Page 78 - 2006 DT 12 Issues

October Goldfield, continued from p. 1 sought the help of President Theodore
Roosevelt, informing him that “domes-
D e s k S c h e d u l e be supervised by a union member. tic violence and unlawful combinations
If Wingfield thought that his trou- and conspiracies existed in Goldfield.”
Sun/1 E. Zacharr C. McLaughlin bles were over, he had another think Roosevelt responded by ordering Gen-
Mon/2 R. Linsmeier J. Geier coming. They had barely started. eral Frederick Funston, Commander of
The union, encouraged by what it the California Army Division headquar-
Tues/3 M. Slagle J. Geier considered its success, pressed for an tered at the Presidio in San Francisco, to
Wed/4 V. Sperry N. Kresge eight-hour day and a minimum daily Goldfield with 300 troops. They arrived,
wage of $4.50. It sought to eradicate the camped in the area and then tried to find
Thur/5 D. Kavula J. Barrett degrading practice of begging for jobs something to do.

Fri/6 OPEN OPEN Wingfield, supported by the press
and business leaders, evidently felt
Sat/7 W. Barbuck W. Barbuck emboldened by what he took to be

Sun/8 OPEN C. McLaughlin his success in the confrontation with
the union and decided to avoid further
Mon/9 S. Stenzel R. Linmeier problems by breaking the union.
Tues/10 G. Wojciechowski L. Mills His solution was to provoke a
strike by reducing the miners’ wages
Wed/11 G. Fazio D. Schoengold and, at the same time, increasing their
Thur/12 V. Sperry J. Barrett hours. He brought in strike-break-
ers from other areas and employed
Fri/13 OPEN OPEN them only on condition that they
Sat/14 P. VanDooremaal R. Erickson signed a pledge not to join a union,
Troops arrive in Goldfield notwithstanding the fact that such a
Sun/15 OPEN OPEN restriction was illegal under Nevada
by insisting that in future, any business
Mon/16 R. Linsmeier J. Geier owner wishing to employ labor had to do law. He also offered to take back the
Tues/17 J. Frank J. Geier so through the union. With such populist striking workers on the same conditions.
policies, the union soon recruited in the He surmised, rightly, that the local
— — M. Pultz region of 20,000 members drawn from populace would be unlikely to support
Wed/18 D. Schoengold C. McLaughlin the ranks of not only miners, but engi- the union openly, given the current
economic situation.
neers, hotel workers and, surprisingly,
Thur/19 G. Wojciechowski J. Barrett even prostitutes. Although Wingfield was eventually
Fri/20 R. Augulis C. Powers The year was 1907. There was a forced by political pressure to abandon
general downturn in mining, which his policy, the union was effectively
Sat/21 J. Kisosondi R. Erickson defeated and the troops left.
led to cash flow problems. This time,
Wingfield and his partner, Senator
Sun/22 B. Saperstein L./M. Utah Wingfield’s solution was to pay the min- George Nixon, went on to gain control of
Mon/23 S. Stenzel C. McLaughlin ers with IOU’s. The miners wondered if every mining operation in Goldfield.
these IOU’s had any value at all if the
Tues/24 G. Wojciechowski B. Wolin company could not afford to pay cash. In
Wed/25 V. Sperry C. Powers any case, IOU’s were hardly the accepted Heartfelt Condolences
currency in the local food stores. All of us at Friends of Red
Thur/26 G. Fazio J. Barrett The union called a strike and feel- Rock Canyon extend our sincerest
Fri/27 OPEN E. Schliepp ings ran high. So much so, that the mine condolences to Ranger Kate Sorom and
owners, possibly recalling the Telluride her family on the death of her father,
Sat/28 OPEN OPEN incidents, feared extreme violence. Robert Williams, on September 2.

Sun/29 OPEN L./M. Utah In retrospect, it would seem that this A memorial contribution to the
was unlikely as the town stayed calm Nathan Adelson Hospice has been
Mon30 E. Schliepp J. Geier and there was little trouble. However, made in his memory.
Further condolences are
Tues/31 M. Slagle J. Geier the mine owners spread the word that extended to Kate and her family
the miners were about to dynamite the
— — M. Pultz on the loss of her grandmother
mines and the Governor’s help was on September 9.
Changes? Call Kate at 515-5350 sought. Governor “Honest John” Sparks
Page 6 FORRC/October/2006