor. Think of the thousands who are killed every year and there is no redress for it. We will fight until the mines are made secure and human life valued more than props. Look things in the face. Don’t fear a governor; don’t fear anybody…You are the biggest part of the population in the state. You create its wealth, so I say, “Let the fight go on; if nobody else will keep on, I will.”

Continue reading “WE NEVER FORGET the Men, Women and Little Children Who Lost Their Lives in Freedom’s Cause at Ludlow, Colorado, on April 20, 1914” →

Hellraisers Journal: From United Mine Workers Journal: Mary Petrucci Unveils Ludlow Monument on Memorial Day

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote Mary Petrucci, Joe's Little Hammer, NY Tb p7, Feb 4, 1915
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Friday June 7, 1918
Ludlow, Colorado – Magnificent Monument Unveiled on Memorial Day

The unveiling described:

Mary Petrucci, on tour, May 1914

Mrs. Mary Pertucci [Petrucci], who lost three of her children in the massacre, unveiled the monument while the great crowd of miners and sympathizers paid their silent respect to the memory of the dead.

On the barren plain where once stood the humble tent colony of the Ludlow strikers, the monument towers, an impressive landmark. Down through the years that are to come it will mark the scene of a dastardly crime. More eloquently than any spoken word it will tell the tragic story of the poor murdered women and the innocent babes of Ludlow who died for democracy.

[Photograph added.]

United Mine Workers Journal of June 6, 1918:

Ludlow Memorial Dedicated, UMWJ, June 6, 1918

Details:

Ludlow Memorial Dedicated, Detail, UMWJ, June 6, 1918

—–

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From United Mine Workers Journal: Mary Petrucci Unveils Ludlow Monument on Memorial Day” →

Hellraisers Journal: Magnificent Monument Dedicated at Ludlow; Mr. and Mrs. Rockefeller Appear, Uninvited

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote Frank Hayes, Here on Ludlow Field, UMWJ June 6, 1918~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday June 2, 1918
Ludlow, Colorado -United Mine Workers Remembers the Martyrs

From The Fur Workers of June 1, 1918:

MONUMENT AT LUDLOW

Ludlow, Col.,-A magnificent monument was dedicated here May 30, by the United Mine Workers in honor of the 33 men, women and children who were killed by a detachment of the Colorado state militia on April 20, 1914. The militia were gunmen imported into the state by the Colorado Fuel and Iron company, a Rockefeller subsidiary.

The miners and their families had been evicted from their homes by the coal company and were living in tents when they were fired upon by the thugs, who afterwards burned the tents. The United Mine Workers later purchased the site of the tent colony and erected the monument.

At the base of the monument is the figure of a worker, upstanding and resolute, while beside him is the figure of a woman clutching a babe. On the monument is this inscription:

In memory of the men, women and children who lost their lives in freedom’s cause at Ludlow, Colorado, April 20, 1914. Erected by the United Mine workers of America.

———-

Ludlow Monument, UMWJ -p6, May 16, 1918

———-

Ludlow Monument, Inscription, Sharp

[Emphasis and photographs added.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Magnificent Monument Dedicated at Ludlow; Mr. and Mrs. Rockefeller Appear, Uninvited” →

Hellraisers Journal: Memorial Monument to Be Unveiled This Decoration Day on the Hollowed Ground at Ludlow, Colorado

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

I can’t have my babies back.
But perhaps when everybody knows about them,
something will be done to make the world
a better place for all babies.
At least, I like to think so.
It is the only thing which gives me any comfort.
-Mary Petrucci

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

Hellraisers Journal, Monday May 20, 1918
Ludlow, Colorado – Monument to be Unveiled on Hollowed Ground

Let it be recorded in the annals of organized labor that those who perished on Ludlow field on the 20th day of April, 1914, died for a great cause, and let us who now do honor to their memory, so live and act that they may not have died in vain.

From the United Mine Workers Journal of May 16, 1918:

IN REMEMBRANCE

Ludlow Monument, UMWJ -p6, May 16, 1918

On the 20th day of April, 1914, the darkest chapter in the industrial life of America was written.

On the field of Ludlow, Colo., a tented city had been erected by the United Mine Workers of America to house the striking miners and their families after they had been evicted from their homes by the coal company gunmen at the commencement of the great strike in the southern coal fields.

