The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-15
THE RAMS HORN WAR
Laying of New Track Almost
PrecipitateS a Riot.
RONALD AND HIS MEN TEAR IT UP
Narrow Gauge Track Rushed Across
Iesler Avenue, but Soon Removed
What Each Side Says.


ptovement Company in regard to the rams
norm right-of-way broke out again in new
place yesterday. No blows were struck except
at inanimate objects, but hard words were ban
oieo about between the leaders OF the opposing
armies, who grew very angry. and seemed at
times on the point of engaging in actual hostii-
ties; arrests and threats of arrests were fire.
quent; Mayor Ronalds penetrating voice
sounded above the snorting of the locomotive,
ana the crowd yelled angrily at the railroad
men. The Oregon Improvement Company sue
ceeded IN laying track across Yesler avenue
ana west street, and ran train across, but the
city overturned one of the cars, drove the train
oack and tore up the track.
The trouble all grew ont of another attempt
OF the Oregon Improvement Company to oper-
ate track on the old rams horn franchise. 1t
mas had a track OF the Columbia & Puget
SOUND road running north along Railroad ave-
nue. and ending short distance north of Wash
lngton street. 1t owns strip thirty feet wide,
extending from that point to Yesler avenue
anu cutting across the block between West and
Post streets south of Columbia street. 1t also
claims to have q franchise from the city to ex-
teno tracks from this strip across Yesler avenue
and West street Desiring to use the Northern
Pacific depot at the foot of Columbia street, as a
union dept, the company determined tc build a
track on this franchise az far as Columbia street
and thus reach the depot in the rear. The ap-
peal to the supreme court from the decision OF
the superior court in regard to the crossing of
Columbia street, prevents its extension further
north.
At about 6:15 o'clock in the morning gang of
men under the orders of Assistant Superintend-
ent McCabe, of the Columbia & Puget Sound
road, started to extend the track along Railroad
avenue to Yesler avenue. They did the work
hurriediy, only half fastening the rails together
and not driving the spikes home officer Luf-
KIN, VINO gained fame by arresting the rider OF a
trick mule In Forepaughs circus parade last
summer, was on duty there a. the time, and he
WAS asked what the men were doing. He said
he guessed they were just laying some rails,
and went of TO breakfast, leaving them undis-
turbed. The men rushed their work forward,
and in little more than an hour were spiking
rails to the planking of Yeser avenue and West
street, and shortly afterward had them laid
almost clear through to Columbia street.
The work had attracted gradually increasing
crowd, but ct first nobody interfered. Then
Delegates Calligan aud Brace and Alderman
Miller appeared on the scene and Mr.. Caliigan
notified the mayor. Together they went to the
crossing and found the men still spiking rails
down to the planking, crowd Of about 100 men
watching and making hostile comments. The
mayor notified Mr.. McCabe that he had no per-
nit to do the work and must desist McCabe re-
ferred him to Mr.. Bush, the general supsrinten-
dent, and not only continued the work but ran
passenger car over to the foot of Columbia
street At this point Officer Templeton arrived
and the mayor ordered him to stop the
work, but he could accomplish nothing alone,
and meanwhile the crowd was growing more
angry and excited and riot seemed imminent.
Next came Chief Jackson, Lieutenant HUI aud
four policemen, who were strung across the
street to keep the crowd back and prevent any
outbreak.
Then General Superintendent Bush arrived
and the mayor directed him to have the car
taken out from the depot. There is dispute as
to question OF fact about the events which
next occurred. Mayor Ronald says that Mr..
Bush offered to take the car ii the city would
not tear up the track, and that he tRonald)
agreed to leave the track as it was until Corpor-
alton Counsel Donworth arrived, but that, if
Mr.. Donworth said the track impaired the city's
rights, it must come up. He also wanted Mr..
Bush to stay there and await Mr..
Donworth's arrival. but Bush went back to his
office. Mr.. Bush, however, says that he agreed,
If the track was not torn up, to pull out the car
and have the matter decided in proper way,
and that, supposing that ended the dispute,
he returned to his office; that Mr.. Ronald evil
IDENTIFY supposed he had gone to see A. T. Bur
leigh, the Oregon Improvement Companys
counsel, about getting out IN injunction,
though he had no such intention, but under
stood that Mr.. Donworth was to 60 to the com.
panys office and settle whether the laying Of
the track was legal; that the mayor did not
await Mr.. Donworth's arrival, but had already
sent for the tools and began tearing up the rails
before he came.
Whatever the facts may be on that point the
car was taken out and run back across Yesler
avenue. Mr.. Donworth. the three members of
Alexander and Messrs. Cochran and Rinehart,
OF the board of public works, came down one by
ono and stood in consultation on the street,
when new attack began from the railroad
forces An engine with three empty platform
cars had been standing south of Washington
street, but now began backing up across Yeser
avenue. 1t reached the middle of that street,
but got no further. Chief jackson ordered the
engineer, C. Phelps, to pull of the street, but
the foreman, J. NJ. Jorgeuson, tod him to go
ahead and was arrested for his pains. Phelps
said he was working for the COM
pany, but Jackson told him he was
on the street, aud the city gave orders there
He nevertheless continued to back up, the
crowd closing on the train and derailiag the
rear car. The mayor and the chief shouted TO
the policemen to stop il, and they picked I'D
boards and threw them in front OF the wheels,
the crowd lending q willing band and yelling
defiance at the advancing train. The train.
which came forward at the rate of four or five
miles an hour. tore its way across the boards,
but at last heavier plank stopped i.E further
progress, while an empty barrel struck the
brakeman on the back of the head, and ca Used
him to dodge into the car
But though il could not advance further, the
train would not go back, and the excitement
reached fever heat The crowd continued its
attack on the cars. and seemed about 10 roll the
end car over on the Northern Pacific track,
when superintendent Nadeau put in word OF
objection. He said IL was not the Northern Pa
cites fight, aud he did not want the track
blocked for he had train due in a few min
utes So the mayor and the corporation coun-
sci aud the board OF public works and the chief
OF police and the street commits sioner aud tho
street committee exerted their influence with
the crowd, and induced il not TO carry the Of
Tending car away bodily but TO stand clear to
let the train run back down Railroad avenue.
But il was not willing 10 80. II would run
down few yards ald then run back again, the
engineer complaining that he was short OF steam
The mayor thought he saw Mr.. McCabe making
signals aud threatened "a arrest him unless he
desisted Then the signals ceased aud the
gineer gathered up enough steam 10 pull his
train across the street, dragging the deTaled car
with it Phelps and Jorgenson were ares tied ,
but soon afterward baied out The former is
charged with obstruc.ing crossing aud the lat
ter with interfering with city officers n clear
ing an obstructed crossing.
The train was no sooner out OF the way than
the police and the street gang, which had been
brought down by Mr.. Alexander, and the crowd
set TO work 10 tear up the obnoxious track. Is
did not take nearly as long 10 remove as 1t took
TO lay, though 1t was pretty rapid piece OF
trAcklaying. II was not enough to tear up the
crossings but the track from West street 10
Columbia was also removed. Al that the Ore
IErvIT IS xassa