You ought to be out raising hell. This is the fighting age. Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
Thursday September 3, 1903
Cripple Creek District, Colorado - Striking Miner's Home Burned to the Ground
The home of a striking miner, Brother Dennison of the Western Federation of Miners, was burned to the ground last night. Incendiaries were used on the home in the middle of the night. As the family attempted to save a few of their belongings, company gunthugs from the nearby El Paso Mine stood by laughing. They offered no assistance in saving the family's home or belongings.
While we admit that there is no positive proof that these gunthugs of the El Paso Mine are guilty of setting this family's home ablaze, we will note that they have been harassing and abusing this family since the strike began. And we note that striking miners have been rounded up, jailed, and deported with far less reason for suspicion.
SOURCE
The Cripple Creek Strike
-by Emma F Langdon
(Part I, 1st pub 1904)
NY, 1969
Wednesday September 3, 1913
Trinidad, Colorado - Mother Jones is on her way at request of U.M. of A.
Mother Jones next to John P White
Terence V Powderly, standing
Mother Jones has made a remarkable journey by train in the last few days. On Labor Day she was in Evansville, Indiana, where she was met by a parade at the railroad station. She then marched at the head of the parade with crowds cheering her along the route to a local park where she gave a speech and enjoyed herself at a labor picnic.
Mother left soon after the picnic for Thurber, Texas, were the United Mine Workers has been organizing coal miners. However, she was unable to do much for the boys there as she was notified by John P. White, president of the U. M. W. of A., to leave immediately for Trinidad, Colorado, to assist with the situation there. She is expected to arrive on the Colorado and Southern at any time, and will be met at the station by John McLennan, President of District 15 of the U. M. W.
SOURCES
Fort Wayne Daily News
(IN)
-of Sept 1, 1913
El Paso Herald
(TX)
-of Sept 3, 1913
History of the Labor Movement in the United States Vol 5
The AFL in the Progressive Era 1910-1915
-by Philip S Foner
International Pub, 1980
Note:
From Evansville to Thurber is over 800 miles and from Thurber to Trinidad is almost 600 miles. This is an amazing amount of territory to cover in so little time. Yet these sources clearly state that this is what Mother Jones did. She often mentioned traveling by "fast train," yet clearly this trip needs more research. Her reason for going to Thurber is from my memory (not always reliable), I will add that source whenever I find it.
Tuesday September 3, 2013
Tweets from Texas Fast Food Strikers, So Proud of Texas Today!!
There are more of these at Burnt Orange Report!, but if I load any more, I won't be able to open my own diary on this poor old computer of mine. Enjoy:
Minimum wage in Texas is $7.25, which amounts to $290 for a 40-hour work week before taxes, and $15,080 before taxes for working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year. Families are trying to raise their kids on these poverty wages while the corporations rake in record profits.
Fast Food Forward
http://fastfoodforward.org/
Fight for 15
http://fightfor15.org/...
The Wabash Cannonball-Flatt and Scruggs
Oh listen to the jingle
The rumble and the roar
As she glides along the woodlands
Through the hills and by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of her engine
Hear that lonesome hobo's call
We're travelling through the jungles
On the Wabash Cannonball