Under the leadership of one E. K. Linderfeldt, a detachment of the Colorado state militia that had been recruited from gunmen imported into Colorado by the Rockefeller and other large coal corporations, deliberately planned the dastardly deed of shooting up and exterminating the peaceful tent colony at Ludlow. On Monday, April 20, 1914, the unspeakable crime was committed, and 33 men, women and children were brutally slain and their poor tented homes were burned to the ground.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Memorial Monument to Be Unveiled This Decoration Day on the Hollowed Ground at Ludlow, Colorado” →

Hellraisers Journal: Ludlow Monument Will be Dedicated on Decoration Day by United Mine Workers of America

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

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

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday April 28, 1918
Ludlow, Colorado – Miners to Dedicate Monument to Honor Martyrs

From the United Mine Workers Journal of April 25, 1918:

DIST. NO. 15, COLORADO

Ludlow Massacre by Morris Hall Pancoast, Masses, June 1914

Frank Hayes, UMWJ p3, Jan 10, 1918

President Hayes has sent the following letter which is self-explanatory, to President Johnson of District No. 15:

Mr. Geo. O. Johnson, President,
District 15, U. M. W. of A.,
Pueblo, Colorado.
Dear Sir and Brother:

Just a few lines to advise that we expect to have the Ludlow Monument erected and in place by next Decoration Day, and we propose to hold dedication exercises at Ludlow on that date. In view of this fact, it might be well to postpone the anniversary demonstration until May 30th, at which time we expect to hold a great demonstration at Ludlow, which will be attended by all the members of the International Executive Board. I suggest that you notify your Local Unions as to our intention to hold dedication exercises on May 30th.

With all good wishes, I am,
Fraternally yours,
FRANK J. HAYES, President.

It may be stated here that owing to difficulties encountered in transporting material, the original arrangements to have the monument arrive at Ludlow in time to hold dedication services on the day of the anniversary of the Ludlow massacre, could not be carried out. The dedication and memorial exercises will be held on Decoration Day as set forth in the above communication.

All local unions of Dist. No. 15 are advised to make suitable arrangements to be represented at Ludlow on the 30th day of May, when it is expected that the miners of Colorado will foregather in a mighty demonstration to pay tribute to those who died that the United Mine Workers might endure in Colorado.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Ludlow Monument Will be Dedicated on Decoration Day by United Mine Workers of America” →

Hellraisers Journal: U. M. W. establishes fund “to build a monument to our martyred dead, on the field of Ludlow.”

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote re Ludlow Monument, UMWJ June 21, 1917

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday June 22, 1917
United Mine Workers of America to Honor Ludlow Martyrs

From the United Mine Workers Journal of June 21, 1917:

The Ludlow Monument
—–

Ludlow Massacre by Morris Hall Pancoast, Masses, June 1914

—–

While it is fully recognized that there would be only words of commendation if the International Executive Board had appropriated sufficient money to build a monument to our martyred dead, on the field of Ludlow, there is a sentimental value in the recommendation adopted instead that, no doubt, will be appreciated by the membership.

We wish to perpetuate the memory of those who died that the organization might live in Colorado and in the entire country.

Let us place that memorial upon every minute book of every local in the jurisdiction of the miners’ union. In subscribing a small sum to be expended in the erection of a fitting monument we recognize anew the bitter cost some were called upon to pay.

So many of us have fallen heir to the benefits that are derived from unionism. We have never learned to appreciate the cost of its up building and some of us may hold them lightly, and even so, the organization gained with sacrifice, struggle and pain, even unto death.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: U. M. W. establishes fund “to build a monument to our martyred dead, on the field of Ludlow.”” →

Hellraisers Journal: John R Lawson, Hero of Ludlow, Freed from Murder Conviction by Colorado Supreme Court

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share


Solemnly facing iron bars and prison walls,
I assert my love for justice
and my faith in its ultimate triumph.
-John R Lawson

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

Hellraisers Journal, Saturday June 9, 1917
From the United Mine Workers Journal: John Lawson Is Freed!

From the Journal of June 7, 1917:

Colorado Supreme Court Reverses
Lawson Judgment

John Lawson Free, Buona Fortuna, UMWJ p19, June 7, 1917

Denver, Colo., June 4.—The Colorado supreme court today handed down a unanimous decision, all seven judges present and concurring, reversing judgments against John R. Lawson, who had been convicted by picked judge and jury in the Las Animas circuit court on the charge of first degree murder of a mine guard who fell in an attack upon the Ludlow tent colony, and against Louis Zancanelli, convicted in the court presided over by the same judge, Granby J. Hilliard, ex-coal operators’ attorney, on the charge of killing George Belcher, Baldwin-Feltz mine guard, on the streets of Trinidad, Colo.

