Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 August 1909 — PITCHED BATTLE OF MANY RIOTERS [ARTICLE]

PITCHED BATTLE OF MANY RIOTERS

One Thousand Oockmen Shed Blood In Fights. TWO DOZEN ARE WOUNDED Three Are Fatally Bhot, Including the Chief of Police of the Canadian Pacific Railroad—Twenty-Five Constables Are Penned Up In Bunk House and Enraged Workmen Are Firing at Them—Threaten to Bum Elevatone. Fort William, Oat., Ang. 13.—Fort William, far the first time In its history, Is tunler martial law. A thousand dock laborers enraged by the arrival of special Canadian Pacific police from Winnipeg were Incited to riot and three hundred engaged In a pitched battle with the police. Two dozen men were injured, three at least fatally, Including Chief Ball of the railway company's local force, and two Greeks. The Ninety-sixth regiment of militia has been called out The strikers have twenty-five railway constables penned up In the Canadian Pacific railroad bunk house shooting at them. More Troops Coming. The permanent force in Winnipeg arrived by special train this morning and will aid In keeping the strikers from rioting. The city police department Is absolutely unable to cope with the situation. The men are rabid with thirst for blood. At the city hall, the mayor was doing what he could to arrange a settlement. Canadian Pacific railway officials had agreed to grant the demands “of the men and put them to work under an increased scale. Chief Andrews was telephoning to his men to stay In the boarding house and not to incite the strikers pending a confirmation of the report that the company had yielded when the first shot rang out. An agreement had Just been approved at the city hall when the report was telephoned In that rioting was In progress. The officials promptly notified the mayor that they would now fight the strike out to the bitter end. Police Penned In. For an hour Thursday afternoon volleys and shots followed each other in quick succession. The strikers massed and drove the police back Into the bunk house, where they are now undergoing a siege. All the windows in the bunk house and of the Canadian Pacific railway yard buildings were smashed with bullets. The strikers threaten to burn the Canadian Pacific mammoth grain elevators.