Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 July 1894 — A SERIOUS SITUATION. [ARTICLE]

A SERIOUS SITUATION.

Two Strikers Killed and Several Wounded, —— —- Kensington, a Chicago Suburb, the Scene of a Serious Biot. At an early hour, Friday, mobs began .to assemble about the junction points of the railways at Chicago and before 9 o’clock it was evident that a great battle for supremacy was on. Mayor Hopkins telegraphed hastily to the Governor, asking for five regiments of militia to aid him in preserving the peace. Two strikers were killed outright and others injured in a riot in the Illinois Central yards at Kensington. The strikers began collecting and by 10 o'clock five hundred men were rushing up and down the yarJs, overturning freight cars and blocking the tracks. A force of about 150 deputy United States marshals and Cook county deputies charged the mob at various places, driving «mall squads of men from the* 6 yards. The Illinois Central milk train came steaming slowly from the south. The mob charged it and in a trice the engine was detached and the cars overturned; The crew had already fled, and the strikers, mounting the engine, carried it back half smile, when, opening the throttle, they jumped from the cab, and the locomotive rushed forward at full speed, dashed into the wreck and tore through the derailed ears until it was thrown on its side. The crowd mounted the wreck with exultant cheers and held high carnival until the force of deputies had prepared to charge. As they came down on the run they were met by a shower of stones and coupling pins, and, halting, opened fire. For a moment the mob wavered as the bullets cut through their ranks, and then, with a howl, they charged the little force t>f deputies, who retreated to a safe distance to await reinforcements. Police details were, hurried to the scene, and the rioters continued the derailing of cars while waiting for the expected attack, carefully concealing the dead and injured men. A frantic appeal was sent to Chicago for assistance and troops were dispatched to the, scene. Two of the strikers are known to have been killed. The number of wounded can not be stated. At Burnside fifty ears were burned by the strikers. The milk trains on the Ft. Wayne and B. &O. were also attacked, but the mobs were driven off. At 3 p.’m. a riot broke out at the Union Depot. The mob was trying to ditch a train. At 3:10 frantic appeals were sent to th e Mayor from Fifty: first-street -and the Rock Island tracks for assistance to suppress a mob which threatened to destroy everything in sight. Mayor Hop* kins again appealed to the Governor for troops. Apparently a sufficient number of United States troops were not sent to Chicago. A dispatch from Washington late Friday afternoon stated that At-torney-General Olney was still firm in a determination to protect property ami said that the Government would fill Chicago with soldiers if it became necessary and crush the strike at a single blow. There was to be no temporizing, no compromising with the strikers. 'The railroad companies must be permitted to conduct their business unmolested, if the entire army of‘the United States has to be brought to Mites was welt supplied with all necessary force to carry But his orders, and if reinforcements are necessary they will be forthcoming. A Chicago dispatch, July 4, says: An order will be issued, to-morrow, for a special grand jury to investigate the railroad strike. The Government has determined to prosecute Debs and other leaders. Edwin Walker, the special counsel for the Government, said that Debs's punishment isdertain. A charge of criminal conspiracy will be brought against all the officers of the A. R. U. In addition to that they will be charged with violating and inciting men to riot. The grand jury will get after the leaders. A telegram was received by District Attorney Milchrist, this afternoon, from Attorney General Olney, directing him to lose no time, in calling the special grand jury. Great excitement prevailed at Sacramento, Cal., on the Fourth, because of the strike. The situation was of the most serious character The. militia had been called out. but were ordered not to fire under any circumstances. Three companies were ordered to drive the strikers from the depot. The scene was at once tumultuous and the situation threatening. For a few moments the soldiers hesitated, then they wavered, and then came to a blunt refhsal to move against the excited strikers. Ato mint.itbs later all the troops turned their backs upon the turbulent mob at the depot and quietly withdrew to the armory. A deafeningshout announced the, second victory of the strikers over the railroad Company, and their first victory over the State militia. When the troops had withdrawn to their armory and the jubilant strikers and their sympathizers were loudly celebrating their victory, a new source of danger became apparent. A body of fifty strikers ..appeared on the scene armed with rides and ammunition. It was learned that the Garibaldi guard had turned the contents of its arsenal over to the strikers. Strikers burned a number of freight cars at West Pullman on the Fourth. The strike is broken at Cincinnati and the men are reported to be scrambling for their old places. Judge Taft issued an omnibus injunction restricting all persons from interfering with or obstructing the operation of trains on nine roads centering at that point. At Chicago, Monday. Messrs. Walker and Milchrist, acting under instructions from Attorney-General Olney, filed the bill in the Federal Court to enjoin the strikers from interfering with the trains. It was modified under orders from Washington so as to enjoin the strikers from interfering with any train, this protection being s .ght on the ground of the 'interstate commerce act. It Is believed at the Government building that the injunction will stop the strike, for the whole power of theGoveanmctit will be called upon to enforce it. Judge Woods said: ‘'The marshal will tie expected to enforce the order, and. if he is unable to do so, die troops of the United States can be called out. It is not necessary to issue an injunction to prevent Interference with the mails, for such Interference is in itself a crime, for which the guilty can be arrested and indicted.” As to the territory covered by the order, the Judge said it applies to the State of Illinois, .the seat of the trouble, and can be entered in the courts of Indiana and Wisconsin and thus be made to apply

