New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-05
VIOLENCE AT PHILADELPHIA
A wRECKING ATTEMPT FRUSTRATED.
THE STRIKERS pErERMINwD-THE COMPANY TO
PROTECT ITS EMPLoYEs-FREIGHr HANDLED
WITH DISPATCH.

THE STRIKERS DErERMINxD-THE COMPANY TO
PROTECT ITS EMPLoYEs-FREiGHT HANDLED
WITH DISPATCH.
fBY TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUNE-1
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 4.-The determined action
Of the Reading miners in quitting work has given
backbone to the heststing employees all along the
road. and this evening large forces OF the men
at Port Richmond and the Reading railroad depots,
who last week remained at work. left the yards.
Over two hundred new men were given work at
Port Richmond to-day. The strikers sent pickets
to them. and a result. number Of new hands.
chiefly Italians. quit work.
The first actual demonstration to iniure the
Reading railroads property was attempted last
night by strikers. The bridge that crosses Gun
ners Run. above Otis-st. on Beach-st.. was seized
and the draw displaced. train Of coal cars was
approaching the bridge, but was stopped in time
to avoid accident. A squad of policemen drove
the strikers away, and guard was placed on the
structure. Both the Pennsylvania and Reading
companies use it almost constantly. The knights
of Labor connected with the Reading road on
strike In the city estimated at ninety per cent
of the whole number employed. At the freight
depot at Broad and Callowhill sts. the shifting
engines constantly at work taking long
string of loaded freight cars to make up the Jut-
bound trains.
STRIKERS DEPENDING ON THE MERCHANTS.
Along the main line Of the road there is large
number Of idle cars. in one instance reaching In
two lines from Brown-st. to Fairmount-ave and
ut the Belmont yards there 500 cars side
tracked. number Of the strikers living in the
cOmpany's houses at Port Richmond have been
told by j. III. Looms, the agent, that rent must
hereafter be paid in advance or the premises
vacated The men are becoming more confident
Iofa o1 and tI,o inbi hat
will hold out many months. They claim that
most of the merchants at Port Richmond are in
sympathy with them. and will furnish them with
provisions. The officials Of the Reading road as
sert that great deal Of coal is being stolen off
the cars before they reach the wharves.
Superintendent Kem said to-day that the COM
pany has now employed all the men it can use at
this point, and that the work is being done with
greater dispatch. General Manager Mcleod Is.
sued another order to-day, guaranteeing legal
strikers. At Noble and WiOw-st. wharf. and at
Trcnton-ave. work being done by the new
men, and trains were received and DISPATCHED with
the customary regularity General Manager
Mcleod said this evening that the reports lndl-
ca,e that the usual number of collieres are in
operation, except few which idle from q
scarcity of cars.
The local situation shows but little change.
The various stations are well supplied with help,
and no serious difficulty is experienced in moving
or handling the freight.
MACHINERY IN PLACE OF MEN
The work Of introducing machinery for handling
coal at the Port Richmond wharvcs is advancing
rapidly. The machinery is not erected solely be-
cause of its labor-saving capacity, but because
it facilitates the transportation Of coal. Captain
Linden of the PinlIerton Detective Agency came
here to-day and consulted with General Manager
Mcleod. :" have idea,' said he, that any
serious outbreak will attempted. but If affairs
reach the starvation point l can't tell what may
happen. have large force of men scattered along
the line and throughout the coal regions The
company will issue an address to the miners to-
morrow.
CORBIN WILL ISSUE ANOTHER STATEMENT.
President Corbin had consultation with General Man
ager Mcleod and General superintendent swsgard to-
day at the office OF the Reading Railroad Company after
which ii announced thata statement would be given
out later in the day. but Mr. McLssd aferwa said that
1t would be impossible to prepare 1t in time for the
ing papers He said it was in the nature OF address
ordering miners back to work; II they refused their
places would be filed by He said there was
immediate danger OF a coal famine