Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-23
LABOR TROUBLES.
KILLING ENGINES ANDPURsUTHe AND
CAPTURING A FREIGHT TRAIN.
How Party Of Masked Men Disabled a Lo-
connective; Quickly and Quietly
Accomplished.
IBy telegraph TO the Dnpatch.l

DE-NA0oN, lEA.f H1fNu -. ~
o'clock yesterday morning the watch
men at the round-house were surprised
by the appearance Of about one hun
bred and fifty masked men, who COM
manded them to keep quiet. The watch
Lien, ten in number, were taken up and
carried to the shop Office, where guard
was put over them. They were told
TO remain where they were quietly,
as the masked men came determined to
do their duty, be the consequences what
they might. and that they would not
he injured. So the watchmen sat IN
the Office awaiting the result Of the
affair. OF the mob OF one hundred and
fifty men not one spoke word except
the leader, who, after placing the watch
men under guard, went to the middle
turn-tsble, where all could see and
hear him, and said Men. you
know your duty; do it,"
At that every man broke in some
direction without the least bit Of noise.
in about five minutes the speaker re-
turned to the Office and ad dressed the
watchmen, saying " Gentlemen, we
are much obliged to you for your con-
duct and wish to return our thanks.
You are all at liberty to 90 about your
business. Good morning." The watch
men stepped out Of the Office and not
man was in sight or could be heard.
They then made investigation as to
what had been done. The passen-
ger engine that was to leave for Fort
Worth this morning at 1 o'clock was
found with the steam-cock open, the
hose was cut, the fire dumped out. and
killed " entirely. They failed to open
the water-gauge, so the engine had
enough water TO carry her 10 Whites
boro', and while the hands were heat
ing and bringing her to life again new
hose was put in. and in about an hour
she steamed up in the depot and
took out a passenger train that
had laid there all night. In the shops
the men found that the large stationary
engine had been reno, ed from its place,
water let out Of the tanks. hose cut,
pins removed. and engines " killed so
that it Will take days to bring them to
life again. The damage done to the
machinery WAS very great. and 1t will
take some time 10 repair 1t. Every
masquerader carried large piece Of
iron. brickbat, or something similar, so
as TO he prepared for combatif the watch
men resisted. The wstchmen. seeing
the size Of the mob. knew II was use
less to resist. and so allowed them to
DO " that they would. The CELEBRITY and
cuiet with which The work was done
| showed that the men had been well
trained and instructed. The watchmen
have no idea who they were, and those
that wore no masks were strangers to
them. so there is 30 way Of finding out
the guilty parties.
CAPTURED THE TRAIN.
CHICAGO, March 22.-A specia'
from Omaha says 4 Missouri-Paciic
freight train va, started out Of Omaha
Yesterday afternoon. At the time the
knights Of Labor were holding a meet
lrc. and one Of their men, who had
been on the watch, rushed into the meet
Ing and informed them Of the train leay-
irg. 4 number Of the Knights rushed
down to the yards to head off the train,
but finding it bad gone, they captured a
Union-Pacifc en-ine. and with II they
overlook the MissouTi-Paciic train at
Papillion. eighteen miles out. They
side-tracked the train, brought the en-
CINE back to Omaha. and ran 1t into
the round-hOuSe.
ANOTHER STRIKE IN KANSAS CITY.
KANSAS CITY, No. March 22.-At
q o'clock this morning a general sound
ing Of locomotive whistles signalled the
Inauguration Of another strike. At
that hour the union sTitchmen in every
railroad yard in the city quit work, and
freight business generally was stopped.
KANSAS CITY, No, March o.
The situation in railroad circles has be-
come so complicated that the outcome
grows more uncertain. Lethargy pre-
walls tonight throughout the freight
yards in this city and IN Kansas
City. The Wimourdale and Argen-
tine passenger trains have net
been disturbed, and all left tonight as
usual. One OF the leaders in the strike
stated tonight that he did not believe
that they would be molested An EN-
barge, however, has been placed upon
freight traffic, which is practically COM
plete. 4 Wabash train was made
up late this afternoon. A large crowd
was gathered about as the train pre-
pared to start. At a signal twenty
covplirg-Iins were puilel sinai
taneously from between the cars.
and the train was eiieciually
disabled. The movement was 50 quick
that DO one could tell who was respon-
sib'e for it. Another effort was mad
la,er on. and at : o'clock the COMPANY
succeeded in starting two ffeishttrsins
There IL a disposition among the strikes
10 avoid complication with the Federal
authorities.
Local railroad officials unite in saying
that the strike was q complete surprise
10 them. The men had made no COM
plants since the recent settlement.
Busi, ess at the stock yards Is about
suspended and on the Board Of Trade
wheat dropped , cents IN as many Sc
conds.
1t is said that the trackmeu and Sec
tion.hands are also out, bat this is not
vet confirmed. They did not resume
this afternoon because business is prac-
tically suspended. Orders are being
sent 10 points beyond here by the rail-
road officials 10 refuse all perishaole
freight. There are fifty crews Of yard
men on eleven roads engaged in this
strike.
Two trains started out over the Chi
csgO and Alton road. but the men
from the surrounding groups Jumped
aboard the cars, aud applying brakes,
stopped the trains in the lower yards,
and no attempt was made TO get them
farther. 1t is reported that most Of
the packing. houses will close to-
morrow.
Plankinton 4 Armour discharged
one fourth Of their force to-day. The
great Smelting-W orks at Argentine will
also shut down. Large quantities of