Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-04-10

EAST st. Louis, Ill, April 1o.-About $50
O'Clock last night people passing on the bridge
near the Louisville and Nashville depot dis
covered smoke curling up from the yards A
lew moments later "A small name could Toe seen
issuing from a boN-car, located only "A short dis
lance from the Louisville and Nashville depot,
and in the center Of train with on the
tracks on each side. some of the bystanders
ran 10 the bridge Office and procured the hose.
they mad just fastened II upon the hydrant,
when the night superintendent of the bridge
arrived and instructed the men TO pay atten.
ton 10 the burning cars, hut merely 10 protect
the bridge. by this time the flames from the
burning car were shooting up into the air. and
We're visible all over the city. Some person
ran up To the Relay depot. where the troops
were quartered, and informed them of the iacis.
Company n, 9TH regiment, from Decatur, quar-.
tered i'm the Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton rooms, was ordered To the scene of the cone
Migration. They Immediately iel i'm line, and
under the command OF capt. Frank Wells,
marched down the track double quick. Ar
irving at the fire, they surrounded the burning
cars, and allowed no outsiders around them.
by this time quite a crowd had collected on the
bridge, mostly composed OF strikers, but they
were Very quiet. Mayor Joyce arrived about
the same time and sent in an alarm calling OUT
three engines of the lire department, which
quickly responded, and prevented the fire from
originated, but not before their hose had been
cut 10y some one in the crowd.
A SECOND FIRE
Just as the above fire was got under control .
big blaze was discovered in the direction OF the
round house of the Cairo short Line. about .
mile and a half TO the southeast The crowd
ran down the track 10 this place, when IL W ~
found that three box cars and one caboose ON
the Cairo short Line tracks were enveloped in
flames. The cars were surrounded 10y "A crowd
numbering perhaps two hundred people, but
they were orderly. The cars were totally do
stroyed.
FIRE IN A RAILROAD BUILDING.
At II. 10 O'Clock the Waterman at the yards
of the Cairo Short Line detected another fire in
the oil sheds, which Immediately burst forth
and enVeloped the building in flames. IL
"A commodious wooden structure, rendered adj
dltionally infiammable by the oil with which
the floor was saturated The fire, fed by bar
rels OF oil, swept westward. and i'm a few mo-
ments one of a long train of freight cars, on tho
nearest track caught IRE. The wind, which
had been driving the flames In the direction OF
the round house and shops, grew as the inten-
sity OF the flames increased. The fire crept
along To the main buildings and spread 10
another OF the cars which separated IL from
the shops. Only few moments elapsed bs-
tore the flames leaped TO the next parallel
track, and in "A short time the entire train OF
about twenty-five cars was consumed. Tho
fire in the round house and machine Shops Ina
the meantime, had not been put out despite
the efforts of the firemen. The latter worked
under great disadvantages, for no sooner would
they get line OF hose in position and have
a stream OF water playing on the IRE than
some one would quickly dart out from the
crowd and cut the hose. The flames there
fore made rapid Roadway, and i'm a short time
the round house and machine shops combined
were destroyed.
FOURTH FIRE IN LUMBER YARD.
fourth fire started in the Cairo Short Line
lumber yards, where a lot OF dimension timber
tor car construction was piled. There were also
a number OF cars standing in close proximity.
and these also commenced To blaze, and fifteen
OF the ears were soon destroyed.
Another blaze shot up in the vicinity of the
southern end OF the Cairo yards, where about
twelve cars belonging To different railroads
stood. These, too, Were burned 10 the ground.
ST. LOUIS FIREMEN WARNED OF.
The 81. Louis fire department was near at
hand, and could have readily eNtingulshed the
fires If the crowd would have permitted them
TO do so. They had got the flames under control
at the second fire, and would have extin.
gushed il If they had not been interIered with
10y the strikers.
