A delight. Follow a small army of wobblies as they make their way, jail by jail, hopping trains to Denver to participate in the free speech fight there.

‘From Frisco to Denver’ by Ed Nolan from The Industrial Worker. Vol. 5 Nos. 4 & 5. April 17 & 24, 1913.

The start was attended by the usual argument with those aristocrats of labor, the trainmen, but they reckoned without their host as the personnel of this free speech crew are all young men, seasoned to the long trip they have undertaken, many of them veterans of the battles of San Diego, Spokane and other points.

We have twenty leaving Frisco, while as many more await us at Stockton, Sacramento and various other points an route. Despite the differences in climate we are travelling light, no blankets hinder us, overcoats are in evidence and good warm clothes are worn by the crew. Speed by all means.

Upon leaving Oakland a painful sprain of the ankle was sustained by fellow worker Frank Little, but he will follow shortly with another crew. A sprain is nothing to that indomitable spirit of his.

Organization is the soul of this contingent. Three committees are in force: scout, to attend to ways and means of transportation; financial and the press committee.

We are often confused with Carl Brown’s army, a movement to establish free soup houses and municipal lodging houses for California’s unemployed. Brown’s venture proved a failure and its founder says its demise was due to the antagonism of the I.W.W. It is to laugh, Soup House Brown, you are in the category of the A.F. of L. The One Big Union has no ideal of crummy lodging houses; its ideal is happiness of the workers, laughter in the eyes of little ones, instead of blanched faces, floods of tears and heart-rending cries of hunger.

There is no danger of mistaking the two signs wo carry: “On To Denver. Free Speech Denied the Right to Organize One Big Union” and “We are in your town and must eat.”

Leaving Sacramento was uneventful, but the arrival at Oroville was our first real test of solidarity. Our spokesman and a fellow worker were arrested and handcuffed together, while the balance of us were locked in the car where we remained until daylight. Being released from the car we were marched in double file to the county bastile, fifty strong. We at once cleared for action. Court commenced but bedlam was started and the court had to adjourn. The parasites sued for peace, a twenty minute armistice was allowed them and at the end of the truce we were declared at liberty. Our stay in the Oroville Jail was timely as it afforded us some much needed rest. One of our fellow workers was sent to the hospital with a bad case of the piles.

Our next stop, one hundred sixteen miles to our goal, was not quite so pleasant or exciting. We had to camp in the jungles, were actually refused the comfort of a jail. Our literature was eagerly taken, men and women coming to our line of formation to get leaflets as we marched past the Western Pacific depot. This is a great propaganda trip.

“March on! March on! All hearts resolved On Liberty or Death!”

If we continue on with our present good fortune this expedition will be a marked success. Our goal is Denver. This crew is doing fine in the way of traveling, but it regrets it can’t spend a week or ten days on the rock pile (the judges won’t let us) in order to make souvenirs, being sadly short on that valuable aid to our finances, but it seems at this writing the powers are heartily sick of having their courts (?) adjourned by this bunch of noise makers. No lungers here. Evidence shows there is no way to arouse the exuberance of these rebels except by putting them in durance vile, the viler the better.

Remember, we on this trip are doing good propaganda work and advertising One Big Union so what is the matter with you fellow workers putting the motion to send leaflets and pamphlets to Denver for the use of the fighters. Don’t stutter about it.

Pyramids of Capitalism have a great pulling power, to be obtained from the Worker. Box 2125, Spokane. Do this and Denver will wish the I.W.W. were in the infernal regions.

The neat appearance and good behavior of this crew having much to do with getting easily over a long, hard stretch of desert and mountain ranges. A unique pastime was held at Elko, Nev. Sham free speech fights were staged between the fifty-five members of this crew. Our two cops, decorated with gigantic stars, had their troubles clubbing and manhandling the persistent soap boxers while the starvation army preyed peacefully a few feet away. It was a lesson in strife to those of us who have never felt the gentle touch of a grafter’s club.

Fifty-five miles from Salt Lake we were sabotaged by a worthy (?) engineer on the Western Pacific. He, or it rather, reported his engine in bad shape, consequently the train crew were ordered to Salt Lake with two cars only, leaving us heavily ditched in the dismal desert. No blankets, very little to eat or drink, but amidst it all, Mr. Block, The White Slave, The Red Flag and other songs were rendered by the quartet in tuneful melody. Obstacles are only stepping stones to this bunch of rebels,—success comes only by striving, by bending every effort to the accomplishment of the end desired.

Salt Lake City welcomed us with open arms (of the cops). No sooner had we arrived at the hall, the cops came in and invited us to see hizzoner, the chief. It was too much work to search fifty-five huskies. After a short conference with the chief we marched back to the hall, a feast, and to bed. The would-be cops who lined us up were sharply balled out by the chief for bringing us in.

Much credit is due to Secretary Sam Scarlet of Local 69 for the admirable manner of handling the Frisco crew on very short notice. This is the third bunch to pass through Salt Lake. The Socialists also helped materially. All fighters passing through Salt Lake to Denver will be welcomed by Local 69, Salt Lake. Frisco to Salt Lake, 921 miles, in less than nine days!

Fellow Worker McAvoy and ten rebels will wait for us at Grand Junction, Colo., and together proceed to Denver,

II.

The departure from Salt Lake will linger long in our memories. We found a special express car attached to the train, pulled by a special engine, and a special policeman piloted us to the car.

It was, providential that none of us are troubled with heart failure, as that shock would have proven fatal. The car had electric lights, to be turned off and on at will.

