This illustration appeared on the front page of the Philadelphia Inquirer on September 23, 1900. It depicts violent exchanges on the streets of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania on the previous two days between striking mineworkers, non-union workers, and Schuylkill County law enforcement.

A witness described the scene on Friday, September 21, 1900:

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About 5:30, the Sheriff and his party, accompanied by a small body of miners, were sighted near the outskirts of town. They were marching in the middle of the street, and were watched closely by the strikers.

I walked down [the] street to the P&R station where the trouble commenced.

The strikers all appeared quiet. Suddenly a large rock was hurled in the midst of the Sheriff’s party. It was followed in rapid succession by hundreds of others, which were pulled out of the pockets of the strikers. Then there was a shot, and many in the crowd ran for shelter.

I backed up Centre St., at double quick time [running]. The shower of stones, bottles, glasses, and clubs was awful, and in self-defense the party was ordered to fire. Shots flew right and left in the crowd.

One burly Pole standing in the doorway of a saloon aimed an ugly looking revolver at Deputy Brenneman, who was picking his way along the gutter. ‘Billy’ spied him, and, drawing a bead on the man, fired point blank at him. The fellow disappeared as if by magic. Whether the bullet took effect I was unable to ascertain…

The strikers followed the party to Main Street, where they dispersed, the Sheriff and his men entering the Ferguson House.

When the shooting commenced the streets were crowded and many people whose names will never be known must have been shot. I should judge there were 500 shots exchanged.

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One man was killed. The body of John Conitski lay in the street for three hours after the shooting began – a bullet struck him in the head above his right eye and killed him instantly. More than 20 others were wounded in the fray.

In the days that followed, Pennsylvania National Guard troops were called to restore peace as the 1900 Coal Strike continued. The strike ended in October 1900 – it set the stage for a larger and more effective coal strike in the summer of 1902.

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