The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-06-05
O M AND CHILDREN
TAKING A HAND In THE STRIKE
AT CHICAGO.
The Railroad Tracks BlOekaded
with ibe Onspring OF the Strik-
ing Nailers.

CHICAGO, June 4-There was a re-
port this morning at CumminH that
the Rock Island road would move
four cars loaded with the nails by the
new men a. the Cummins Nail Works.
As several of the strikers bad been
euj lined from interfering in any way
WI h the working OF the mills the re.
movsl OF these cara was prevented in
a peculiar wsy. len O'Clock was ths
hour when the engines we're expected
up from South Chicago, and before
that hour women and children to the
number OF 200, tie wives and families
OF former employees, assembled
with sticks in their hands
around the terminus of the rail.
rosd track and opposite to the en-
trance of the nail works. Female
spies were sent down the track toward
south Chicago to apprise the party Of
ihe engines approach. While these
were keeping guard a contingent was
dispatched to the residence of Tom
Bethel, a non-union man, who was
moving to Colehour for safely. MIS-.
Bethel was alone, experimenting the
packing OF the household goods, when
the was startled by the beating OF tin
cans and the widest boots anu yells
Imaginable. several windows were
smashed by boulders, and she YVES be.
ra' ed roundly by the women and chill
d'en until the Iolice dispersed them.
They returned to the depo and at
tie same time one OF the plckets came
running bres HESS along the track,
waving her ell aTl and shouting to
the cars" This was signaling the ap-
proach of the engine. Then there
wss a rush 10 where the lo3ded cars
we're standing, Mothers with infants
in arms and dragging youngs' ers by
the hand hurried along. ALI ages
were represents d. The mothers
grouped their little ones along the
track some distance ahead OF the first
freight a and packed them according
to g along the railg, the youngest
toward the approaching engine, the
mothers and grown up daughters
taking position in the rear. The engine
steamed up slowly a short distance
but seeing the living object on the
track reversed and returned 10 South
Chicago. Then the amazous dispersed
and on their IT turn jeered and abused
the representatives Of the company at
the gate, calling them the mos op-
probious names, and the infliction OF
violence by the Infatuated women was
, only prevented by the presence OF the
/, police. At 2 o'clock, wne the en-
gines appeared again, fully 1000 WON
en- and children were thIonging the
tracks, acd apparently as determined
as before to hold them. Capt. Hunt,
/, with sixty policemen from Hyde Park,
had reported ia the meant me and at
/ tempted to clear the tracks, but could
do il only with great difficulty. The
women, feeling SURF they would MOI
! be dubbed, refused to move, or moved
very slowly VIXEN told TO do 30, anc
= closed up sgsin on the tracks unles
absolutely held back by the officers
Late this sfiernoon they were ttil
throrgiug about the cans, and the EN-
gines were unable to get by then
; without killing them. The creates
/, excitement prevailed, and all attempt
made to move the cara proved futile.
8 During the evening the tracks wert
foally C eared Of the women aad chill
+, dreu. Then a new complication arose
The trAiNmen unanimously refused
}, to lift a Rand toward moving the tw'
cars loaded withso called 'scab" nails
The Rock Island officials at once dis
charged the entire crew, engineer fire
man and all concerned, ibc!udipg tn
switchman. There is aNpossibilit.
= that the affair will lead to a seriou
trouble bstween the a abroad aud tn,
various unions of which the offendiDl
trsiCmen are members.