The 1913 Vancouver Island Miners Strike
by Jack Kavanagh (continued)

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V

On the evening of Aug. 9th, as two of the strikers, residing at Ladysmith, were proceeding home, they were set upon by four Italians, who were acting as strikebreakers at Extension. During the struggle one of the strikers was stabbed. After the strikebreakers had gone the miners returned to town, where the injured man had his wound dressed. They then sought out the chief of police, and after considerable difficulty, prevailed upon him to accompany them to the Temperance Hotel (the headquarters for the strikebreakers), where the man who had used the knife was arrested. The police, however, refused to arrest the other three men who were implicated in the assault.

This refusal to extend the protection of the law to their members irritated the strikers.

On Sunday, Aug. 10th, the chief of police was again requested to perform the duties of his office, but he refused, saying in effect "You people had better go back to work, you are beaten anyway."

On Monday, Aug. 11th, a meeting of the strikers was held in the Union Hall, and the following resolution passed:

"That if the police do not extend to our members the protection of the law, we will be compelled to take measures to protect ourselves."

Within half an hour after this resolution had been adopted and communicated to the chief of police he signified his willingness to arrest the other men concerned in the assault, which was done.

A little prior to midnight on Aug. 11th, five strikebreakers were brought into Ladysmith by boat. These men were under the influence of liquor, and had been warned, by the person conducting them, not to speak to anyone once they landed, as the town was full of police and they would be arrested. The strikers were out picketing as usual. The five men landed and were marched up to the Temperance Hotel, paying no attention to the questions put to them by the strikers, between whom they were passing.

As all previous arrivals had spoken on being questioned, the miners thought that the silence of these five was due to sullenness, the real cause being totally different, and this, in conjunction with the happenings of the two days preceding, irritated them almost to the breaking point. They followed the strikebreakers to the hotel and congregated around on two sides of the building. The police were patrolling between the strikers and the hotel.

The hotel is situated on a corner, having a frontage of about 40 feet, the rear of the building being L-shaped, the projection being on the far side of the building, as viewed from the street. A six-foot fence, adjoining the building on both sides, completes the location. The street was lighted by a 60-candle power lamp, situated on the street corner, distant about 60 feet.

When the miners massed on the two sides of the hotel the inhabitants thereof crowded to the windows, and an interchange of compliments, more forcible than polite, occurred.

Some boys who were in the crowd commenced to throw stones. Shortly after this a man was observed to open one of the windows in the hotel projection and throw out what appeared to be a lighted match. This was immediately followed by an explosion which demolished part of the fence adjacent to the building, a distance of about 40 feet from the street. Shortly after this the crowd dispersed.

During the time the crowd was about the Temperance Hotel a man named Alex McKinnon, who was acting as a strikebreaker, was coming down the street towards the hotel, but on seeing the crowd he immediately turned and hurried home. About 2 a. m., as a small group of strikers were approaching the group of cottages wherein McKinnon's house was situated, another explosion occurred, blowing off the arm of McKinnon, who had the explosive in his hand, preparing to throw it into the street.

A brief description of McKinnon will be useful to the reader. When the lockout took place he stayed with the men who refused to accept the operators' terms. He was in receipt of $11 per week strike pay for a considerable period. He then purchased a new house costing $4,000, and demanded that the Union grant him a further $25 per month to keep up the payments on the same, failing which he threatened to return to work. He was informed that he could "Go to hell if he chose." He then commenced strikebreaking.

On the morning of the 12th the miners paraded through the Chinese district, and the other parts of the town, and meeting some strike­breakers going to work, endeavored to dissuade them from so doing.

In the meantime clouds were gathering on the industrial horizon in the Nanaimo district.

For some days prior to Aug. 11th officials of the Western Fuel Co. had been visiting those of the strikers whom they imagined were wavering, with a view to getting them to return to work. They were spreading the news that over 200 men had decided to do so.

Picketing at this time being considered legal, the miners turned out in large numbers on the morning of Aug. 11th in order to, if possible, dissuade anyone from commencing work and thus trying to break the strike. Some eleven men turned out to go to work, escorted by the mine officials. They could not be induced to refrain from so doing.

The strikers, together with a considerable number of sympathisers including many women, again assembled, at the close of the shift, to meet them coming from work. The evident disapproval of their actions, as evidenced by the remarks of the crowd, influenced the majority and they declared their intention of ceasing work.

Four of one family who refused to have anything to do with the strikers were taken to their home in an automobile filled with police.

A crowd assembled around the house to persuade them, if possible, to cease work.

The father of the family came to a window armed with a shot gun and threatened to fire into the crowd. A few stones were thrown as a result of this threat. One of the younger members of the family then came and took the gun away. Some window panes were broken. On the family promising to cease work the crowd dispersed.

The strikers again turned out in force on the morning of Aug. 12th. Only a few firebosses turned out to go to work, they having been, until then, permitted to do so, in order to keep the mine in repair. The action of the company in endeavoring to break the strike induced the miners to request the firebosses to cease work. This they refused to do.

