The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-08-19
Lehigh Switchmen at Buffalo
Cause Much Damage and De-
lay to Traffic.
A Number of Cars Burned
Trains Derailed and "Scabs"
Assaulted.
The Situation Hourly Growing
Worse and No Telling Where
It Will End.

BUFFALO, Aug. 15.-The second day
of the strike of railroad switch
men was marked with several acts
of lawlessness. At las a. m.
somebody supposed to be the striking
switchmen-started three fires stimuli
taneously in different parts of the LIE
high Valley freight yards at East Buff
falo. 1t was a well planned and well
executed plot, as the fires were started
where the cars were the thickest, no
hydrants from which water could be
obtained and at time when the yards
were deserted. Eighteen freight cars
loaded with merchandise and two pas
senger coaches, together with the Office
building, were completely destroyed.
A train of fifteen coal cars which was
standing on coal trestle was started
down the incline and crashed into an
engine at the bottom, wrecking it and a
water crane. -Four freight trains on
the Lehigh Valley have been derailed in
the yards during the night. Eight cars
were also wrecked on the Erie. The
fire attracted large number of rail
road men to the scene, but there has
been no other outbreak up to this hour.
The excitement caused by the nights
fires and wreck had nearly Gained down
when it was renewed by the boarding of
TIE Lehigh train. As the train stopped
a number of men got aboard and drove
off over carload of men. The sup
posed scabs ran or were driven away.
Several were hurt and removed to the
scattered the strikers allowed the train
to go on its way.
During the afternoon train of per-
ishable goods on the Buffalo and South
western division of the Erie was boarded
by men between Seneca street and the
Western New York and Pennsylvania
crossing, stalling the train. 1t was over
an hour before the train could be moved
into the yards. The violence of the
strikers reached its farthest point
during the evening, when an attempt
was made to throw train loaded with
passengers into the ditch within the
yards of the Chekowago. Since late in
the afternoon all passenger trains were
obliged to make the run from Lancaster
to this city over the eastern track, owing
to the blockade by the loaded freight
trains which had been brought to a
standstill by the strikers and left dis
abled on the track. About o'clock the
Hornellsville accommodation train
reached the William Street station, into
which it was to be backed up to and
taken west to make the remainder of the
run into the city. Before the train
could be brought to a stop, however,
and while still moving at a rate Of two
or three miles per hour, the switch di-
rectly opposite the telegraph Office was
thrown back and the train was sent
crashing over the tracks and sideways.
The engine stuck to the track but the
baggage car was thrown diagonally
across the space between the main
track and the side track into which the
switch opened. The first coach was
away over to the side of the baggage
Car and partly on the side track. The
last three coaches did not leave the
track and after delay of half an hour
they were backed ON to the west bound
track and brought into the city. The
excitement over the wrecking of the
train had not died down when the
strikers had a new sensation ready. AT
about ~ o'clock a fire was started
among the cars standing on the Lehigh
Valley tracks, just outside the city
limits. After the destruction of about
twenty-five cars the flames were sub
dued. The whole police reserve has
been ordered on duty and the situation
is hourly growing worse.