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Hellraisers Journal – Friday January 29, 1904
Pennsylvania and Colorado – Hundreds of Newly Made Widows and Orphans
From The Rocky Mountain News of January 27, 1904:
Tag: Metal Miners
Hellraisers Journal: “Fifteen Men Plunge to Death Down 1500-Foot Victor Mine Shaft; Engineer Lost Control of His Engine and Cable Broke at Top of Wheel”
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Hellraisers Journal – Thursday January 28, 1904
Victor, Colorado – Disaster at Independence Mine Claims Fifteen Lives
From The Denver Post of January 26, 1904:
Wednesday January 27, 1904 – Victor, Colorado
– Horror at Stratton’s Independence Mine
A horrific accident occurred at about 2:30 a. m. Tuesday January 26th at the Independence mine when Engineer Gellese was not able to control the engine he was running. A cage carrying sixteen men hit the sheave wheel hurling the men inside to their deaths.
Mrs. Emma F. Langdon reports from Victor:
The victims were mostly men of family, and a majority of them were new men in the district. Early in the morning hundred of people rushed to the mine to ascertain if their relatives were among the victims…the military were hastened immediately to the scene and took complete control, not even allowing press representatives near enough to gain facts. As near as the writer could learn particulars they are as follows:
Frank T. Gellese, engineer from Cour D’Alene, was on duty during the night and had experienced no difficulty with his engine, he stated, and at 2:30 he started to hoist the machine men from the sixth, seventh and eighth levels. Sixteen men were on the cage and started for the top. At the seventh level the men noticed that the cage was acting peculiar, and it appeared as if the engineer had lost control of it as it advanced in an unsteady manner. They soon reached the top and were hoisted about six feet above the collar of the shaft and suddenly lowered about thirty feet, then up they went to the sheave wheel and the disastrous accident was the result.
It is believed that the men were thrown against the top of the cage, from the force of the sudden stop, that they were knocked unconscious and knew but little, if anything, after that took place; that in the drop of the cage the speed was so rapid that through the force of the air pressure they were thrown out against the walls of the shaft, which caused them to be literally torn to pieces. When the cage struck the sheave wheel it not only threw Bullock (the only one saved) out, but also threw out a man by the name of Jackson and killed him.
No one aside from the engineer saw the accident. A miner stepped into the shaft house just after the the accident and saw a number of hats laying around. He then looked up and saw Jackson in the timbers with the sheave wheel on top of him.
The military and Manager Cornish were immediately notified and hastened to the mine. Engineer Gellese was arrested and held for investigation.
The remainder of the force, numbering about 200 men in the mine, were obliged to be taken out on a small cage that would accommodate but two men at a time, and they did not all succeed in getting out until about 6 a. m.
Most of the men killed fell to the sump below and it was twenty-four hours before all the bodies could be found. There were portions of them found from the top to the 1,400 foot level The bodies were almost all beyond recognition, heads, legs and arms being torn from the trunks. It was a gruesome sight.
[Emphasis added.]
Coroner Doran will convene a coroner’s jury to investigate the cause of the accident. The Mine Owners’ Association and the Citizens’ Alliance are already spreading rumors placing the blame upon the striking miners of the Western Federation of Miners.
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Hellraisers Journal: From the Miners Magazine: Appeal to the Labor Movement from Michigan Copper District Union No. 16
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Hellraisers Journal – Friday September 5, 1913
Hancock, Michigan – W. F. of M. District Union No. 16 Appeals to Labor Movement
From the Miners Magazine of September 4, 1913
-Dan Sullivan, C. E. Hietala, and John H. Walker Sign Appeal to Labor Movement:
…..Now, we turn to you, the organized workers of this country, in our hour of need. We stand united, determined to win. We are fighting one of the richest mining corporations in the world. It is as heartless as it is rich.
We have nothing but empty hands, our wives and children. They are urging us on, helping in the struggle. A northern winter will soon be here. We must have food and fuel. We are fighting this battle for all. We are willing to endure any sacrifice. The copper barons hope to drive us back to the mines through the hunger of our wives and children That is the only thing that can defeat us. Bayonets do not scare us, and thugs won’t mine copper.
