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Some other links of recent interest to Pasty Cam watchers:
• Ancestors 2006  • New Arrivals 2006
•Progress Report: The Hut and Pasty Central Express
Eight years ago on the Pasty Cam: 8/14/98^{Printed on Recycled Internet}

Eight years ago, the Pasty Cam featured the sign at the Italian Hall memorial. Italian Hall was the site of one of the most famous disasters in Copper Country history. The miners were on strike in 1913 and holding a Christmas party at the hall. Someone shouted "fire" and, as people raced down the steep stairway to doors that opened inward, they were blocked in. Seventy-three people died -- mostly children. As the sign says, "the perpetrator of the tragedy was never identified."

Good morning...rain here in Traverse City.

Charlie must be busy this morning! Been waiting on a picture since 6:00.

Morning all...cloudy here in Oscoda but no rain yet...headed for T.C. later today for a meeting, is it supposed to rain all day Tom?

contretemps:an inopportune occurrence

morning....hope the silent auction was a success. must have been....took this long to get new pics. 10 more days and I'll be breathing the purest air....CC here I come.

About 60 of the 73 who died there were in fact children. There are about as many rumours of what actually happened that night as deaths; to this day I don't believe anyone really knows. The disaster, as tragic as it was, became one of many in a chain of events that eventually ended the strike.

Capt. Paul, you should get the book "False Alarm" written by P. Germain. (I bought it in Calumet).The whole story about the Italian Hall Disaster is written up in this book. The whole book is written about the actual number of people who were killed in the fire and the dispute about how many were recorded in the papers. The actual number number of lives that were lost was 73, and "35 of the 73 were children between the ages of six and ten". This was a great book. He even published every death certificate in his book to prove his numbers were correct. The book is an easy read with all the information about the strike and the party.

There was a song about the disaster. Does anyone remember who did it? Tks,

I believe it was 60 under the age of 16, or something like that. I have seen that book in Calumet Kathie; looked like a good read but I haven't bought it. Maybe when I am up that way again I will take a second look.

The song in question was written in 1941 by Woody Guthrie and called "The 1913 Massacre". Since then it has been performed by many other people, including Bob Dylan in 1961 at Carnegie Hall. The song was the inspiration for a documentary I believe by the same name. If you want more info on the song and film, goto http://www.1913massacre.com/ and there is a link to the song lyrics, and you can even listen to the song........

Thanks for that link, Capt. Paul. A folk singer by the name of Ramblin' Jack Elliott also performed the song. I really like his recording of the song.

10 days and we'll be headed for Houghton. We'll be bringing our youngest son to start his 1st year at MTU.

beware, Ken, he will become addicted to the copper country.

Capt. Paul,
It is a good book, as a matter of fact he had a lot of books in the store. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Gave me a insight to history that I never knew about.

Coincidence: while I'm reading, I've got music in my ears - City Of New Orleans, sung by Arlo.

I cannot believe that for the last two times that Arlo played the Calumet Theatre, that I missed him. How many hundred times can you listen to City of New Orleans ? Several!

Gallery from SUOMIpictures;

http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Europe/Finland/

Maija:
I believe he already is addicted to the Copper Country....as are my wife and I.

Japei, I want to thank you and tell you that I REALLY enjoy the
links you give us. I still check the Cornwall site
( http://
www.cornwallcam.co.uk/ )
that you gave us quite a while ago. I look at that one every day.
It is so interesting to see other countries! And thank you for
this latest Finland link. Great pictures!

Which way did the doors open? Steve Lehto,tries to answer that question.formerly of Hancock, and the grandson of Waino "Pops" Lehto, a former dean of Suomi College he is writing what looks like a good book on the Italian hall. http://italianhall.blog.com


Also found on the net------------------------------------------
1913 Massacre pt. II
by Tom Flannery
copyright 2002


In Calumet, Michigan, in 1913 hired copper company thugs broke up a striker's Christmas
party by shouting "fire", and then barring the door. In the panic that ensued, 74 people were
trampled to death, including 59 children.

Woody chronicled the tragedy in one of his greatest songs, "1913 Massacre". This is my
imagined end to the story, in which nobody was ever brought to justice. It's still a sore subject
in Calumet even today.

1913 Massacre pt. II

Back in 1913 I was just 22
and I done what them boss men told me to do
had my nose in the air and a fine suit of clothes
warm in the winter when that great lake wind blows

copper was gold back here in them days
and money can put a man's mind in a haze
so keep them mines open the man said and with glee
said "you know where they on this christmas eve"

they said them strikers ain't like us you see
they come to this country to replace you and me
so give 'em a scare so they will know
when they can come and where they can go

Now I'm an old man and to •••• will I go
for the blood of children taken so long ago
my grandson says, "papa, I don't want you to die"
I swear that little boy always makes me cry

Folks come to say that I've led a good life
with many fine children and a wonderful wife
but the secrets you keep bring a man to his knees
so listen dear Lord to my last earthly plea

Have them children waiting for me when I go
so I can hear them playing in that soft Christmas snow
I'll come once more as a temp for hire
because I am the one who yelled "there's a fire"

and something that got lost in them days
when the newspaper fellers they all went away
them children were buried close to Italian Hall
and then we crushed the strike once and for all

Shame can't be seen by the eyes of a child
or a man turned by money into something more wild
you can hide from the Lord but soon He'll see
and now fire is just what's waiting for me

Aye, Mr. Bill. No idea how many hundred I've got by now, and none whatsoever as to how many I will add to that! :)

I've seen the manuscript for Steve Lehto's Italian Hall book & have also had a number of personal exchanges with the author.

You will not want to miss this book! Steve has done a fantastic job of putting the Italian Hall tragedy into the context of the 1913-14 Copper Strike.

The book should be available (via Momentum Books of Royal Oak) by Christmas, perhaps by Thanksgiving.

Gerry M.