Today -100: April 29, 1914: Of insurrections, mine explosions, cyclopes, naked savages, and gyro-cars

Woodrow Wilson sends the army into Colorado, because there’s an “insurrection” (the word used in the Constitution). As required by law, he issues a proclamation ordering the insurgents to disperse and retire peaceably to their respective abodes by April 30th. Perhaps he doesn’t know that the strikers were evicted from their company-owned abodes and then burnt out of their tent camp.

The Colorado Fuel & Iron Company is suing various newspapers for refusing to censor news of the Ludlow Massacre, according to the editor of the Rocky Mountain News.

John D. Rockefeller, Jr. refused a request by Rep. Martin Foster (D-Ill.) to do something about the violence in Colorado. Today Junior explains that Foster had failed to suggest any course of action that didn’t involve recognizing the union or putting the question of recognition to arbitration. Which would obviously be out of the question. (His statement lists “concessions already granted” to the ungrateful miners, such as payment twice monthly instead of monthly, non-compulsory use of the company store, the 8-hour day, etc, which a letter to the NYT by Arthur Taft points out are only concessions in the sense only that mineowners gracefully agreed to obey Colorado law, after a long period of not doing so, and then only because of the strike.)

Explosions in a coal mine in West Virginia entomb 203 men without hope of rescue, kill at least 5 miners, burn dozens. Two carloads of coffins have been ordered from Cincinnati, which will be sent by (coal-fueled) train. A West Virginia workmen’s compensation act enacted since the last major mine disaster will ensure that the victims’ widows receive $20 a month and their children $5 (up to 3 children).

Huerta claims that Emiliano Zapata and his rebels have joined with the government against the Americans. He is mistaken.

US ships move away from Tampico. Adm. Fletcher explains that he was afraid their presence was causing the Federals and Constitutionalists to unite against Americans and that foreigners in the town were at risk. The local German commander threatens to send his sailors in if foreigners are harmed.

The Americans release from Vera Cruz prison 325 Mexicans who were imprisoned without trial in order to force them to join the army.

US railroads will charge the State Dept half rates for transporting American refugees from Mexico.

Medical Headline of the Day -100: “Find Smallpox on Cyclops.” The Cyclops being a ship bringing refugees from Mexico. All refugees arriving at Galveston in the future will be vaccinated, especially if they’re cyclopes.

Cyclopes is the plural of cyclops, I’ve just learned.

Anthropological Headline of the Day -100: “Roosevelt Finds New Tribe.” The Pauhates, naked “savages” in Brazil.

Headline of the Day -100: “Amazed by Gyro-Car.” A two-wheeled gyroscopic automobile is unveiled in London. It reached speeds of up to 4 miles per hour.

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