The trials accorded these two miners have long been recognized by the decent lawyers and citizens of Colorado as a glaring intentional perversion of justice and a disgrace to the state. The decision rendered by the supreme court, reversing judgment, was based upon the fact that objection was entered by the defense against Judge Hilliard, recognized as an operators’ attorney, who had been appointed special judge by Governor Carlson to try, and convict, miners charged with crimes alleged to have been committed during the strike of 1913-14. After the trials of Lawson and Zancanelli, the supreme court handed down a decision prohibiting Judge Hilliard from trying any others of the strike cases.

The objection raised at the opening of the trial of John R. Lawson and Louis Zancanelli by lawyers for the defense—charging prejudice against Judge Hilliard and challenging his right to preside as judge, was considered sufficient cause for the reversal of judgment by the members of the supreme court. Other objections, equally as well founded, were not considered as the first objection was upheld. The defense had proof that the juries were selected from known enemies of the union miners, including several hired gunmen of the companies; that those of the jurymen who objected to rendering a verdict of guilty had been threatened with starvation, by order of the court, and one juryman in the Lawson case was told that his wife was dangerously ill, thus breaking down his opposition to the iniquitous verdict.

While the eases against John R. Lawson and Louis Zancanelli have been remanded back to Las Animas county for trial, there is little doubt but that the cases will be “nol-prossed” by the present district attorney at the first term of circuit court. Our persecuted brothers are practically free.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: John R Lawson, Hero of Ludlow, Freed from Murder Conviction by Colorado Supreme Court” →

Hellraisers Journal: 120 Coal Miners Feared Dead at Hastings, Colorado; Smoke Pouring from Victor-American Mine

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Pray for the dead
And fight like hell for the living.
-Mother Jones

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

Hellraisers Journal, Saturday April 28, 1917
Hastings, Colorado – 120 Coal Miners Trapped in Victor Mine

From the Spokane Daily Chronicle of April 27, 1917:


FIRE TRAPS 120 IN VICTOR MINE;
HINT WAR PLOT
—–
Rescuers Rush Into Smoke-Filled Shafts-
Fear Every Man Is Lost.
—–

Hastings Colorado Victor American Fuel Company
—–

TRINIDAD, Col., April 27.-Fire in the Victor American Fuel Company mine No. 2, at Hastings, near here, is believed to have trapped 120 coal miners.

Reports were in circulation this afternoon that the fire was the result of a war plot, Austrian miners being suspected. A company of troops has been guarding the property for some weeks.

Fire was first noticed coming out of the mouth of the mine shortly after 9:30 this morning. Helmet crews which entered had made no report this afternoon as to whether or not they had reached the entombed men.

Heavy smoke was pouring from the mine at 1:20 o’clock and it was feared there was little hope of rescuing the men.

Rescuers are being hurried into the workings. At 1:50 o’clock this afternoon 50 men had descended to aid in the fight to save the entombed workmen.

A messenger who reached here from the scene said:

The fire broke out shortly before 9:30 o’clock, when smoke was seen coming from the mine. We think there was an explosion also, but there is no sign of it on the outside. Heavy smoke is pouring from the mine.

Not a word has come from the inside since the fire started.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: 120 Coal Miners Feared Dead at Hastings, Colorado; Smoke Pouring from Victor-American Mine” →

Hellraisers Journal: Colorado Miners & Families to Honor the Martyrs of Ludlow on Sunday, April 22, 1917

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

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

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday April 19, 1917
From the United Mine Workers Journal: Ludlow Martyrs to be Honored

From this week’s Journal:

The Seed of Freedom

The Black Hole, Ludlow Massacre by Fink, after April 20, 1914

April 20th is the third anniversary of the day on which was perpetrated the crime that shocked humanity in every part of the civilized world, the massacre of unarmed men, women and babies in the little canvas city that the miners’ organization had built to shelter the evicted strikers of southern Colorado who had revolted against the conditions of servitude imposed upon them in the surrounding coal mine camps.

It is not the purpose of this article to recall the horrors of that day of shame; rather would we rejoice that the time is here when we can demonstrate that the victims of the Ludlow massacre did not die in vain, that there also “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of Freedom.”

On Sunday, April 22nd, organized miners from the towns contiguous to the field where the strikers’ tent colony was located and destroyed, will hold memorial services. From Hastings, the great mining camp of the Victor American Coal Company, once closed against every man known to have union sympathies, will come a solid delegation, all the miners of that camp all members of the United Mine Workers union. Every mining town from Morley in the south to Walsenburgh, Fremont County and the lignite coal fields north will send delegations of union men, who can today publish it to the world that they have affiliated with the organization of their industry.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Colorado Miners & Families to Honor the Martyrs of Ludlow on Sunday, April 22, 1917” →