The Indianapolis journal., 1886-03-31
AT EAST ST. LOUIS.
The Roads Unable to Send Out Trains-The
Sheriff Appeals to the Governor.

SheTln Appeals Co the Governor.
ST. Louis, March 30.--The situation in East
ST Louis this morning, so far the strike of the
switchmen and yardmen is concerned, remains
un:handed. The crowds congregated around the
relay depot are not SO large, and no serious dis
turbance in that quarter has occurred, owing. no
doubt, to the fact that none of the companies
have attempted as yet to start out freight trains,
for the strikers insist that such attempts will be
strongly resisted by them. They say that they
will not return to work until the preliminary ne
gotiations looking toward settlement of the
strike by arbitration shall have been satisfacto-
rily arranged and they ordered by their local ex-
ecutve committee to resume their duties.
The situation in East St Louis this afternoon
presents a marked contrast to that of yesterday.
No serious disturbance has as yet occurred, al
though several attempts by the railway compa-
MES to start out freight trains have been resisted
by the strikers. An Illinois g St Louis railway
engine, while engaged in making up freight
train, was approached by a number Of strikers,
who requested the engineer to desert his post
This he refused to do, and the men killed the
engine and took it back to the round house. On
the Vandalia tracks similar attempt was made
to make up a freight train, but the engineer
complied with the request of the strikers to take
his engine back to the round-house, and the at
tempt was abandoned. No opposition, however,
was offered to the effort of the Wabash officials
to resume freight traffic, and they succeeded in
sending out freight train. The presence of the
deputy United States marshals is a restraining
influence, and the men seem much less agrees
i've to-day than formerly. 1t is thought that the
presence of the militia will not be required to pro-
tect the property of any of the railway compa-
nies.
The following dispatch was cent this morning
by Sheriff Ropiequet, of st. Clair county,
Illinois, to Governor Oglesby but no reply has
yet been received
"EAsTS ST. LOUIS. March 80.
''To Governor Ogesby. Springfield, ILL.,:
'Your dispatch was received too late for me to
come to Springfield, and my state of health ia
impaired so much by late vigis that it is out of
the question for me to go SO far from home. /
called the posse at East st. Louis when the
emergency occurred. Few persons responded,
and few will. There are nine yards here. There
are fully 1 500 men determined that no freight
trains shall move. They respect no authority.
and seem to hold the State of Illinois in con-
tempt 1t is folly to think of moving freight
trains here unless the State sends strong force
All attempts to do so would result in failure and
Engines have been killed this morning, and the
freight blockade is complete except as to the roaG
in the hands of United States marshas. The
strikers seem to have a strong respect for the
United States. but none for the State
"FRED RoPIEQUET,
sSheriff of ST. Clair county, illinois,"
special dispatch from Decatur, ILL.,, says a
telegram has just been received from Adjutant-
general Vance. directing the militia company of
that place to prepare Immediately to go to East
st. Louis.
This afternoon the Chicago, Burlington e
Quincy started freight train of seventeen cars
out of the railroad yards in East St Louis
which proceeded safely short distance beyond
the relay depot. Here number of strikers
boarded the train and succeeded in detaching the
seven rear cars. The engine, with the remain
ing cars, escaped, having succeeded in running
the blockade.
Acknowledgement Vance, of Illinois, has been
here most of Lhe day. and witnessed some of the
scenes in the East ST. Louis yards. He declined
to talk the subject, but sent several dispatches
to Governor Oglesby, supposedly giving his view
of the situation.
Specials from Springfield tonight say that the
troops have not been actually ordered out yet,
but that transportation arrangements have been
made by which several hundred of the militia
can be conveyed to East st. Louis in four
hours from the time the order is given to move
One of the dispatches says "The best infCrma-
ton ootanable here leads to the supposition that
the troops will be ordered forward tomorrow
unless there is noticeable change for the bet
ter, and that o movement may take place to-
night