The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-08-15
The Strike of Lehigh Valley
SWitchmen a Serious One.
STRIKERS RESORT TO THE INCENDI-
AIRY TORCH.
Tires Break Out simultaneously in
Many Parts of the Yards and
Many Cars Are Burned-Switches
Thrown Under a Passenger Train,
and Two Coaches Ditched-Train
Crews Attacked by strikers and
Driven OIL.
Driven OF.
Special to the RecoRD-UNIox.

Driven OF.
Special to the REcoRD-UNIoN.
BUFFALO On. W, Aug. 14.-There is
no further Disgusting the facts that the
strike Of the Erie q Lehigh Valley
sWitchmen is serious matter. There
had been more or less trouble Saturday
between the strikers and sympathizers
and the men who were dong the strikers
work, and few desultory assaults had
occurred. Things began to put on
more serious aspect at o'clock this
morning, when a series of incendiary
fires broke out simultaneously in the
Lehigh Valley yards. Eighteen or
twenty freight cars, filled with wool, cot
ton, hay and various other merchandise,
two passenger coaches and two watch
mems houses were burned. A water
tank adjacent to the coal trestles was
smashed and an engine taking water
there wrecked by a string of ten railway
coal cars that had been turned loose from
the trestle. The little Office building and
two or three freight cars were first de-
stroyed in the south bound yards.
Flames were next discovered in two pas
senger coaches used for the conveyance
of workmen.
In the yards east of Dingens street the
fire ragged among cars of merchandise.
The flremen, however, prevented the de-
StructlOn OF great number of cars and
loss of property. A dozen or so Of cars
were thrown from the Lehigh tracks, and
similar number from the Erie, by mis-
placed switches. The officers are unable
n find
strikers or sympathiZers have pulled
pins, turned the switches and driven OF
the crews. Three men are at the hospital
badly hurt.
One of the most cowardly things done
was the throwing Of switches under pas
senger train No. II, at Williams street,
at I:30 O'Clock tonight. Two passenger
coaches were thrown from the track, but
the conductor does not think anybody
was hurt, though many We're badly
frightened. Fifty men boarded passen-
ger train No. at IL O'Clock this morning
aud molested the employees, driving them
off. The crew finally succeeded in get
took possession OF the Seneca-street
switches three or four times during the
day, and drove off the signal men.
ssln the Iehigh yards at Cheektowaga to-
night the scenes of last night were re-
peated. 1t is plainly intimatad by the
East have been engaged to take the
places of the strikers. The strikers as
Sert that the roads are losing heavily by
not having men to perform the work of
the strikers. Two trains Of freight cars
standing in Cheektowaga, a railroad
suburb of Buffalo. were burned tonight
The Lehigh Valley Company has
called on the Sheriff for protection. He
sent six deputies to the scene and will
swear in fifty more tomorrow morning.
Later, at O'Clock fire broke out in
three places III the Lehigh yards simultan-
eously. The fire department seemed un-
able to quench it,
The strikers deny that any of their
number had anything 10 do with the
fires or throwing of the coal train down
the trestle.
A significant incident in connection
with the work Of the firemen was that
when they arrived at the yard and be-
gan to couple hose to the hydrants they
were approached by number Of men
who told them not to hurry; that they
had plenty OF time. The action seems
to have been concerted, for the engi-
neers of the steamers were told by other
men TO take it easy, as the hosemen had
trouble with MIGRANTS, and they might
as well shut Oft the steam.
Just what the exact damage will
amount to is not known as vet, and can
not he learned until all bills are received,
The loss TO the companies in the destruc-
ton OF their ears and building by fire
and smashing OF the big water tank and
coal cars, which were let down the treStle
will amount TO more than $4,000 at least.
as near as the men III charge here can es-
innate. All the burned cars We're loaded,
SO their contents must be large. The
contents of the cars which were not
burned were soaked with water. and
fruits and meats in refrigerator cars
oh halral Nv nj
course, will be total loss.
At the same time the switch lights on
the Erie between Smith street and the
Western New York and PENNSYLVANIA
target We're stolen.
AT 2:25 A. NJ. the passengers on the two
trains on the Lehigh Il Erie, which were
.dltched at William street, were brought
but the passengers had an unpleasant
time.
superintendent Brunn reports the fire
still raging among cars of merchandise in
the yards at Cheek towaga, and SAYS the
Sheriff seems powerless to interfere,
though he call on him to protect the rail
road property.
At $50 \. N. word was received that a
train of forty-two cars on the Erie Road,
filled with line merchandise a mile east
OF William street was burning fiercely,
with no protection.
THE STRIKE EXTENDING.
ELMIRA N. ", Aug 1.-THE strike
on the Erie and Lehigh Valley lines has
extended to Waverly and Sayre ON the
Lehigh and all freight trains on the line
are at a standstill. The Division SUPER
intendent of the Lehigh telegraphed to
Oswego for the Sheriff TO come to his aid.
although the men are making no demon
STATIONS. Tomorrow it is expected the
Erie men will also go out.
A GENERAL STRIKE MAY BE ORDERED.
NEW YORK, Aug. 1.-THE strike of
the switchmen and train hands on the
Lehigh Valley and Erie railroads at
Buffalo may extend to the yards of
the various railroads in Jersey City. The
men in the yards receive the same pay,
and are worked just as many hours as
the switchmen in Buffalo. The switch
men in the Lehigh Valley yards said to-
day there would be meeting held some
day this week to consider the question of
ordering general strike on all railroads
in the vicinity of Jersey City.
WILL TAKE THE STRIKERS POSITIONS.
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. FIFTY men
from points along the Reading road were
brought here to-day and left for Buffalo
over the Lehigh Valley road. They are
all non-union men, and they will take
the strikers positions.
QUIET SUNDAY AT PTTTSBURG.
ITr-