St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-06-21
TROUBLE ON THE LINES.
Their Seats Are Taken Away and the
Street Car Drivers Go On
Strike.
Progress of the Cars Interfered With and
Trouble Occurs on the Ply
mouth Line.
A Blockade at the Nicollet Houses
The Mayor Quells the
Excitement.
Reginning of the Trouble.


been somewhat excited over a rumor that
their seats on the car were to be taken
from them, and that as a consequence they
would be obliged to stand up OF else sit on
the car floor during the whole trip. When
the rumor first gained currency it was
laughed at by some who deemed such a
thing ridiculous in the extreme. Others,
of more sanguinary nature, became some
what excited over the report and said that
the company would not dare to do such
thing, as every man would walk out. Moth
ing more was heard of the matter until yes
terday morning, when the drivers on some
of the cars were astonished, on going to
the barns, to find big notices tackled up,
stating that no seats would be allowed any
driver on lines which were mentioned.
Then the storm burst.
These notices had been put up in the
barns of the Monroe Bloomington d
Plymouth avenue, Lyndale & Minnehaha
and University avenue lines, and the men all
claim that they were put up at a late hour
Saturday night, after they had gone home.
Upon reading the notices all the men, with
two exceptions, refused to take out the
cars, deeming the order an unjust one and
an outrage not to be tolerated. The con-
sequence was that some fifty-two cars did
not start. and confusion reigned supreme
A number Of them protested against the
outrage, and were told that other men
could be secured who would take out
the cars. At this some of the drivers in the
various barns picked up their cash boxes
which had just been filed and left the
stables, declaring that when the company
was ready to pay them their wages they
were willing to return the cash boxes. At
the Lyndale and Minnehaha line barns this
created trouble, and Chief of Police Chase
was summoned. He came in hack, and
the cash boxes were returned without hay
ing any trouble. The men did not care to
force the matter, and decided to let it rest
so far as the money was concerned.
Nearly all the men left the stables then and
proceeded in squads to other points, where
they induced numerous other drivers to
step down and out.
At noon but few cars were being driven
by union men. The majority of the driv-
erS were what is termed ''Scabs' and men
from other lines. AT 4 o'clock the number
of cars off was Monroe line, 10; Blooming
ton and Plymouth, IA. all but 2: Lyndale
Minnehaha, Il, all; University line. 10. all
but 2. Delegations waited upon the driv-
ers remaining and when night closed in
there were not eight cars running in the
city. All that were running were on the
University and Bloomington lines.
At o'clock four cars remained running
on the Bloomington and University lines.
Soon after 9 a large crowd. composed of
car drivers and others, gathered at the cor
ner of Washington avenue and Hennepin
avenue and stopped each car as it came
along. No violence was used. but the
crowd snugly surrounded the car and adj
vanced upon it in a body, Wedging it in
until passage was impossible.
The driver in each case was first asked to
leave his car, and when he refused cries of
rats, - etc., broke forth. Every
one. the striking drivers them
selves seemed to treat the affair as a joke,
and guyed the men On the cars unmerci-
fully. A number of policemen were on
hand, and when the crowd would get SO
thick that the car could not progress. would
clear the way, and the car would move on,
only to be stopped again. AS the cars
would stop, some one would enter and ex-
tinguish the lights. ''Put out the lights,
driver" turn around and go back to the
barn." don't be scab,'' were the edify-
ing remarks which came from citizens on
the sidewalk, and two drivers finally said
they were willing to go back. A passage
was made for them and they returned to
the barn. accompanied by the applause of
the crowd. The two other drivers would
not listen to the words Of the crowd, and
finally turned back and went to
the barn, evidently thinking that it
was the best thing they could do. Mayor
Ames addressed the leaders, In few
words he said that it would be better for
all to have the matter discussed, When
the last car had returned to the barn and
the crowd dispersed a hurrah was raised
for the mayor. and the line of march was
taken up to the hall on Second avenue
south, where an executive session was be-
ing held by the men who had taken 10
part in the demonstration.
TROUBLE ON THE PLYMOUTH LINE.
About p. m. large crowd had assem-
bled in front of the Plymouth avenue street
Car stables. composed of the striking drivers
and friends. Foreman Tuel of the stables
had just received a telephone from the SUI
perintendent asking that the men be in
duced to take the cars out on another trip.
Several of the drivers demurred. but at last
G. LAWS, who had just driven into the sta
BILE, consented to take out a car. The car
was started, amid the groans and jeers of
the crowd. and as it reached the main track
some one uncoupled the car and dirt was
thrown at LAWS. Suddenly the
crowd made a movement to
the car and dragged the driver
from it and during the melee he was Sc
verely punched. When the GLOBE re-
porter arrived on the scene all was quiet
and dark around the stables. Foreman
Tuel said he anticipated no trouble. LAWS,
who lives in a block just across the street
from the stables, was interviewed. He
bore the marks of severe handling. Said
he: when L started the car and the
crowd commenced to throw dirt 1 was
bewildered, and after they dragged me
from the car and commenced to shove and
kick me, thought it was time to defend
myself. Several hard blows were given
and l bear some pretty hard marks. /
drew a revolver I had on my person
but the policeman took it away from me
and dragged ME out of the crowd, another
policeman keeping back the crowd" LAWS
was i'll company with his friends and ap-
peared to be resting easy. Patrolman
Kennedy was one of the officers who pro-
tected LAWS.
THE MEN CLAIM
that the seats were taken out by the COM
pany for the purpose OF causing the men to
lcdNc tuClI pUSltlOuS, 81 tlidb UllC COIlpduy
would not be obliged to pay the men II
cents per hour, as it would be obliged to in
case the men worked on the line over
year. There is an agreement between the
company and its men, the drivers claim,
whereby every driver receives Is cents per
hour for the first three months; 16 cents for
the rest of the time up to one year, after
that time II cents per hour.
The meeting at labor hall included, it
was stated, every regular and all of the
new drivers learning the trade. The
utmost quiet prevailed and every
tendency to even loud language
was promptly suppressed. When the
situation was explained the decision
was unanimous to appoint committee to
wait upon the street car authorities,
Mr.. Lowry or Mr.. Goodrich, and
request the resembling of the obnoxious
order. The assembly will meet at
9 O'clock this morning, and it is expected
the committee will be ready to report to it
at that hour. Orders were issued last