Provo, Utah, was waiting patiently for us to arrive. Veni, Vidi, Vici! We came, We saw, We conquered! Provo didn’t want us. Too many. The real test of strength came at Green River, two hundred miles from Salt Lake. A Thing, resembling a gorilla, but far below that animal in intelligence, ordered sixty-five human workers, at the point of two massive forty some odd, from the car. Its demands not being gratified, it became panic stricken, fear replacing bravado–cowardice crowning all– although backed by four nondescript business men, legs brainy by far than the Thing. He wanted to stop us at Helper, Utah, but Helper wouldn’t help.

How did we do it? Solidarity, gentle reader; Solidarity. Near Denver we may be stopped temporarily, but in the meantime, Denver unrelenting.

The arrival at Grand Junction, Colo., a socialist town, was marked by a rousing demonstration when we were met on the street by fellow worker McAvoy of the Stockton, Cal. contingent. The sheriffs of Mesa county were waiting for us at the depot, but this body of workers are continually doing the unexpected.

Shame on you! gun bound parasites, to let an organized body of producers outwit you. The city council appropriated twenty-five dollars for sustenance the day we would lay over in their town. The most composed of the entire city were the I.W.W. fighters and the Socialists. The pinheads of the town were wrought to a high tension over a fancied menace. This crew voted their thanks to the Mayor and Chief of Police, for which the Chief expressed his gratitude. He said it was a political frame-up on the part of bankers, lawyers and other grafters to oust the S.P. from office, which he fears will be successful, but manhood before job is his slogan. The Chief said he doubted whether the plutocrats of the city would have acted in the same orderly manner as the I.W.W. if conditions were reversed. Lack of space for bids dwelling on Grand Junction at length.

A mass meeting called at the behest of the editor of the Sentinel was one of great disorder. Resolutions were drawn up to tar and feather the entire crew and drive them into Grand River, but when a banker was chosen to lead the miserable cowards, he declined with emphasis. To repay the loan of twenty-five dollars advanced by the Socialists of Grand Junction, fifteen fellow workers volunteered their services to the Chief of Police for street work. Their labor was refused; no tools.

The workers along the Western Pacific and the D. & R. G. are waking to industrial unionism.

Pueblo, Colo, was the next to show its hospitality. Upon our arrival an imposing array of brass bound police, plain clothes men and deputies with shifting eyes and toboggan slide heads, fifty in number, surrounded fifty of the Denver fighters. They went to jail. But fifty was not all; forty more were anxiously looking for their fellow workers, not being aware of the reception given the other fellow workers, and upon learning the truth there were expressions of jealousy at being snubbed by the Pueblo police. They promptly formed in line and searched for the jail. It being four a.m. it was some time before they found a guide—one lone cop–he led them to jail, forty huskies. Five hours later we were turned out, the city blowing itself for bread and tobacco. A switch engine with four cars hove in sight; we were escorted six miles to a nice mountain stream, where all freight trains go slow.

Fellow worker Engel has been detailed to press committee with the writer.

Later!

Colorado Springs was another port in the storm; a hospitable port. That jail is sure a nice one (on the outside); it is fitted with a good cement floor, hot water and disappearing cots. The hamburger was fine, we appreciated it: the bread also, it was adamant. The first hike in sixteen hundred miles was pulled off at this point, to Pike View, four miles, where we found our special.

There are now plots and counterplots, and both thickening. We intended to get off at Littleton, 10 miles from Denver, but that train fanned through there like a bat out of the devil’s boarding house. It is now a battle of wits. Brakes were set, she stops, we unload and scatter to the four winds. Sixty are captured by as many cops. City police far from city limits. The battle of plenty against that of want. But all are not caught. Twenty or more reach Denver. Their sole wish is to be taken from a soap box, not from a box car.

This is a critical time to have advocates of One Big Union in Denver, as the entire state is strike-ridden; slaves fighting for more bread, but, like misguided men, taking the wrong path. Scatter out, live ones of the Coast! Get posted yourselves, then come to the middle west and post others. The field is broad and fertile. Happiness must replace misery; the right to earn plenty must replace want and suffering. The time honored Colorado way–deportation–will be followed in our case, but it will have no terrors for the California fighters. They have braved the desert and snow capped mountains, day and night, and will do it again. In sixteen hundred miles we have had two cases of sickness, two deserters and one expulsion–the latter not a member. We left Oakland, Cal., with twenty; arrived at Military Post, seven miles south of Denver, with ninety men, eighty of whom are members. Much credit is due to Fellow Worker Jack Law for his fidelity to the men of his expedition. Fellow Workers Sherman and McKenzie handled the finances with marked ability and, without question. Eighty-two per cent of this crew are American born. Denver sheets tell the opposite. A strict censorship bas been maintained by this body upon all press matter along the entire route, all articles being freely sabotaged, much to the discomfort of the press committee, but said committee has a wholesome regard for all concerned.

Our goal at last! Sixteen hundred and sixty-six miles in fourteen days!

Nolan and Engel, Press Committee.

The Industrial Union Bulletin, and the Industrial Worker were newspapers published by the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) from 1907 until 1913. First printed in Joliet, Illinois, IUB incorporated The Voice of Labor, the newspaper of the American Labor Union which had joined the IWW, and another IWW affiliate, International Metal Worker.The Trautmann-DeLeon faction issued its weekly from March 1907. Soon after, De Leon would be expelled and Trautmann would continue IUB until March 1909. It was edited by A. S. Edwards. 1909, production moved to Spokane, Washington and became The Industrial Worker, “the voice of revolutionary industrial unionism.”

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