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THE ATHENS MESSENGER ATHE MIRERS' TROUBLE.Tha sheriff summoned to Oioaatar—Tba Situation Said to tie Alarming.„ Sheriff Riley accompanied by several special deputies went toGlouster, Tuesday night, in response to a telegraphic summons, it having been reported that a body of strikers at that point had since Monday bee:: manifesting a riotous disposition m holding and preventing the passage of a coal train on the K. k M. road. The sheriff upon arrival found the coal train side-tracked, and which the strikers refused to permit to proceed. He advised the train men to fire up and attempt to take the train out but they all declined to make the attempt. During the presence of the sheriff there a tire alarm was sounded, which was the preconcerted signal for summoning the strikers, who in response congregated in great numbers at points along the railroad. The sheriff returned to Athens, Wednesday morning, feeling convinced of the futility of attempting to move coal trains over the road unless the effort should be backed by a sufficiently strong military force, and to such a recourse the present situation would seem to point as a necessity unless the question in controversy between the operators and the miners should in some way very soon be adjusted.A trestle on the K. k M. north of Glonster was burned on Tuesday night, but by whom is not known. The striking miners should bear in mind that any acts of violence will lose them public sympathy. If they would meet with success in their efforts to better their condition they must refrain from interfering with the rights of others, for in case they do not, just as certainly will the law intervene to compel obedience to its mandates. There can be no possible justification for violence and if our advice is followed the miners at Glous- j ter and elsewhere throughout the Hocking valley cannot be beaten in their contention for better wages. As matters now stand the strikers have the almost universal sympathy and moral support of the public and they will make a serious mistake if they do anything to weaken it. Let them stand solidly for their rights, but in doing this it is not necessary to infringe the rights of others or violate the laws of the state.Since the above was put in type the situation lias become alarming, Gover-nor McKinley having ordered five com-panics of the 17th Regiment of the Ohio National Guard, includi ng company 13. of Athens, and Battery H. of Columbus, the Guttling gun battery, to proceed to Glonster at once to protect the property of theK. k M. and Toledo and Ohio Central railroads and prevent interference with the running of their trains.The following message from Conductor Cowherd, who run the extra from Glonster to Corning, Tuesday night, and which was telegraphed from Charleston, West Va., Wednesday afternoon to Sheri ft‘ Riley by J. W. Dawson, superintendent of the K. k M., 11( shows the situation at Glouster to be . *i alarming: j .“We were held up at Burr-Oak by!;'1 about 50 or 75 masked men with pistols j and gnus and when we stopped I asked ! what they wanted, they said if we had j ve any coal they were going to blow the | train into hell, and fix ns so we could t|, not haul any more coal, I told them I: had no coal, they said open the doors, I i ' ,'J said 1 do not like to break the seals but1 'could show them the hills showing eon- : *° teuts of each cur so at the muzzle of ; St about twenty pistols I went into train ni: and showed them what we had, then jm with pistols at my head they nude me )M| promise not to report or say anything . to the authorities about it, and said they could find out what T done when I got to n,lt; Corning. One of the leaders come to me ' and told me uot to let any trains come rel up there before day us there would be eai trouble before morning and that pas- t|tl aenger trains would be delayed and he jj(. could not say how long. Then with a . threat that if we brought another cur of . coal while the stike lusted they would blow the train up and us with it They Tli nve about two hundred poi ds of ga :;o glycerine there and they 1 use Th it. It was south of Corning, in d he „a was down there and he expect. * seeAthens bloodshed wonld have resulted. The conduct of the National Guards in not provoking a conflict was wise as their numbers were wholly jinadequate to maintain their position iu ; the face of such overpowering odds.The condition of affairs at Glouster is indeed alarming and unless the striking ^ miners desist from such acts of lawless- | ness as have been witnessed there for the , m past few days the public will cease to ex- j A tend them any aid or encouragement j Al mud leave them to be dealt with lay the m strong arm of the law. Iul; pUthe last one of us killed. Signt i tduc-tor Cowherd.”If the statements in the telegram XVI quoted are correct it is to be feared that wl serious trouble will ensue before the trc strike is settled and it is not improbable j i thut it may end in bloodshed, 1 QfThe conduct of Sheriff Riley in the matter was most admirable and no cen- *V. 8 ire from any source oan attach to him XV1 lor his efforts in seeking to execute his ^ sworn duty. The railroad company is open to blame for not properly sustaining him in bis attempt to perform his duty and that its legal right to move its traius was not executed by this faithful and efficient official is in no sense his fault. Sheriff Riley warmly sympathizes with the miners in their efforts to obtain better wages and has generously contributed of his personal means “to aul the men und their families since the strike begun, but this did uot nor wil 1 not prevent him when properly supported from executing his sworn duty iu carrying out tbe mandates of the law within Ins jurisdiction.The sentiment of the people of Ohio is against lawlessness and should the miners persist in the course indicated m the message of Conductor Cowherd, they will not only lose the sympathy but the respect of those who have hoped for their success in their demand for living wages.The railroad company having decided to stop further shipments of coal from the West Virgiuia mines, the order for the military to go to Glouster was countermanded. Matters are now in status quo but how long they will remain so tune and the temper and wisdom of the contending parties can alone determine.POSTSCRIPT Company A, 17th Regiment, O. N. G., of New Lexington, reached Glouster before receiviug the telegruin countermanding the order sending them to that point. On their arrival at Glouster they were met at the deiKit by a howling mob numberiugfrom 1000 to 1500 men, women and boys. On alighting from the train the company, consisting of thirty men, formed a hollow square and were at once surrounded by the excited crowd and ordered to take up their quarters outside the corporation. The mob then proceded to take possession of the baggage of tbe company and helped themselves to about 1,000 rounds of amuni-tiou besides depriving several of the troops of their rifles aud some of them of their coats and caps. The teni|er of the miners was anything but pacific und it is believed that had not the soldiery reboarded the cars and come on to
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Athens Messenger and Herald
Athens, Ohio, US
Thu, May 31, 1894
Page 3
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Athens C.
OH, USA 16 Apr 2024
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