Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-06-26
LAKE SHORE STRIKE.
The Company Refuse to Discharge Non.
Union Men-An Immense Crowd Of
strikers Gather at Root street Crossing
and Overpower the Police.

CHICAGO, June 25.
At meeting of the striking Lake Shore
switchmen Thursday night, the following
communication was received:
To d. O'Reily, chairman
The officers of this company are in receipt
OF your message Of this date, reading as fol-
lows: "We have unanimously declared our
selves on strike on the old issue of April II,
and have established ourselves at No. 1921,
Wentworth Avenue, where the committee
may be seen at any time between A. NJ. and
10 p. NJ"
BY the ''old issue" it is understood you
mean the demand made upon the company in
April last, that it should discharge from its
service certain employees who it was claimed
were Objectionable individuals. If this is
correct there is no other answer to be made
than that contained in the letter then address
ed you by l.. s. Jones, general yard master,
April 18th, last. This stated that under no
circumstances will the company discharge
old, faithful and efficient employees on such a
request. The officers of the company desire
the committee and those whom they represent
to be advised that their declarations that they
are on a strike is accepted by the company
as a notice of their withdrawal from its ser
vice and any members who desire employ
ment must make application before noon.
Friday.
[Signed) 2. II. WRIGHT,
GenI Supt
A call has been issued and quietly circu-
lated for meeting of all general managers
and general superintendents of railroads en-
tering Chicago.
AT Root street crossing Friday morning.
police on duty numbered 80, which included
every available officer in the town of Lake.
There was no change in the situation up to
O'Clock, and no intmation of any attempt
to move trains had been received up to that
hour. The prevailing impression is that in
spite of the police, trouble will occur. car
load of switchmen reached Chicago at about
II O'Clock Thursday, from Toledo, and it was
thought they would be put to work At 8
o'clock the imported switchmen were taken
out to Forty-third street, in charge of Supt
Amsden. They remained in the car and had
not up to 80 been expostulated with by the
strikers. The imported men number about
% and include many of those brought to
Chicago during the last strike. Shortly be-
fore 10. officials with the assistance of police,
succeeded in attaching an engine and caboose
to a waiting freight train.
Beyond the expostulations Of the crowd no
trouble was experienced until after the ca
boose was attached to the train. The latter
consisted of ten cars, destined for South Bend.
The crowd grew in proportions and more
threatening
Poic. and railroad employees were cursed
and threatened with violence. In the mean
time the small force was divided between the
trsins and in guarding the switches, to pre-
vent the latter being turned so as to make il
impossible to move the train. Finally, re-
spending to the cries of several leaders, the
crowd rushed for the police and turned the
switches in spite of the latter. The police
had their clubs drawn and used them in
few instances, hut the officers were either go
thoroughly astonished or overawed by the
crowd that they could make no successful re-
sstance
large crowd is about the round house of
the Lake Shore road and it will not allow an
engine to come out.
At | o'clock the crowd around the sw itch
ing board was still very large and constantly
growing in numbers despite the frequent RAIN
showers. The temper of the crowd is still
verv ugly.
The strikers gathered at Forty-third street
yards this afternoon and when an attempt
was made to bring an engine out of the round
house they tried to run box car on the
track. The police charged them and made
several arrests.
Finally the train was made up under
heavy guard and passed out of the city
This evening a mob wrecked a Rock Island
train OF flat cars running on track parallel
with the Lake Shore. The regular wrecking
force of the Rock Island road refused to
come out and clear the tracks and both tracks
were blocked some time.