to those States. The men arrested foi violation of the injunction will be brought before the court for contempt. At Hammond, Thursday, the strikers gained a victory. C. G. Thompson, in charge of the tower house at the crossing of the Michigan Central and Nickel Plate, announced his intention to join the strikers. This he did after opening all ground rails so as toderail any train that might attempt to pass. Afterward .Station Agent Mallett closed the switches and spiked them. Trains were delayed and many passengers took the street cars into Chicago, The strike on the Big Four divisions al Wabash, Fort Wayne and Anderson became serious, Thursday, and business was seriously interfered with. The Chicago limited, which leaves Chi--cago at 5:30 p. m. for New York, was not run, Wednesday. Officials said it was laid off because it was net deemed safe to s tart i t.. The authorities at Sacramento and Oakland, Cal.,, are helpless. The blockade was practically complete, Thursday. At Oakland the strikers were in absolute control, armed and aggressive and reinforcements constantly arriving. The militia endeavored to fire up two switch engines in the railroad yards, but 300 armed strikers bore down upon the company and they were forced to retire. While the riot was in progress thousands of people who live on the Oakland side of the bay stood on the, shores waiting for transportation. All of the regular ferry boats had been stopped, and three big ferry boats that were temporarily plying up Oakland creek grounded at low tide and stuck fast in the creek. From 6to 1G o’clock there was no communication. The first Oakland boats to reach San Francisco arrived at 10:30. The General Managers’ Association, late Thursday evening, issued a summary of the situation in and around Chicago. The public were warned that travel was dangerous by the Chicago & Eastern Illinois in the neighborhood of Thirty-first i street because of the stoning of trains by strikers and sympathizers. Police protec-lion-was demanded for the Western avenue yards on the C., B. &Q. The Illinois Central suburban travel was considered safe. The Atchison; Topeka & Santa Fe had practically resumed business betweenChicago and Denver. Baltimore & Ohio still in trouble and freight business entirely abandoned. Situation at Stockyards growing more serious. Rioting was reported all along the line of the, Rock Island—mobs overturning freight cars, barricading tracks, wrecking property. The United States Marshal from Indianapolis with twenty deputies reached Huntington, where trouble is feared. Governor Altgeld, of Illinois,Thursday, sent a long letter to President Cleveland demanding the removal of federal troops from Illii.ois. Following is the Presfdent’s repiy: 4 Hon. John I’’ Altgeld, Governor of Illinois. Springfield, 111.. Federal troops were sent to Chicago in strict accordance with the Constitution and laws of the United States upon the demand of the Postoffice Department that obstruction of the mails should be removed. and under the representations of the judicial officials of the United Statesthat process of the federal courts eouldnot be executed through the ordinary means, and upon abundant proof that conspiracies existed against commerce between the United States. To meet these conditions, which are clearly within the province of federal authority, the presenet* of federal troops -i n the ei ty of Chicago was deemed not only proper, but necessary, and there has been no intention of thereby interfering with the plain duty of the local authorities to preserve the peace of the city. < ’■ noveh Cl e v e l a nd. Governor Altgeld, Friday, addressed a lengthy reply to President Cleveland’s dispatch of Thursday, protesting against the presence of Federal troops in Chicago, I and discussing in an exhaustive way the doctrine of ".State Rights.” Following is the President's reply: "Washington, July 6,1894. "John P. Altgeld, Governor of Illinois, SpringHeld: -—-u"Whilo I am still persuaded that I have, neither transcended my authoirty or duty in the, emergency that confronts us. it seems to me that in this hour of danger and public distress discussicn may well give way to active effort on the part ot all authority to restore obedience to the law and protect life and property. "(Irover Cleveland.” The President is watching the development of the situation at Chicago with deep concern. He is advised of every, , movement as reported to the War Departmont_aud the Department of Justice. Secretary Lamont, whose family is absent, has temporarily taken up his abode in the White House, so that his opportunities to consult the Prdsident are fre■lu<• nt, A t tor ney ■Geni ■r a 1 ncy also spent ;» good portion of his time. Thursday, at the White House and War Department. Apprehension is not confined to Chicago alone, but the progress of the disaffection in the far West is a source of great solicitude to the officials. Sacramento. Cal., is looked upon as a particularly threatening point. - President Debs issued an address at