The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-06-10
lnfuriated Women.

CHICAGO, June 4.-Thcrc was report
this morning at Cummings that the Rock
Island road would move four cars loaded
with nails made by new men at Cum
mings's nail works. As several of the
strikers had been enjoined from interfer-
ing in any way with the working of the
mills, the removal of these cars was pre-.
vented in peculiar way. Ten o'clock
was the hour when the engines were ex.
pected up from South Chicago, and
before that hour women and children to
the number of two hundred, wives and
families of former employees, assembled
with sticks in their hands, around the
terminus Of the railroad tracks and oppo.
site to the entrance to the nail works.
Females were sent down the track towards
South Chicago to apprise the party of
the engines approach. While these
were keeping guard, contingent was
dispatched to the residence of Tom Beth
ell, non.union man, who was moving to
Colehour for safety. Mrs. Bethel was
alone experimenting the packing of
household goods when she was startled
by the beating of tin pans and wild boots
and yells. Several windows were smashed
by bouldcrs, and she was berated roundly
by the women and children until the po.
lice dispersed the party. They returned
to the depot, and at The same time one of
the pickets came running breathlessly
along the track, waving her shawl and
shouting "to the cars !" This was signal.
ing the approach of the engine. Then
there was rush to where the loaded
cars were standing.
Mothers, with infants in arms, and
dragging youngsters by the hand, hurried
along. All ages were represented.
Mothers grouped their little ones along
the track some distance ahead of the first
freight car and packed them according
to age on the rails, the youngest toward
the engine, the mothers and grown up
daughters taking position in the rear.
The engine steamed up slowly, but seeing
the living obstacle on the track reversed
and returned to South Chicago. Then
the Amazons dispersed and on their
return jeered and abused the representa-
tives of the company at the gate, calling
them the most opprobrious names, the
police by their presence only preventing
an inAiction of violence by The infuriatcd
women.
At two o'clock when the engines ap.
peared again, fully 1000 women and
children were thronging the tracks and
apparently as determined as before to
hold them. Captain Hunt, with sixty
policemen from Hyde Park, had reported
in the meantime and attempted to clear
tho tracks, but could do it only with
great difficulty. The women, feeling
sure they would not be clubbed, refused
to move, or moved very slowly when told
to do 20, and closed up again on the
tracks unless absolutely held back by the
officers. The engines were unable to get
by them without killing them. The
greatest excitement prevailed, and all
attempts made to move the cars proved
futile.
During the evening the tracks were
finally cleared of women and children.
Then new complications arose. The train
men unanimously refused to lift hand
toward moving two cars loaded with so.
called "scab" nails.
The Rock Island officials at once dis.
charged the entire crew, engineers fire.
men 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.