St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-06-05
WOMEN TO THE FRONT.
A Crowd Of Irate Females Prevent the
Running cfa Freight Train
Near Chicago, Ill.
They Place Their Children on the Track
and dare the Engineer to
Run Over Them.
The Amalgamated Association a
Pfttsburg is INVITED to Unite
With knights of Labor.
Mr.. Powderiy's Request Received
With Much Favor--Coal Mi
ners Going to Work.
The women Held the Tracks.

CHICAGO, June 4.-There was report
this morning at Cummings that the Rock
Island road would move four cars loaded
with the nails made by the men at the Cum
mings nail works. As several of the strik
ers had been enjoined from interfering IN
any way with the working of the mills, the
removal OF the cars was prevented in pc
cular way. Ten o'clock was the hour when
the engines were expected up from South
Chicago, and before that hour women and
children to the number of 300, the wives
and families of former employees, as
sembled with sticks in their hands
around the terminus of the railroad tracks
and opposite to the entrance of the
nail works. Female spies were sent down
the track towards South Chicago to apprise
the party of the 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 Cole
hour for safety. Mrs. Bethel was alone
experimenting the packing of the house
hold goods when she was startled by the
beating of tin pans and the widest boots
and yells imaginable. Several windows
were smashed by powders and she was
berated roundly by the women and children
until the police dispersed the party. They
IcGuIUGu W tllo ucpOt, dLu dt tllO odlliO tiiliC
one of the pickets came running breath
leSSly along the track waving her shawl
and shouting,
ITO THE CARS"
This was signaling the approach of the
engine. Then there was rush to where
the loaded cars were standing. Mothers
with infants in arms and dragging Young
sters by the hand ran along. All ages
were represented. The mothers grouped
their little ones along the track some dis
lance ahead of the first freight car. and
packed them according to age along the
rails, the youngest toward the approaching
engine, the mothers and grown-up daugh-
tiers taking position in the rear. The en-
CINE steamed up slowly short dista ice, but
seeing the living obstacles on the track re-
versed and returned to South Chicago. Then
the amazons dispersed, and on their return
jeered and abused the representatives of
the company at the gate, calling
them the most opprobrious names.
and the infiction of violence by
the Infatuated women was only prevented
by the presence of the police At 2 o'clock
when the engines appeared again fully
1000 women and children were thronging
the tracks as determined as before to hold
them. Capt. Hunt, with sixty policemen
from Hyde Park, had reported in the mean
time and attempted to clear the tracks. but
could do it only with great difficulty. The
women, feeling sure they would not be
dubbed, refused to move, or moved very
slowly when told to do so, and closed up
again'on the tracks unless absolutely held
back by the officers. Late this afternoon
they were still thronging about the cars,
and the engines were unable to get by them
without killing them. The greatest excite
ment prevailed and all attempts made to
move cars proved futile.
During the evening the tracks were fin
ally cleared Of the women and children.
Then new complication arose. The
train men unanimously refused to
lift hand toward moving the
cars loaded with sO-called ''scab's" nails.
The Rock Island officials at once discharged
the entire crew, engineer, firemen and all
concerned, including the switchmen. There
is possibility that the affair will lead to
serious trouble between the railroad and the
various unions of which the offending train
men are members.