History Of The Cripple Creek Strike

Gold was the thing to have in the 1800's. It was the reason for everything. In 1891 gold was discovered in Cripple Creek. After the Panic of 1893, which caused the price of silver to plummet and the price of gold to sky rocket, miners began flooding the area. By 1894 there were 150 active mines in the area.

When the mine owners decided to extend the miners’ work day from 8 to 10 hours, without an increase in wages the miners became disgruntled. Mine owners retaliated against the miners by offering them to maintain their 8 hour day but decrease compensation from $3.00 a day to $2.50.

On February 7, 1894, a miners’ strike led by the Western Federation of Miners began in Cripple Creek. The strike escalated between February to April. In May, the mine owners raised a private army, and in response, the miners armed and organized themselves under the direction of Junius J. Johnson. They built a fort at Bull Hill, and further attacks were characterized by firefights and dynamite explosions. …show more content…
The Cripple Creek strike proved a major victory for the labor movement as a result the Western Federation of Miners gained considerable power and influence in the following years. It is the only strike to ever have the state militia to fight on the side of the