At the close of the shift, a meeting was held in front of the company's offices, Mr. Shepherd, M. P., being present.

Mr. Shepherd addressed the meeting, and shortly afterwards Mr. Stockett, manager of the Western Fuel Co., came out of the office and did likewise.

He stated there was a danger of the mine being destroyed by fire unless he could get men to deal with it.

He was told, in reply, that he could have 50 men the next day, provided he agreed to recognize the Union.

He stated that he would be willing to meet a committee composed of men who had been employed by him on April 30th. This was agreed to and at the next meeting of the Union a committee was appointed, including Mr. Farrington, the U. M. W. of A. official in charge of the strike. On the committee visiting the company's offices, Mr. Stockett objected to meeting a committee of which Farrington was a member.

Event after event followed in rapid succession. At South Wellington, a mining camp about five miles from Nanaimo, the company had housed ten strikebreakers in a place known as the "Bull pen." These had annoyed the miners on more than one occasion. On the evening of the 12th, spurred on by reason of the occurrences in Nanaimo, some of the miners approached the "Bull pen" with a view to persuading these men to quit. One of the strikebreakers attempted to introduce an axe into the argument, and in consequence, thereof, received a beating.

On Wednesday, the 13th, news came that twenty-three special policemen were coming to Nanaimo from Vancouver. This irritated the miners who were unaware of any reason why the government should take such action. When the policemen landed they were escorted back to the boat. One policeman named Taylor drew his gun. This created considerable irritation and a young miner named Griffiths stepped in front of him and dared him to shoot. Some of the cooler heads among the miners, realizing the danger the policeman had incurred by his action, attempted to get him to go back on the boat. He, in his fright, resisted their well-meant efforts to remove him and in the struggle received a pair of black eyes.

The miners then sent a message to Attorney-General Bowser stating that if the police were withdrawn they would undertake to preserve peace. This was answered by^, the following statement issued to the daily press:

Victoria, Aug. 15.-"When day breaks there will be nearly a thousand men in the strike zone wearing the uniform of His Majesty. This is my answer to the proposition of the strikers that they will preserve the peace if they are left unmolested by the special police."

In the meantime the strikebreakers at Extension had been becoming particularly offensive to the strikers residing at the mining camp. The women and children were especially visited with many indignities.

The company had erected a searchlight which played on the houses wherein the strikers resided. The miners received the impression that some attempt was to be made to drive them out of the camp. They therefore approached the "Bull pen" where many of the strikebreakers were lodged, in order to discover their intentions. It was necessary to proceed carefully, as many of the strikebreakers were possessed of firearms. As the miners drew near the "pen" they met many of the strikebreakers wives and children, who were fleeing from the camp, evidently knowing that trouble was brewing. The miners escorted all they could find into the city. As they drew near the mine the strikers were met by a fusilade of bullets. This drove them to shelter. Shortly afterwards a man named Baxter was shot by someone concealed in the mouth of the mine. The miners of Nanaimo, hearing that some men had been killed by strikebreakers at Extension, immediately formed up to proceed to the scene of trouble.

Flames commenced issuing from the "Bull pen" and some of the shacks and it is a well-known fact that the buildings were on fire before any of the strikers reached the "Bull pen." The strikebreakers kept up a desultory rifle fire from the mine entrance and about midnight, on the 13th, the crowd dispersed.

On the morning of the 14th a detachment of militia from Vancouver, numbering 300, landed at Departure Bay, a trifle north of Nanaimo. They moved into the city and encamped near the post office. Later in the day a detachment went out to Extension, and with the assistance of the strikers got the strikebreakers out of the mine and rescued the remainder of the women and children.

One striker who guided the militia into the mine in search of an elderly strikebreaker was afterwards arrested for so doing. The only person injured was the man who was shot from the mine entrance.

During this time the press of the lower mainland outdid itself in virulence and misrepresentation. Bridges were reported burned, property destroyed, railway engines dismantled, in fact everything was printed that would tend to make the miners appear fiends of the worst type.

The police and militia were being drafted into every mining camp on the Island.

A false rumor that trouble had broken out in Cumberland caused the dispatch of troops to that district, notwithstanding the fact that the town was already burdened with a host of special police. Vancouver Island was invested as though it was in a state of siege. Troops were everywhere, in the post office, telephone offices, in fact one would imagine that the safety of the Empire depended on the vigilance of the militia.

On Sunday, Aug. 17th, as J. J. Taylor, Vice President of Dist. 28, U. M. W. of A., was on his way to Victoria to speak at a meeting called by the executive of the B. C. Federation of Labor in protest against the action of the Provincial authorities, he received a telegram, purporting to come from the officers of the Federation, but which had been sent out by the police, asking him to get off at Duncans, B. C. He did so and was at once placed under arrest by detectives who had been awaiting his arrival.