Chicago, Thursday night: He declared that the Pullman employes who struck on May 6, did so entirely of their own accord. Their action was spontaneous? and unanimous, a revolt against a series of deep seated wrongs of longstanding. Labor leaders not Only had no part in it. but those Connected with the'‘American Railway Union advised against it. The employes at Pullman had virtually become the slaves of the corporation. At the time of the strike they were in arrears for rent alone to the extent of $70,000. Within a short time they would have become hopelessly involved in debt, and would have mortgaged soul and body to the Pullman company. This had resulted because, while wages had been reduced, the cost of living had remained the same. The employes from the beginning had been willing to arbitrate their difference with the company. This was Still their position. The ciaims of the company that there was nothing to arbitrate was absurd. Committee after committee waited on the officials of the company, but was always repulsed. The company was and Is still as unyielding as adamant. What could be done, to restore peace and confidence? The A; R. I’. stood ready to do anything in its power that was honorable to end the trouble. It simply insisted that the Pullman company shall meet its employes and do them justice. The latter would accept any reasonable proposition. As to the charge that this was a sympathetic strike, the employes had done only what the corporations had done. Other organizations of workingmen had felt the oppressive hand of corporate capital. They would not be called out, but would go out. As to his own part in the strike Mr. Debs said it was not ordered by himself nor by any other individual. He had never ordered nor called anybody out. Under the rules of the American Railway Union members could only strike when a majority of their number so decided. Ono

vote of the delegates in this instance was unanimous. Whenever men have struck they have done so o,f their own free will. Inclosing,” said Mr. Debs, let me repeat that we stand ready to do our part toward averting the impending crisis. We have no false pride to stand in the way of a settlement. We do not want ‘official’ recognition. All we ask is fair play for the men who have chosen us to represent them. If the corporations refuse to yield and stubbornly maintain that there is 'nothing to arbitrate* the responsibility for whar may ensue will be upon tfficir heads and they cannot escape its penalties.” Friday night lawless mobs of firebugs •vorked at a score of points in the southern part of Chicago. Alarm after alarm followed in quick succession and at 11 p. m. the glare reflected from the heavens showed that the work of destruction continued. The Panhandle yards from FifT y- fifth streeHcTSix ty- th ird street, eight blocks, were a mass of fire. Ten tracks, containing from 1.00) to 2,000 cars, half of them loaded, will be a total loss. No water being at hand the fire burned itself out. The Panhandle station at Sixty-third St. was also fired and destroyed. The Grand Trunk yards at Elston were a sea of flame and 503 box cars are supposed to have been burned. All efforts to check the flames were futile. At Hyde Park, near the World's Fair grounds, forty cars were burned. The shops of the Illinois Central "at Burnside were destroyed. At the Stock Yards flfry toughs were discovered skrHfc*? Ing from point to point starting fires wherever possible. The. aggregate of the losses to the railroads will be enormous. Miles of their tracks have been ruined by the fierce heat; hundreds of switches, signal towers with their expensive mechanism, were utterly ruined. Thousands of cars and untold quantities of merchandise of every imaginable description have fed the Hanies and gorged the larders of thieves; valuable locomotives have been wrecked and disabled, miles of tangled wires and prostrate, poles litter the ground. The loss in the Panhandle yards alone is estimated at $1,200,003, The First regiment of the State troops, 750 strong, went to Hyde, Park and Kensington. The Second, with about the, same number of men. followed shortly after, being assigned to the Stock Yards district, undnr.direction of Police Inspector Hunt. The Third regiment, 603 men, were placed on duty in the district north of Thirty ninth street. The regiment, 700 men. is held in reserve, together with Battery D, at the Michigan avenue armory. At 3 a. m., Saturday morning, all the fires were under control or had burned themselves out and no further immediate trouble was anticipated. President Debs, at Chicago, Friday evening issued a proclamation warning all strikers against any violation of any State, National or municipal law. He concluded as follows: Let it be borne in mind that if the railroad companies can secure men to handle their trains, they have that r'ght. Our men have, the right to quit, but their right ends there. Other men have the right to take their places, whatever the opinion of the propriety of so doing may be. Ke< p away from railroad yards or rights-ot- • way, or other places where large crowds congregate. A safe plan is to remain entirely away from places where there is any likelihood of there being an outbreak. The railroad managers have sought to make it appear that their trains do not move because of the interference of the strikers. The statement is an unqualified falsehood, and no one knows this better than the managers themselves. They make this falsehood serve their purpose '■of calling out the troops. Respect the law, conduct yourselves as becomes men. and our cause shall be crowned with success. Eugene V. Debs. The Local lodges A. R. U. at Indianapolis, Thursday, extended the Pullman boycott to the Indianapolis News and. Journal,