The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-07
CHICAGO'S STREET-CAR WAR.
Cars Allowed to Run Without Interrupt
ton Until Late in the Afternoon,
When Mob Succeeds in Upsetting Several
Of the Vehicles, and Business Ceases
Conductors and Drivers Beaten.

sherifs arrived at the Western avenue car
barn at 5 o'clock Il is morning. Half an hour
later 400 police were on the ground, with Capt.
Bonfeld in command. The fire department has
been notified to be readiness in case of any dis
turbance. when liberal supply of water will be
showered upon ans party manlfesting oispo-
sit!on to break the peace Stacks or arms Win
bayonets have been CONVEYED from the poAes.
stations to the barns, and tie ponce arihoo
with these weapons, will charge on any pefSohS
who attempt to obstruct the passage 81 cars
Each car will be in charge of two three 10
lIcemen, the object being to allow as rlany |
officers possible an opportunity to
protect the streets along the railroad
tracks. 1t is feared in some quarters
that serious trouble may ensue during the next
hour. At this hour (7:3O A. NJ the strikers
gathered in the vicinity of the barns assert
that should the police attempt to carry their
present intention Of patroling the routes of
travel, leaving the cars in charge of two or three
of their men, a vigorous attack will be made and
the strikers will endeavor by every possible
means in their power to prevent the cars from
running.
845 A. M.-Great crowds hung about the barns
morning, but the large force tf police was sufi-
cient to suppress any signs of disorder Under
the protection of the officers five were placed
upon the Randolph street line and made the
journey down town without encountering any
serious opposition. They have now started on
the return trip carrying, however, only police
men.
Although the railway company announced
that the cars would be started on regular time
this morning on four different routes simuta-
niously, viz: Madison, Lake, Randolph and Van
Buren, streets, the plan evidently fell through
The regular time is twenty minutes to g. No car
started till two hours later, and then only one
instead of four routes chosen for the start
Randolph street The delay was occasioned by
a consultation held this morning between of
fcers of the company and the police department.
The start on Randolph street was made at 745
A. NJ, under exactly the same circumstances as
on Friday last, except that to-day the cars
headed Western avenue toward Lake instead
of toward Madison street. 1t was a again a
contingent of ten The only event of the
trip occurred upon reaching tho South Side, when
the cry Of rats" was loudly shouted from the
sixth story window of large building. The po-
licemen did not accept the challenge, and the
cars proceeded down town. At State street, the
cars were switched without incident or accident,
and the return trip began. A heavy rain set in
| before the return was begun, which is likely to
! disperse the crowds and lessen the excitement.
III A. M-CarS are now running on Lake and
| Randolph streets. Two trips down have been
made on the latter, and second trip up is now
| being made. Everything quiet on the sec
ond trip down. The were block and
half apart, and the police protection was di-
minished. Passengers crowded the cars, and
| fares are being taken The strikers congregat
| ed in groups of three and four along the route,
and looked threateningly at the conductors and
| drivers. People along the route stared at the
cars as II they were anew invention, and In some
| cases horses scared at the approach Of the
| vehicles. Trouble is still feared. and it is
thought that as car is left unguarded
| by the police the conductor and driver may be
| severely handled
| NooN.-The streetcar company has sent out
| four cars on Van Buren, street. which made the
downtown trip unmoested. The company de-
clares it will not start the Madison street line
until it can man all of its cars. The men liz
charge of the cars are nearly all new men, none
| of the strikers having as yet shown any signs Of
| returning to the companys employ. No crowds
are reported at any point. The police believe
| that the evidences of disor der are disappearing.
2:15 p. M.-The railway company, under the
protection of tbs police, is hourly charging its
service, and up to this time without any outward
signs of violence. -Four to six policemen are to
| be found on each car but the number Of passen-
gers being carried is increasing The company
put large number of cars on the Madison street
| line at 1870 o'clock this afternoon which have
! been operated without molestaton. The police
don't allow any great crowd to assemble at any
| point along the four routes now covered by the
| cars.
A slight demonstration was made near the
corner of Jefferson and Randolph streets shortly
| before | o'clock but police wagon, coming up,
| dispersed the gathering. One of the new drivers
was struck by flying stone. about noon, but
! the perpetrator not seen arrested. Beyond
| these occurrences, nothing Of disturbing nature
| has been reported.
| CARS THROWN FROM TIE TRACK.
| Shortly before o'clock this afternoon the
situation among the lines of the West and Divis-
ion street railway began to assume a more
serious aspect. The crowds in the street began
to increase in size and boldness features which
eliminated in an attack on a Van Buren, street
car near the corner of Robey street. The car
| left the barns on Western avenue in charge of
''scab' conductor and driver and was
guarded by four policemen 1t was
closely followed by second car, similarly
manned. At Robey and Van Buren, streets
a crowd Of over three hundred men and boys
had collected. They were in sympathy with the
strikers, and began hooting and scof1ng at the
''scabs." The police in the two cars jumped
from their seats and made a charge on the
crowd to dispense it, thus leaving the car, which
contained a few passengers, practically unpro,
tected. A portion of the crowd made a detour
and Selling the car threw it from the track and
upset it into the ditch. The horses were cut
! loose and turned adrift The driver and con-
ductor were severely cluobed and fled for their
lives. Several shots were fired by the police
but without effect. A patrol wagon filed with
! police was quickly summoned to the spot, and
after dispensing the crowd, escorted the disabled
| car back to the barn.
A second attack made, this time
a Madison street car, little west of Robey
street. The conductor was badly beaten and
the car overturned into the ditch. The team