Grand Junction and the Hobo Coxeyite Armies of 1894

June 17th of 1894, Englishman, Fredrick Denning Smith arrived in Grand Junction ahead of his “army” of hobos and unemployed workers. “General” Smith’s ‘army’ was the last, and most beleaguered, of dozens of hobo ‘armies’ marching to Washington.

The movement began in March, when Jacob Coxey, led a march from Ohio to Washington DC. Soon armies were forming up all over the nation and heading east, by any means necessary. The men were marching in support of the “Good Roads” bill, a jobs and public works proposal.

‘General’ Smiths army was organized in the Oakland area, and like many of these western ‘armies,’ they stole a train. The freeride didn’t last long, the train was switched to a siding and Smith’s second in command was shot and killed by a Constable in Rocklin, CA.

His ‘army’ faced-down a posse of sheriff deputies and police in Utah on the Davis county line.

After literally dozens of trains being stolen around the nation by different ‘coxeyite’ forces, no train would let Smiths men on board. His army headed out of Salt Lake City on foot for Grand Junction.

The Sentinel reported the hardships being faced by Smith’s men: “…great suffering on the part of the Coxeyites scattered along the desert between here and Salt Lake. There is neither food nor water for them and death is veritably staring them in the face. The trainmen have strict orders to keep them off the trains, and have no choice in the matter. They attempt to board every train that comes in but are repelled.”

The strong populist and labor movements, generous local government, and even the Daily Sentinel helped to resupply and rescue Smith’s weary men.

By the 26th, Smith’s men were recovered enough for a parade down Main St., and speeches. That night they marched out of town.

Smith’s ‘army’ arrived in Pueblo, CO on the Fourth of July, and quickly dissolved. The movement they were trying to catch up to had begun falling apart.

Smith would end up settling in Pueblo, and running for office as a Populist in 1895. By 1896 he was in Kansas City, Missouri agitating with local socialist and organizing the unemployed.

Just a few days after Smith left Grand Junction, a national labor dispute would rock Grand Junction and the nation, the 1894 Pullman Railroad Strike.