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When 59 Children Died On Christmas Eve 1913, The World Cried With The Town Of Calumet, Michigan
http://www.upworthy.com/when-59-children-died-on-christmas-eve-1913-the-world-cried-with-the-town-of-calumet-michigan?c=upw1In July 1913, over 7,000 miners struck the C&H Copper Mining Company in Calumet, Michigan. It was largely the usual issues of people who worked for a big company during a time when capitalists ran roughshod over their workers — a time when monopolies were a way of life. Strikers’ demands included pay raises, an end to child labor, and safer conditions including an end to one-man drill operations, as well as support beams in the mines (which mine owners didn’t want because support beams were costly but miners killed in cave-ins “do not cost us anything.”)
Six months without work left many miner families with little food for the holidays and no money for presents, so the Ladies' Auxiliary of the Western Federation of Miners held a Christmas party for the kids. 500 children and 200 adults showed up that day, Christmas Eve 1913. It was held on the second floor of Calumet’s Italian Hall; the only way in and out was a very steep stairway.
As darkness fell and people began to go home to their family celebrations, some of the children gathered around the stage as presents were passed out — for many, it would be the only gift they’d receive this year. In the middle of this festive celebration, someone — possibly more than one person — opened the door at the bottom of the staircase and yelled, “FIRE!”
Chaos ensued. As everybody headed down the stairs to the exit, the door was blocked from the outside, and children and adults were trampled, then suffocated, by the throng of bodies trying to escape the “fire” — which didn’t actually exist.
In all, 73 people, including 59 children, died, most of them Finnish immigrants. The youngest was Rafael Lesar, 2.5 years old. The oldest was Kate Pitteri, 66 years old. Some families lost all of their children, like Frank and Josepa Klarich, who buried their three daughters, Kristina (11), Maria (9), and Katarina (7). Their little crosses are lined up in a row over their graves in a cemetery west of Calumet
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American Bloody Labor History - Never Forget
CWA Local 1103
Posted On: Nov 06, 2010 (11:35:19)
<snip>
American Labor History is penned with bloody ink. Even considering Labor’s crowning political/legislative achievement: the 1935 the National Labor Relations Act (wagner act) we still battle to this very Labor Day to hold on to our decent wages and benefits. Today employers do not point guns at us or beat us in the streets, today Corporate America uses its billions of dollars of profits from the work of our backs to influence the political process to undermine our livelihood.
This Labor Day take a moment to look back on our bloody history, and know we must be ever diligent everyday to fight for our rights – on the Picket Line, on the Shop Floor and at the Ballot Box. Vote for CWA endorsed candidates, protect our jobs for the future and never go back to our bloody past.
1800 – Strikers found guilty of conspiracy by acting collectively to raise wages. (Commonweath v Pullis)
1850 – Militia turn on railroad strikers in Portge NY. 2 strikers killed many injured
1870 - Tompkins Square Riot NYC, Mounted police charge unemployed men, women and children demonstrating in park beating them with Billy clubs
Battle of Viaduct - The Great Railroad Strike was a general strike to protest cut in wages in which federal troops were called in 30 workers were killed during the protest.
1885 – Ten Coal mining activists are hung in Pennsylvania (Molly Maguires)
1886 – Great Southwest Railroad Strike pinkerton detectives called in to beat strikers. Missouri and Texas bring in State Militia.
1887 – Louisiana Militia shot down 35 unarmed black sugar workers striking for a dollar a day wage.
1892 – Homestead strike pinkerton guards open fire on Carnegie Mill Steel strikers in Pennsylvania
1894 Pullman General Strike 14,000 federal troops called out. 34 American Railway Union members were shot and killed.
1896 – Leadville Colorado state militia sent out to put down the mine strike
1897 – Lattimer Massacre, Luzem county sheriff’s posse kills 9 strikers for refusing to disperse in coalmine strike.
1900 – Anthracite coalmine strike 14 killed by scabherders
1903 – Mary Harris “Mother Jones” leads child workers to demand 55 hour work week.
1904 - Colorado militia kills 6 strikers at Dunnville mine
1911 – Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire, 147 workers mostly women die working in sweatshop conditions with bolted doors.
1913 – New Orleans, 3 maritime workers shot when striking against United Fruit Company
1914 Ludlow Massacre, state militia attacks Union tent camp with machine guns and sets afire killing 19 including children.
1915 – Joe Hill union organizer is hung on trumped up charges in Salt Lake City
1916 – Everett Washington, Everett mills hires strike breakers to beat picketers on docks while local police refuse to intervene.
1917 – Bisbee Deportation, 1185 workers are deported by Arizona Sheriff in manure laden train cars to the New Mexico desert for union activity.
1919- Fannie Sellins United Mine Worker organizer is gunned down in Brackenridge Pennsylvania
Wesley Everest IWW organizer lynched in Centralia Washington.
1920 – Battle of Matewan, Detectives hired by mining company enter into gun battle with striking miners.
1922- Herrin Massacre, 36 killed during coalmine strike.
1923 – Maritime Strike, San Pedro California IWW Union Hall raided and demolished
1927- IWW coal miners massacred while marching for work conditions in company town of Serene Colorado
1929 – Loray Mill Strike, National Guard called out in North Carolina to end strike
1930 – Imperial Valley California, 100 farm workers arrested for unionizing activities they were convicted of “Criminal Syndicalism”
1931 – Harlan County Kentucky, Striking miners are attacked by armed men.
1932 – Dearborn Michigan, local police kill striking workers at the Ford plant.