Monday, Aug. 18th, notice was issued that a meeting would be held in the Athletic Club, Nanaimo, for the purpose of considering a proposed agreement between the Vancouver and Nanaimo Coal Co. and the Union.

The ground floor of the Athletic Club is some fifteen to twenty feet below the level of the street on which the club faces. The rear entrance consists of a large double door. The front doors are situated on each side of the main entrance, it being necessary to descend a flight of steps in order to enter. The main body of the hall is not large, the spectators sitting in seats arranged in tiers on three sides of the room, the top tier being almost level with the front entrance.

The meeting convened at 7:30 p.m., some 1,200 men being present. Shortly afterwards the hall was surrounded by troops under the command of Col. Hall. The troops were formed up in a hollow square facing the entrances to the hall. At the double doors at the rear of the hall was placed a machine gun. About 9 p.m. the Colonel sent in for the chairman of the meeting. On going outside the chairman was shown the means of destruction surrounding them, and told that the miners must commence leaving in two minutes, also that any man showing undue haste would be shot or bayonetted. The miners prepared to close their business and accede to this demand. The Colonel then said they could have one hour in which to finish their business. Later he desired to address the meeting, and on this being granted, said they could go ahead and finish their business, but that he was tired and was going to bed.

Strong suspicion is entertained that the gallant gentleman had been gazing on the wine that was red.

While the meeting was in progress Alex Watchman, an executive officer of the B. C. F. of L., who was in Nanaimo in connection with the arrest of J. J. Taylor, went up to the Athletic Club in order to find some official of the miners. Upon nearing the club, he was met by the point of a bayonet in the hands of a 72nd Highlander, who told him to "Get to hell outa this; you would look pretty as a corpse." While he was reasoning with the soldier, a sergeant came up. He backed up the statement, adding: "There's likely to be some dancing around here and we will supply the music."

When the meeting had closed, the miners having voted to accept are agreement with the Van. & Nan. Coal Co., they were marched out in groups of ten, single file, in charge of special police, a guard of soldiers, with bayonets fixed, on either side, and marched to the courthouse. There each man was searched, his name taken, and if he was desired, placed in detention. The remainder were then marched out on to the ground at the front of the courthouse and kept there under guard. Forty-three were detained, the remainder being kept under guard until 2 a. m. before being allowed to disperse.

Nanaimo and the surrounding districts experienced an epidemic of military imbecility that is scarcely equalled in history. The floor of the Athletic Club was torn up in an effort to discover armories of rifles. Hardware stores were raided and their stock of sporting ammunition confiscated. Every store that was so raided was said to be for the purpose of frustrating the strikers. At Ladysmith a hardware store situated beneath the Union hall was raided and, to quote the daily press, a large secret store of ammunition was discovered. If to store ammunition behind a glass case in the centre of the store is to secrete the same, then of course it was a "secret store."

At Ladysmith the miners were not holding a huge meeting, therefore no spectacular arrest could be made. However, commencing about 1:30 a. m., Aug. 19th, the special police and militia went around to the houses of some of the strikers, woke them up and told them they were wanted at the police office. Here they were arrested. Among them was Sam Guthrie, President of the Union, and one of the greatest factors in the keeping of peace in Ladysmith.

The Daily Province of Vancouver, in reporting this occurrence, naively remarks, "At first it was planned to have the round-up occur simultaneously with that in Nanaimo, but this plan was abandoned for the method followed."

Amongst those arrested at Nanaimo was Mr. John Place, M. P. P., who was charged with being in possession of the gun taken from the policeman, Taylor.

The manner in which the accused miners were brought to and from the courthouse is aptly illustrated by the following excerpt from the News-Advertiser:

They were brought up in a body, under the escort of fifty special police, and a guard of soldiers with fixed bayonets.

Martial law had not been proclaimed, yet Russia was never more militarized than was Vancouver Island. Soldiers armed with rifles and bayonets searched the trains, looked under all the seats, (presumably for machine guns) and subjected all passengers to an inquisition as to their business, etc. All persons travelling to Nanaimo by boat, had to pass an examination at the hand of special police, reinforced by a file of soldiers. It was impossible to send telephone or telegraph messages out of the city without the military knowing the text of such messages. The following excerpt explains the origin of some of the stories which afterwards appeared in the press:

Special to the News-Advertiser.

Nanaimo, Aug. 20.—Indications point to the possibility of the extension of the power of the military authorities here over the telegraph and telephone lines leading out of Nanaimo and the strike-affected district..

Already the telephone headquarters here are under guard, and all messages, especially long distance ones, are overheard by a military representative.

The telegraph lines to a certain extent are supervised, military men being stationed at the railway station here to overlook all messages received or sent.

Now, so the rumor emanating from the military headquarters indicates, the next step will be the exercising of some measure of control over the messages sent out by the newspaper representatives.

Some members of the newspaper fraternity have had the suggestion made to them that they should first submit their press copy to headquarters, where it could be looked over before being sent.

In all, 179 miners were arrested and thrown into prison where they were held, bail being refused.

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