The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-11
THE ST. LOUIS RIOTS.
Business Men of the City Take Measures
Looking to Settlement of the Troubles.

ST. Louis, Oct. 10.-The mornings develop
ments in the street-car strike were much more
quiet than had been expected after the tumultu-
Gus proceedings of yesterday. There had been
no rioting trouble during the night, although
there had been double platoon of police in
waiting all nj it at the station. This morning
the business mems committee, appointed to
arbitrate between the strikers and the street
car presidents, met at the Mercantile Club, at
o'clock. The committee consisted of Jos.
Franklin, w. B. johnson, r. M. Scruggs, JOS
Specht S. G. Bum. and N. o. Nelson,
all prominent merchants. At $50 A NJ. they
were met by a committee of Ave men from the
Knights of Labor The committee was headed
by Caspar Heep, secretary Of the executive
board Of the Knights of Labor. WHO has beer
practically managing the street-car strike since
its inception. The Knights of Labor committee
stated that no street-car strike had been ordered
until the men had tried in every way to meet the
street-car presidents, and had failed.
If the streetcar officials had met
the men. there would have been no strike this
week. The committee went on to state that the
men would adhere to the demands they had made,
especially demanding the twelve-hour rule. and
the payment of 20 cents an hour for extra work
They further stated that the Knights of Labor
took account of the earnings of any road
street railway, or otherwise, but that they de-
manded living wages for all employees under all
circumstances.
Mr.. Heep finally submitted table showing
the wages paid all the street-car lines in
town. He showed that the men worked, on an
average, sixteen and three-quarter hours per day,
and that drivers were paid, on an average, $3.50
4 n An1 - a.
mand twelve hours for a days work and that
conductors be paid So and drivers 81 rs. The
committee then took a recess.
The lines are all running at noon, most of the
striking lines having about two-thirds of the
usual number of cars in operation, each being
manned by two policemen. There has been no
rioting yet to-day.
The mayor and the Police Board held called
meeting at noon to-day to swear in the SOC Aoecial
policemen, who were ordered to report this
morning While the mayor was talking Charles
Green, president of the Peoples railway, came
in and reported that a mob had gathered at his
barn, on Park avenue, and that his drivers
being inundated. Chief of Police Harrigan
Immediately telephoned to run the cars through
no matter how many policemen it required.
number of special policemen were sworn in and
sent out on duty.
The inquest on the body Of John Havey, the
striker who was shot and killed by Policeman
Harmon, yesterday, will begin at 10 A. NJ
tomorrow. Witnesses of the killing vino came
to the coroner's Office to-day say that the shoot
ing was unj ustifable; that Policeman Harmon
shot the man in the back of the head while Po-
lceman Griffiths was holding him down on the
ground
Miles Stanton, James St John. Robert Ora
ham, and others, who were arrested for mixing
in yesterdays riots, were fined in sums aggre-
eating $50 and costs each, in the Police Court
this morning.
The special committee resumed its session this
afternoon and heard statements from such en-
ployes as came before them. about fifty in num-
ber OF these men, it was found that those who
had not joined the Knights of Labor were en-
tirely satisfied with their pay and
hours of labor while those who
had joined the Knights Of Labor were
dissatisfied. The presidents and managers of
the railways were then heard, and three particu
lar points were deveoped-First. that it was i'm
possible to have regular hours street rail
roads, but that the average time, as now fixed,
was not excessive nor far from that demanded
by the men, and that when the men worked over
those hours they were paid extra for it; second,
that the wages now paid were equal and in some
cases exceeded the amount justified by the earn
ings of the companies, and compared most ia
vorably with those paid laborers of like class
employed in other kinds of business; that
since the strike they had more
labor offered there than they could use; that
they were willing to receive propositions from
their men individually or collectively without
prejudice, but they would not arbitrate or treat
with any outside organization, and didn't feel
inclined to discharge the men now in their en-
ploy to reinstate strikers.
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