1933 – Pixley California, Strikebreakers kill 4 workers in the cotton pickers strike
1934- Toledo Ohio, National Guardsmen open fire killing 2 and wounding 200 strikers.
1937- River Rouge Michigan, GM guards beat UAW leaders at plant location.
Chicago Republic Steel Plant, local police kill 10 wounds 30 in Memorial Day Massacre
1946- US Navy seized oil refineries to break nationwide strike
1948 – UAW Labor Leader Walter Reuther is shot.
1952 – Truman orders US Army to seize nation’s steel mills to avert a strike.
1970 – Nixon declares state of national emergency over first post office national strike in 195 years
1980 – Ronal Regan fires thousands of Air Traffic Controllers for going on strike of the PATCO union.
1989- Valhalla NY, 21 years ago Gerry Horgan is runned down and killed by a scab while fighting for Medical Benefits on CWA Local 1103's picket line. CWA to this day wears red every Thursday for Gerry. We will never forget.
<snip>
CWA Local 1103
Posted On: Nov 06, 2010 (11:35:19)
<snip>
American Labor History is penned with bloody ink. Even considering Labor’s crowning political/legislative achievement: the 1935 the National Labor Relations Act (wagner act) we still battle to this very Labor Day to hold on to our decent wages and benefits. Today employers do not point guns at us or beat us in the streets, today Corporate America uses its billions of dollars of profits from the work of our backs to influence the political process to undermine our livelihood.
This Labor Day take a moment to look back on our bloody history, and know we must be ever diligent everyday to fight for our rights – on the Picket Line, on the Shop Floor and at the Ballot Box. Vote for CWA endorsed candidates, protect our jobs for the future and never go back to our bloody past.
1800 – Strikers found guilty of conspiracy by acting collectively to raise wages. (Commonweath v Pullis)
1850 – Militia turn on railroad strikers in Portge NY. 2 strikers killed many injured
1870 - Tompkins Square Riot NYC, Mounted police charge unemployed men, women and children demonstrating in park beating them with Billy clubs
Battle of Viaduct - The Great Railroad Strike was a general strike to protest cut in wages in which federal troops were called in 30 workers were killed during the protest.
1885 – Ten Coal mining activists are hung in Pennsylvania (Molly Maguires)
1886 – Great Southwest Railroad Strike pinkerton detectives called in to beat strikers. Missouri and Texas bring in State Militia.
*** Bay View Tragedy – 2000 workers in Milwaukee Wisconsin strike to denounce the ten-hour workday they are fired on by troops. ***
1887 – Louisiana Militia shot down 35 unarmed black sugar workers striking for a dollar a day wage.
1892 – Homestead strike pinkerton guards open fire on Carnegie Mill Steel strikers in Pennsylvania
1894 Pullman General Strike 14,000 federal troops called out. 34 American Railway Union members were shot and killed.
1896 – Leadville Colorado state militia sent out to put down the mine strike
1897 – Lattimer Massacre, Luzem county sheriff’s posse kills 9 strikers for refusing to disperse in coalmine strike.
1900 – Anthracite coalmine strike 14 killed by scabherders
1903 – Mary Harris “Mother Jones” leads child workers to demand 55 hour work week.
1904 - Colorado militia kills 6 strikers at Dunnville mine
1911 – Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire, 147 workers mostly women die working in sweatshop conditions with bolted doors.
1913 – New Orleans, 3 maritime workers shot when striking against United Fruit Company
1914 Ludlow Massacre, state militia attacks Union tent camp with machine guns and sets afire killing 19 including children.
1915 – Joe Hill union organizer is hung on trumped up charges in Salt Lake City
1916 – Everett Washington, Everett mills hires strike breakers to beat picketers on docks while local police refuse to intervene.
1917 – Bisbee Deportation, 1185 workers are deported by Arizona Sheriff in manure laden train cars to the New Mexico desert for union activity.
1919- Fannie Sellins United Mine Worker organizer is gunned down in Brackenridge Pennsylvania
Wesley Everest IWW organizer lynched in Centralia Washington.
1920 – Battle of Matewan, Detectives hired by mining company enter into gun battle with striking miners.
1922- Herrin Massacre, 36 killed during coalmine strike.
1923 – Maritime Strike, San Pedro California IWW Union Hall raided and demolished
1927- IWW coal miners massacred while marching for work conditions in company town of Serene Colorado
1929 – Loray Mill Strike, National Guard called out in North Carolina to end strike
1930 – Imperial Valley California, 100 farm workers arrested for unionizing activities they were convicted of “Criminal Syndicalism”
1931 – Harlan County Kentucky, Striking miners are attacked by armed men.
1932 – Dearborn Michigan, local police kill striking workers at the Ford plant.
1933 – Pixley California, Strikebreakers kill 4 workers in the cotton pickers strike
1934- Toledo Ohio, National Guardsmen open fire killing 2 and wounding 200 strikers.
1937- River Rouge Michigan, GM guards beat UAW leaders at plant location.
Chicago Republic Steel Plant, local police kill 10 wounds 30 in Memorial Day Massacre
1946- US Navy seized oil refineries to break nationwide strike
1948 – UAW Labor Leader Walter Reuther is shot.
1952 – Truman orders US Army to seize nation’s steel mills to avert a strike.
1970 – Nixon declares state of national emergency over first post office national strike in 195 years
1980 – Ronal Regan fires thousands of Air Traffic Controllers for going on strike of the PATCO union.
1989- Valhalla NY, 21 years ago Gerry Horgan is runned down and killed by a scab while fighting for Medical Benefits on CWA Local 1103's picket line. CWA to this day wears red every Thursday for Gerry. We will never forget.
<snip>
It's no longer there.
