The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1891-04-07
A REIGN OF TERROR.
COKE BURNERS DRIVEN FROM THE
FRIcK coMPANY,S WORKS.


FRicK coMPANY'S WORKS.
Armed Guards Swept Away Like Chaif--
Bindings wrecked and Burncd--wo-
tioa Granted. M
PIrTsBURG, Pa, March 90. Strikers
to the number of nearly 1000 attacked
Frick's coke works at Morewood at 2
o'clock this morning. They destroyed
some coke ovens and railway tracks, and
broke the windows in several houses
Several of the raiders were arrested and
taken to Greensburg Jail. Riots are also
reported at Leisenring and Leith and
considerable property has been destroy
ed. There is great excitement throughout
the coke country and serious trouble is
apprehended. The coke troubles have
assumed a new phase and now threaten
to develop into a war between the ope-
rators and labor organizations. Mr..
Fricl1 stated to-day that heretofore he
had not antagonized labor, but in the
future he did not propose to stand idly
by aud see his property destroyed. He
claims that the men are satisfied with
the scale of wages he offered bit that
the labor leaders will not permit them TO
return to work as their position depends
upon the success of the strike. The fight
from this time will be bitter.
a dispatch from ScOttdale, Pa, says:
"There is rioting at large number Of
the coke plants this morning. A mob
of 1900 of infuriated strikers swept
down on the Jeantown plant early this
morning, routed the workingmen, as
saulted several men and threatened the
superintendents life. A bomb was set
Off at West Leisenring, and the men no.
titled not to go to work. The Leith works
near UniOntown was also raided and the
workmen pu; to flight. The labor lead
other raids are feared. III. g. Frick
Coke Company officials here haye noti-
fled the Sheriffs to increase their forces.
a number of mass meetings will be held
throughout the region to-day.
The most eventual day in the coke
strike, closing with this evening was
rather favorable to the men. The labor
leaders say no preconcerted attack was
made, but three of the principal works
in the region were raided. AT 2 o'clock
this morning strains Of their band woke
all the strikers up the road from Scott
dale to Bradford and in short time l.
500 men followed their band which was
directed to the JeantoWn plant of the
III. &. Erick Company. This place was
reached at o'clock this morning when
the works were captured without
struggle except the incidental disarm-
ing of Superintendent ROSSer, whose re.
volver was ilourished in vain. a. few
workers We're struck with stones, but
this body OF strikers dispersed without
serious damage.
Some time later terrific report in the
direction of the Leisenring works gave
warning of trouble there and thousands
gathered to witness the work Of the first
bomb exploded by the strikers. The
shock was felt for several miles, but its
only visible effect was the tearing Of
great hole in the front of the on-union
workers house and throwing consider
able dirt in the vicinity. 1t is feared
that such work is not over with, how
ever, as the effect upon the unruly but
organized Hungarian strikers was ON
inous. After this work the men at Leis-
enring No. 2 and were chased out Of
the yard and Il few only returned when
the excited crowd had departed. A few
men at the Leith works were also driven
out though nobody is reported badly in
jured.
Trouble is also talked of at the Totten
plant, but this is denied by the opera
tors; The big Norwood plant Of Fricl1
~ Co. also contributed more than its
quota to the exciting events of the day.
This plant has been in partial operation
and has been carefully guarded by dep
utieS. Some three thousand strikers
gathered about the place to-day, how
ever, and swept the armed deputies aside
as il they had been only chatf. Not
blow was struck, not shot was fired,
as such move would have been fatal
to both guards and workers in the face
of the 5000 determined strikers. After
fl,n I,n, ,l.N,, Nff hn Ill @I,x,
guard an hour of mad wrecking follow
ed. Tracks, doors and in fact every
thing movable was torn and wrenched
aside by the maddened crowd which
only left after the plant had been mutt
lated beyond immediate repairs.
The Central Board of Federation
meets in Pittsburg tomorrow when the
strike will be brought up for endorse
ment. AT UniontOwn tonight Judge
Ewing granted Il preliminary Injunction
against all men assembling at the Frick
and set Saturday for a hearing OH per-
manent injunction. Sheriff Mccormick,
with number of armed deputies, left
UniontOwn tonight on a special train
to arrest the leaders in several of the
raids.
Probably the ugliest feature Of the
several raids was the number of women
participating, the most seriously injured
man being Pit Boss Cooper, who was
struck again and again by an iron bar
in the hands of an infuriated woman.
Secret meetings are being held to night
by the strikers, who will certainly pre-
vent the intended resumption to-mor-
row.
a dispatch from Mt. Pleasant, Pa,
says that place is trembling with excite
ment. The people fear an explosion.
Nobody is willing to go to bed. There
is more confusion than there has been
since the bloody riots of 1886 At mid
night fully 1000 men are gathered on
the hills surrounding the works. Shrriff
Closdon has increased his force to 200
men. All are armed with Winchester
rifles, and another attack of the strikers
means desperate and bloody battle.
Accident to u steamer.
SAvANNAII, March 29-On Saturday
night, at half-past Z o'clock, hole was
blown in the port boiler of the steamer
Farmer, which was on her way to this
port from Brunswick. She was between
Darien and Doboy when the accident &C.
Cured.
The noise of the escaping steam caus-
ed panic among the negro deck hands,
several of whom rIIshp1 pNnrkparI opI