miners strike creek miners strike month strike colorado usa resulted victory union followed wars notable time united_states history state militia called june support striking workers strike characterized use dynamite ended colorado state militia private force working owners mines years strike popularity power increased significantly region causes strike end 19th century largest town gold mining district included towns miles southwest surface gold discovered area years mines operating caused price silver crash gold price remained fixed united_states gold standard influx silver miners gold mines caused lowering wages owners demanded longer hours pay assigned miners work january owners employed area miners announced work day hours change daily wage day workers protested owners agreed employ miners hours day wage long dispute miners creek formed new changes went effect affiliated local union based chapters victor february owners began implementing hour day union president issued notice week later demanding owners hour day wage owners respond nascent union struck february portland peak smaller mines immediately agreed hour day remained open larger mines held events strike strike immediate effect end february colorado closed running time beginning march granite mines gave resumed hour day owners holding hour day soon attempted open mines march obtained court injunction ordering miners interfere operation mines brought number initially attempted persuade men join union strike unsuccessful union resorted threats violence tactics succeeded keeping non union miners away march armed group miners ambushed captured sheriff deputies route victor shots fired miners deputies engaged deputies received minor injuries judge member charged deputies carrying concealed weapons disturbing peace released involvement state militia assault deputies wired governor requested intervention state militia predecessor governor year old populist dispatched troops area march command found area tense quiet union president assured union members cooperate operations surrendering arrest requested convinced exaggerated extent chaos region recommended withdrawal troops concurred state militia left creek march response recall state militia owners closed mines arrested miners mayor town marshal supported miners taken quickly tried different charges found guilty violence stone throwing fights union miners increased frequency stores warehouses broken guns ammunition stolen early owners met representatives attempt end strike owners offered return hour day daily wage union rejected offer talks broke owners raise private army shortly negotiations union ended owners met secretly told intended bring hundreds workers asked able protect large force men said county lacked financial resources pay arm deputies owners offered initial force men agreed immediately began recruiting police firefighters denver news owners meeting soon leaked miners organized armed response leaving tour locals colorado raise funds strike appointed officer strike operations johnson immediately established camp atop bull hill overlooked town ordered fortifications built stocked miners maneuvers seized strong overlooked town victor day deputies arrived set camp base bull hill started march camp miners strong blew structure feet air moments later steam boiler deputies timber iron cable deputies fled rail station left town celebration broke miners broke liquor warehouses night miners loaded dynamite attempted roll deputies camp overturned short goal killed cow miners wanted blow region johnson quickly discouraged frustrated drunken miners stole work train steamed victor caught group fleeing deputies gun battle broke deputy died man wounded captured deputies miners subsequently captured officials strong present blown formal prisoner exchange later freed prisoners sides returned night restored calm asked close imprisoned miners instigated violence owners met owners agreed provide funding allow sheriff raise additional deputies quickly recruited men state established camp town divide miles away creek warned size force raising strike issued proclamation called miners bull hill development american labor history declared force deputies illegal ordered group disbanded ordered state militia alert possible creek governor visited miners authorized negotiate behalf initial meeting nearly ended disaster local civic leaders called union president owners conference meeting hall campus talks way proceeding mob local citizens attempted storm building violence intended lynch men local judge distracted mob escaped rear door governor waiting train negotiations resumed denver june parties reached agreement june agreement provided resumption day wage hour day owners agreed prosecute taken strike miners agreed harass worker remained employed mines state militia returns deputies unable control private army created june deputies moved prelude bull hill deputies cut telegraph telephone wires leading town imprisoned number reporters concerned paramilitary force hand dispatched state militia time command general colorado state troops arrived early morning june violence broken deputies exchanging gunfire miners bull hill brooks quickly moved troops train station foot bull hill brooks began argue course action deputies took advantage attempted charge miners miners sounded whistle victor brooks soldiers state militia quickly intercepted deputies stopped advance brooks ordered men occupy miners offered resistance deputies turned attention creek arrested imprisoned hundreds citizens cause inhabitants town seized street pulled homes kicked beaten deputies formed forced townspeople pass kicking possession brooks began deputies nightfall brooks seized town men threatened declare martial law owners refused deputy force brooks threatened troops region days faced prospect paying paramilitary force sit hands owners agreed deputies brooks dispatched rail began june agreement operative day miners returned work union president miners arrested charged variety crimes miners convicted charges quickly pardoned sympathetic populist governor impact strike strike major victory miners union success strike organize worker region including laundry workers local unions flourished area decade helping elect county officials including new sheriff strike transformed enormously political entity year old union weak strike widely admired miners west thousands workers joined union years politicians labor officials country steady allies union political force success creek created significant backlash forever dangerous violent organization eyes employers local strike level public support enjoyed creek union struck mines public support ended violence broke strike violent significance earned colorado labor wars union went power employers state combined union success altered course colorado politics colorado citizens blamed protecting miners union encouraging violence anarchy backlash led defeat polls november election republican populist movement colorado recovered strike hardened attitudes owners government colorado formed political alliance owners owners increasingly turned spies increased use implemented means controlling union members tools proved ineffective state government stepped support owners struck mines called state militia union broke power colorado backlash indirectly influenced direction american labor history collapse strike caused relationship turn strongly left politically wars instrumental launching short lived union symbolically important ideals embodied continue deeply influence american labor movement day
Cripple Creek miners' strike of 1894