About I2:I5 a. m. Assistant Chief Gross was
hurrying the efforts OF his men In their attempts
to stay the flames when he was approached by
a striker, who said 81 want 10 speak To you"
Mr.. Gross said he would give him his attention
in moment, and allowed himself 10 be led
from the burning cars. The striker said he rep
resented a committee which had been In
they were not wanted in East st. Louis.
the assistant chief explained that he had re-
sponded to the call of duty.
Ibid you come here by the authority OF
Mayor Joyce?" asked the mouth-piece OF the
committee.
stake my advice. You had better go back TO
your own city. 1t amt healthy for you here"
Assistant Gross concluded that IL was
staying there any longer, and he withdrew his
men and prepared 10 return 10 st. Louis. When
they left MIR. Gross said il was useless Tor them
10 attempt 20 do anything, AS the strikers
threatened their engineers, cut the hose and
had told him they would not be allowed to do
anything.
Although no one was actually caught in the
act OF starting any of these fires il is generally
believed that they were caused by the strikers
their sympaLhizers, and this belief Is at
least partially borne out by the frequency OF
their occurrence and by the Interference by the
crowd with the efforts OF the firemen TO extin.
gush the flames.
The total loss to the different companies SO
far is estimated AT S5O,oOO; insurance, $4,000.
STATEMENT OF THE MAYOR ST. LOUIS
ST. LOUIS, April lO.-The following message
was sent at six O'Clock this morning 10 j. w.
Vance, adjutant general at East 1t. Louis:
Just arrived :S:45 "A. IN. In response 10 an alarm
IL O'Clock last evening TO a request from
Mayor Joyce, three engines and one truck went
10 East st. Louis and followed quickly myself,
remaining there until after 1 O'Clock, when
being unable 10 lind the mayor, or any authori-
ties able 10 protect us, and after repeated cut
ting of our hose and continuous intimidation OF
our men, ordered their return. Immediately
on receipt OF your telegram, ordered Assistant
Chief Gross 10 report To you in person to place
several engines at your disposal with the SER
vices of himself and men. He Will see you be-
fore the receipt OF this, and If necessity stll
exists Will already have furnished you the aid
you request il you can protect his men and ma
chinery. (5igned) ID. X. Francis, mayor"
The first companies TO arrive in the city were
Company X OF the sth regiment, nom NASH
Nille and Company Ill OF the 9th, from Decatur,
and were temporarily quartered in the railroad
branch OF the Young Mems Christian associa-
ton building, near the Relay depot. The CT gwd
offered little wordy opposition, but not ing
further. The troops, after divesting thefnse ives
OF their clothing, bags ana blankets, ieit 10 take
fined To the switches near the depot. The
troops arrested one man in the Cairo Snort Line
yards who refused TO quit the premises early
this morning He was turned over 10 the local
authorities.
THE TROOPS MAINTAINING ORDER
EAST ST. LOUIS, April 10, 1910 AMINO dis
turDance has occurred since D O'Clock this
morning. At a few of the railroad crossings
and street corners there have been small gain
erings OF discontented men, but they are quietly
dispersed by the sentinels. The sheriff has dis
missed his deputies with the exception OF three
or four, and is dependent entirely on the troops
Tor protection. All OF the platform and yard
men OF the Burlington have returned, and a
freight train left this morning without molesta-
ton. Two freight trains arrived over the same
road this morning. a portion OF the men EN-
pioyed in the Chicago Alton ana Ohio &
Mississippi roads have returned and they are
handling without difficulty all freight
offered. The incoming passenger trains
over all the roads without exception arrived
close to schedule time, and were sent over the
bridge into the city.
slaughter.
The executive board OF the Knights OF Labor,
when the news OF the shooting reached them,
proceeded at once to East ST. Louis and there
general opinion TO the affair. After advising
to this side aud prepared the following telegram
and sent IL out as an expression OF the boards
opinion OF the affair:
$40 jay Gould, Neso York: The following
advertisement appeared in many OF the leading
-saff a..r md Ns.sf