The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-10
PRELIMINARY RIOTING.
A Number of Cars Overturned, and Drivers
and Conductors Beaten.


ST. LOUIS, Oct 9-The situation regarding
the strike of the street,car men presents no
marked changes from that of yesterday, but
there is a feeling of great uncertainty and expec
tation of further violence. All of the lines are
running some cars, and several of them are doing
nearly if not quite. full service. The Broad
way, or Fifth street line, which is the longest il
the city, and which has been practically sus-
pended since the strike began, sent out
few cars this morning under protection
of policemen. Police officers are also stationed
at numerous points on the streets occupied by
the railways, and officers have been placed on
the cars of some of the other roads No dis
turbances were reported up to noon, and it is
hoped that the large display of police will pre-
vent further trouble. The so-called arbitration
committee appointed by the Trades Assembly
was in session with the executive board of the
Knights of Labor until o'clock this morning
and the session was resumed to-day. They
claim to be arranging plans for a settlement of
the troubles, but nothing effective seems to have
been done yet They also claim that much of
the violence of yesterday was committed by out
siders, and that all the strikers are under strict
orders to preserve the peace.
The quiet of the morning hour was not long
continued, as about noon the strikers began to
assemble in knots in various parts of the city,
and things presented IN ominous appearance.
First riot occurred on the Chouteau-avenue
road and several cars wore dumped into the gutter
and the drivers and,eenductors severely handled
Next TIA big crowd of strikers attacked several
cars of the Union Depot line on the Twelfth
street bridge, within a square OF the
Four Courts and the police headquarters
The drivers and conductors were badly beaten,
conductor being rendered insensible The
rioters were in such hurry to tip over the cars
that the passengers were not allowed time to get
out of them, and two ladies were badly bruised
on the Twefth-street bridge while leaping from
car which the strikers had already tilted in the
air. Mayor Francis and Chief of Police Harri-
gan, with squad of police, arrived on the
bridge soon afterward and made some arrests,
the rioters dispensing sullenly.
About P M. riot broke out on Cass avenue,
the crowd extending from Ninth to Fourteenth
streets. At least dozen cars of the Cass-ave-
nue. line were laid in the cutters. between the
streets named by the mob.
All the conductors and drivers were thumped
very roughly, and the teams turned loose on the
streets. Shortly after this another riot occurred
the tracks of the Union Depot line on
OFallon street, near Tenth, one block south
of the location of the Cass avenue row.
Here cars were tossed about and the widest ex-
citement prevailed. The two mobs were in close
proximity and the crowds soon united, some
1000 or 5000 people filling all the adjacent
streets and preventing traffic In few minutes
another mob began to overturn the cars of the
Lindell railroad, at Eighth street and Wabash
avenue, and here, too, an immense crowd gath
cred. Up to 2:30 P NJ. no one is reported very
badly injured, but serious trouble may occur at
any time.