Solidarity Forever
for the Union makes us strong!
-Ralph Chaplin
Hellraisers Journal, Sunday August 20, 1916
From Solidarity: The I. W. W. Organizes the Mesabi
From this week’s edition of Solidarity:
Somebody Has to Get Out of the Way
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!
All the miners arrested on “murder” or “riot” charges are railroaded down to Duluth, where there is a large colony in jail, including Joe Schmidt, Carlo Tresca, Frank Little, Sam Scarlett and Jos. Gilday all prominent strike leaders.
Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: War on the Mesabi, Forts and Searchlights Part of Plan Against Striking Iron Miners”
GURLEY FLYNN IS SORRY SHE WASN’T
ON RANGE EARLIER
—–
GILBERT, Aug. 12.-“I wish that I had been in charge of this strike at the start. The demands of the miners would have been higher that $3 per day,” was the statement of Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, strike agitator, speaking to a crowd at the Socialist hall here.
Joseph J. Ettor, Miss Flynn and other I. W. W.s have been addressing crowds on all parts of the range during the week. All of the meetings are almost the same, the press, the mining companies and the government being flayed on each occasion.
At each meeting strikers are asked to make out affidavits of abuse at the hands of mining companies or the captains and these are being present to the federal investigators.
Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Speaks to Striking Miners on Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range”
Hellraisers Journal, Monday August 7, 1916
The Mesabi Iron Range of Minnesota: A Song for the Miners
The following song was published in the August 5th edition of Solidarity, a weekly publication of the Industrial Workers of the World out of Cleveland, Ohio:
Wednesday August 2, 1916
The Mesabi Range, Minnesota – Iron Miners Speak Out
From this month’s edition of the International Socialist Review:
Tuesday August 1, 1916
The Mesabi Range, Minnesota – Miners Ruled by Deputized Gunthugs
From this month’s edition of the International Socialist Review:
Monday July 31, 1916
Virginia, Minnesota – 1500 Striking Miners Hear I. W. W. Speakers
From The Duluth News Tribune of July 29, 1916:
I. W. W. SPEAKER PROMISES PEACE
—–
Assures Large Audience There Will Be
No Dynamite or Guns Used.
—–VIRGINIA, July 28.-“No dynamite will be used, no guns are to be fired, there is nothing to be afraid of in this strike,” declared E. Rowan, speaking to hundreds of strikers and citizens of Virginia from the balcony of the Socialist opera house tonight, in his initial address as an I. W. W. leader.
The 500 strikers who marched from Virginia to Eveleth returned 800 strong tonight, increased by the forces from Aurora, Biwabik, Gilbert, Elba and Eveleth.
The meeting tonight was attended by probably 1,500 people, necessitating the working of two speakers at a time.
Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Joseph Ettor, Joseph Grunl [Gruni] and [Ed] Rowan were the principal speakers. Musical selections were rendered between the talks.
Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Rowan, Flynn, Ettor, and Gruni Speak in Virginia to Striking Mesabi Iron Miners”
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.”
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.
—–
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.”