If the mine managers of this district knew that the American labor movement was behingd us, that you would not see us defeated for the lack of bread, the fight would be won now.
Speak so that the copper kings and the world will know that you are behind us in this strike with your dollars as well as sympathies…..
[Emphasis added.]
Hellraisers Journal: News From Telluride, Colorado: Bodies Recovered and Search Abandoned at Smuggler-Union Mine
Hellraisers Journal – Monday November 25, 1901
Search Abandoned at Smuggler-Union Mine Disaster at Pandora, Colorado
From The Salt Lake Herald of November 23, 1901:
Hellraisers Journal: I. W. W. Organizer Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Found Speaking to Metal Miners in Butte, Montana
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Hellraisers Journal – Thursday June 17, 1909
Butte, Montana – Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Speaks to Miners
From The Anaconda Standard of June 16, 1909:
Miss Flynn Addresses Butte
Miners’ Meeting
—–Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, the Joan of Arc of industrial unionism, spoke last evening at the meeting of the Butte Miner’s union, addressing the miners for about two hours. The hall was well filled and the young woman was listened to with close attention. Her talk was much along the same lines as her address on Monday at the opera house. She will speak this evening at a meeting of the stationary engineers. On Thursday evening she will address a public meeting at the Auditorium and on Friday evening she will address a meeting of the Butte workingmen’s union. On Saturday morning she will go to Helena to address some meetings there.
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Hellraisers Journal: From Appeal to Reason: Haywood Speaks for Industrial Freedom in Boston’s Faneuil Hall
One thing I never can forget—
that I owe my life and my liberty
to the working class of America,
and what you have accomplished for me
and my comrades you can do for yourselves.
-Big Bill Haywood
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Hellraisers Journal, Sunday March 1, 1908
Big Bill Haywood Speaks in Historic Cradle of Liberty
From the Appeal to Reason of February 29, 1908:
HAYWOOD IN FANEUIL HALL.
—–
Historic Cradle of Liberty Rocked Once
More by Working Class Movement
for Industrial Freedom.
—–BY JOHN RYAN.
Special to the Appeal.
BOSTON, MASS., Feb. 22.-Faneuil hall, the cradle of liberty, was the scene of a historic gathering Monday night [February 17th]. It was the most impressive, enthusiastic and inspiring meeting ever held there. Patrick Henry, with words of fire, demanded constitutional rights. Wendell Phillips asked for the freedom of the negro. Haywood, in a speech logical, eloquent and so heartfelt that many wept, demanded the freedom of the wage slave. The day will come when his portrait will hang in Faneuil hall by the side of those of Patrick Henry and Wendell Phillips. Those fortunate enough to get inside seemed to realize the historical significance of it and felt they were standing in the presence of one who is as much greater than those who have gone before as his message is greater than theirs.
Patrick Mahoney, of Cigar Makers No. 97, acted as chairmen. As first speaker he introduced Joseph Spero, who did so much for the great Boston demonstration held on the Common the 5th day of last May [1907], where one hundred thousand people gathered to protest against the hanging of Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone.
Hellraisers Journal: Butte Metal Miners Form New Union & Issue Demands; Spontaneous Walk-Out at Elm Orlu Mine
“Dagos are cheaper than props.”
-Mother Jone quoting a Mine Manager
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Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday June 20, 1917
Butte, Montana – Metal Miners Organize and Strike
From the Phoenix Arizona Republican of June 17, 1917:
NEW UNION CLAIMS 1600 MEMBERS
—–(Republican A. P. Leased Wire)
BUTTE, Mont., June 16.-Sixteen hundred miners it was announced today, are members of the Metal Mine Workers’ Union which is about a week old. The union’s speakers, at an open air meeting attended by more than 3000 miners, appealed to the miners to continue to keep away from the mines. The union’s officials said more than 3000 miners are on strike for an increase in wages and improved working conditions.
No disturbances were reported to the police today, but several arrests were made for distributing without a license, circulars issued by the union attacking the local newspapers and urging all miners to join the union.
The mining companies reported all the mines working but with reduced forces.
