46 The Pinkerton Labor Spy.
be done either to-day or to-morrow toward that end. I told him nothing had been done as yet, but I rather expected some one would soon be here to try and organize the men at the Union Plant. He told me that in case a union was organized I should become a member, but not ts> take a very active part, as he expected to discharge the union men as soon as he got their names, and he did not want to draw the men's attention to me being a union man and still being kept at the mill. Mr. MacDonald then gave me his telephone number and post office box number, and told me that if anything important transpired, I should let him know by telephone or mail to his post office box. I assured him I would let him know immediately if anything was done to get assistance of the men who were working at the mill.
After leaving Mr. MacDonald's residence I went to the National Saloon, where I met Barney Bramhall. I asked him if he had heard anything in reference to the strike, and he said he had not.
I visited the Palace, Opera House, Carroll's and the Miners' Exchange saloons. At the latter place 1 met mill rilen Jones, Barker and Fry, and I talked with them and asked them if they had heard anything new concerning the mill men's strike at Colorado City, and they replied in the negative. I stayed at the Opera House Saloon until 10.30 P. M., but learned nothing of importance. I then left the saloon and discontinued.
Yours respectfully,
The strike of the mill and smeltermen received the greatest attention in the Cripple Creek District The miners in this district realized the gravity of the situation better than any one else. They knew that if Manager MacNeill succeeded in operating his smelters with non-union labor, the Western Federation would order them out on strike in order to shut off the supply of ore. A general strike of this kind was a very serious matter.