New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-03-26
STRIKERS ATTACK A TRAIN.
A RIO7 ON The MISSOURI PACIFIC.
FIVE HUNDRED YARDMEN JOIN THE BIG
STRIKE.

|
ST. LOUIS, March 25.-rhe Missouri Pacific
succeeded In sending another freight train this morn
Ing. 1t manned by 125 policemen, and with the as
sstance Of 100 yards they kept at bay 1000
and boys anxious to interfere The train was fol-
lowed two miles By the mob the chase being kept up
until 1t had almost reached tho city limits
The police had to threaten the crowd
with revolvers to keep It of. The train pro
ceeded without interruption to Pacific Mo-, twenty-five
miles west where riot occurred Strikers numbering
about 100 bockaded tho track with bridge tmbers piled
ten feet high aud the train forced to stop The reg
ular police had left at the city limits and only about
sixty special officers in the employ of the company were
on guard wnen tho train stopped the strikers made
dash upon 1t from both sides OF the track
Armed with sticks. they mot with clubs and re-
volyers. Dctermnedly they pushed their way to the
cars the boder among the reaching the coupling pins
and attempting to withdraw them. But the police held
their ground and By vigorous use OF clubs
succeeded last in forcing back the mob Not shot
fired, though many fingers seemed ready to press
the trigger Two officers badly hurt, one
striker lost an eye by blow of
club, and five or his companions were
severely wounded. Tho Sheriff OF the county came
on the ground after heat of the conflict and re-
moved the Dlockadlng tlmbers, after which the train
went its way unmolested.
Promptly at o'clock this afternoon the whistles
OF nearly ono hundred locomotives In East st.
Louis gave simultaneously prolonged shrieks, and
all the yardmen, switchmen and shopmen
in the employ Of the Eastern trunk lines quit work. IN
ponse order from the Executive Board OF the
| Knights OF Labor in session in st. Louis. This
| action delivers the fatal blow to Interstate
| commerce, and st. Louis is completely Isolated
tonight as Tmbuctoo. The wak-out was no surprise.
as it anticipated since the refusal Of tue Missouri
Pacific Company to recognize the Knights OF Labor 30
far as could he ascertaned grievances or complaints
exist. The demands made two weeks ago were amica-
| bly, adjusted, the switchmen Oh many or the roads
| receiving the Chicago scale OF wages for
which they asked The switch aud yard
men who went out number close on
500 msn and blockade has been declared on the follow
lug roads: yandaia, indianapolis and ST. Louis Cairo
Short Line, Chicago and Alton Chicago, Burlington and
Quincy the East st. Louis Belt Line, Louisville ana
Nashville, OHIO and Mississippi, Mobile and ONO
Wabash belt line owned by the Virgins Ferry
Company, and the Illinois and Belleville Manager
Hill. of the Vandalia, sad: "Our men have no
grievances and | have heard no complaints about
wages" Manager Parker OF the Cairo Short Line, said
The men are quitting work by the order or ST. Louis
strikers. This road. the Belt road and the Chicago aOd
Alton raised to the Chicago standard week
ago. and tho Vaudalia and Indianapolis and st.
Louis did the same thing month age
None Of us had any trouble with men," The shops
affected Of the Cairo Short Line and tho Mobile
and Ohio or as it better known, the Cairo Narrow
Gauge Two hundred men were employed in these
shops The trains made up at noon were sent
out ana by o'clock the yards were
cleared and the men at once went away and
proceeded to Baum's Hall. where mass-meetng was
& nfcI,N adj by Chairman
Executive Board The men the repair shops Of the
Chicago and and the indianapolis and ST. Louis
went out when requested by the strikers
Many OF the roads have put their clerks and Off
cials to work In the yard and are recev-
ing some freight subject to delay. No
freights have been sent out since the
strike and the say that shall 90 OUT the reg
ular polio force the city numbers only fifteen men,
and they in sympathy with the strikers There are
Is 600 members o. Knights OF Labor In the city anI
they will support the strikers. The County authorities
are weak and 1t be accurately stated that no freight
will leave East ST. Louis within the next few days.
The Chicago roads are receiving nou-perishabe freight
subject TO delay The developments IN East ST. LOUIS
have created greatest CONSERVATION In railroad cir
ces Millions OF dollars worth Of railroad property is
practically in the hands Of the strikers aad the local
authorities incapable Of afordng the necessary pro-
tecton The little city delicious reputation, and Is
the home OF a lawless clement that mas NUMBER
OF times provoked yendetas The situation ls alarm
ing The strikers say that they will guard the property,
but will allow no freight the city. prominent
KNIGHT said to-day This is but the beginning of the
strike II EIoxe doesn't recognize the Knights within
o weeks this strike Will extend from to ocean and
the traffic Of the whole country Will be suspended We
mean business and there 100000 OF u.s. we can
force recognition" number Of the swtchmen stated
that although the Chicago wages had been promised
them when the payroll came around 1t had tho old hg-
ures on it, Again they struck for principle Tho roads
refused to recognize the committee OF the Knights who
called and mado the demand for higher wages.
The merchant. OF ST. LOUIS dumbfounded at this
new misfortune. For weeks they have worked and
prayed for an adjustment OF the trouble, and
now the only remaining outlet for the
trade OF the city is blockaded The
hank cearngs now compared with the figures before
the strike show "A loss OF S750O0O day. The lines
ar, cted Will make attempt tomorrow to resume
trafc and a riot will be the probable result
The following a review of thu strike and Its causes
prepared by q committee Of Districts No 7S anu lOl
knights Labor These associations cover all tue ter
ritory from Hannibal, No., to Laredo, Texas
To he TuJiIc.
day by railroad officials ana thei: apologiss and de-
tenders that the employees of tue Missouri Pacnc Rail
road had no cause striking grievances against the
company whatever they struck punish the Texas
and Pacific Railroad 1t Is necessary that the particulars
be LAID the world in order to set at rest at once
and forever silly charges wnc ignorance or malice
now publicly aud repeatedly proclaim .. AIM,
Governor Martin. OF Kansas, and Governor Marina
duke OF Missouri. In letter to MI Hoxe' OF recent
date say After careful inyesgstion We are Unable 10
find wherein the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company has
violated the and conditions OF the agreement
made 18th Of March 1880. touching It's employees
states" Where have these Governors
found evidence upon which they base this emphatic
statementl From whom did they receive III IL
Certainly must have been from the railway officials.
Then fro ID this one-slded testimony they make pub
Tic declaration that after careful investigation they
cannot fud wherein the railroad company mas violated
that contract What was the contract OF March, loSo
It's chief provisions FIRST that the wages OF Septe-
ber 1884 to be the basis with one ana onshait
time for sundays aud time over ten hours second
no
notice That contract was 10 be observed Oh an Tue
leaving the Texas and Pacific Railway entirely out OF
consideration that contract mas Deeh DrOAe
| violated, and ignored tine after time, TO WIFE
First In many tho september wages never were
restored, as the agreement provided.
Second. Section fOromen were reduced % per monIn'
viii thout tany