New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-15
STRIKERS USE THE TORCH.
RIOT AND ARSON AT BUFFALO.
WANTON DESTRUCTION OF RAILROAD
PROPERTY BY SWITCHMEN.
LEHqGH VALLEY AND ERIE FREIGHT CARS
FILLED WITH VALUABLE MERCHANDISE
BURNED-A PASSENGER TRAIN NEARLY
wREcKED-MEN ASSAULTED AND
OTHER OUTRAGES COMMITTED

PillTng the fact that the etrlke OF the Erie anu
Lehgh Valley switchmen is a serious matter
Property belonging 10 the railroad company
has been DESTROYED by incendiary fires,
men engaged in the peaceful performance Of their
duties in the companies' service have been as
sauted and sent to the hospitals the movement
OF trains has been seriously interfered with and
the lives of innocent persons, who were in no
way connected with the strike and had not even
heard Of it, have heen endangered by passenger
train on one 0f the roads being thrown from the
track SIch is the Indictment up to the hour of
writing.
There had been more OF less trUmble Saturday
between tho strikers and their Nmpathizers and
the men who were doing the strikers work, and
few Geeultory assaults occurred. Things began
to put on more serious aspect at two O'Clock
this morning when series Of incesdary fires
broke out simultaneously in the Lehiah Valley
yards. Eighteen or twenty freight cars iill"d
with wool, cotton hay and various other mer-
chandise, two passenger coaches and two watch
mems houses were burned. The fires occurred
at places where the frcmen could not successfully
stay the flames on account Of an
absence Of water, besides the difficulty of access
to the fires.
The water-tank adjacent to the coal trestles was
smashed and an engine that was taking water
there wrecked by string Of ten runaway coal
ears that had been turned loose from the ,restle.
Fire was first discovered in the eastbound yards.
east of Dingens-st Here little Office building
and two or three freight cars were destroyed. At
this time Yardmaster Mead discovered flames in two
passenger coaches used for the conveyance of work
men, and turned In an alarm from William and
Dingens sts. in the yards east of Dngens-st. fire
ragged among the cars Of merchandise. II took the
hose from three carts TO rrach the flames from the
nearest hydrant. The fremen. however, prevented
the destruction OF n great number Of cars and
the less OF perhaps hundreds OF thousands Of dollars
worth of property. The can destroyed were In the
midst OF great number OF other cars. The fire.
men uncouped a number Of cars and removed them
from danger dozen or so cars were thrown
from the Lehigh tracks and a similar number from
the Erie by misplaced switches.
The first intimation Of anything wrong noticed
by the men employed by Alr Mead to watch the
compsnys property when the coal cars
set loose and demolished the water tank. Then
the fires broke out simultaneously
Captain Wurz Of the Eleventh Precinct put
force OF dozen officers in the yard
the alarm was given. The officers were unable
10 lind any suspicious characters.
That, briefly. Is what had happened up To day
light this morning. But that was only the be-
pulled pins, turned switches, and driven OIL
crews. Thrc men are at the hospital badly hurt.
One was assaulted at 3 o'clock this morning. two
others at i and another at this afternoon.
The man who was assaulted at the Western New
York md Pennsylvania crossing was his way
for the wrecker at the time. and turning
switch. The strikers had turned switches and
thrown six cars from his train before that. lie
was struck on the head, and when he was taken
TO the hospital he was completely dazcd, and
did not know what had occurred. One of the men
was assaulted at TIE passenger station, and two
at William-st.
Ono OF the most cowardly things done was the
throwing of switches under passenger train No. II
at Wiiam-st. at 80 o'clock tonight. Two pas
cngcr coaches were thrown from the track, hut
the conductor does not think anybody was hurt,
though many were badly frightened
Fifty men boarded passenger train No. 3 at II
o'clock this morning and molcsted the employees
driving them of. Tho crow finally succeeded in
getting the train to the station. The mob took
possession Of the Scneca-st. switches three four
times during the day and drove OF the signal
men.
In the Lchigh yards at Cheektowaga tonight the
scenes Of last night were repeated.
II is plainly intmatcd by the Eric officials that
workmen from the East have been engaged TO take
the places of the strikers.
Three stalwart policemen were stationed at the
landing and in the hallway leading to the offices
Of Superintendent Brunn and his associates to-day.
The strikers say they are determined to win the
fight and they assert that the roads are losing
heavily by not having men TO perform the work
Of tie strikers. They say the Erie is Thoroughly
dcmorazed on account Of the strike, and every
side track on the Buffalo Division is completely
blocked.
Two trains of freight cars standing sidings
in Cheektowaga, the railroad suburb Of Butlao,
were burned tonight. The Lehigh has called
tie sheriff for protection. He sent six dep
uties to the scene and will swear in fifty more
tomorrow morning The police have yards in
seven out Of eleven precincts in the city to
guard and all the reserves are called out. The
maa arrested to-day for assault has been charged
with rioting
Buffalo. Aug. -, a. m.-Word has just been
received that a train of forty-two on the
Erie road, filed with fine merchandise, mile cast
Of William-st is now burning icrcely with no
protection.
At o'clock fire had broken out in three places
in the Lehigh yards again simultaneously. The
fire department. seems unable to quench it. The
New-York express No. Eric is held two miles
out because IL cannot pass. Newfork express
No has not been sent out for the same reason.
Elmira, " Y, Aug 1.-THE strike of the switch
men, naugurated at Buffalo on the Erie and Le-
high Valley lines, has extended 10 Waverly and
Sayrr on the Lchigh and all freight trafic on that
line is at a standstll A train Of beef stands on
an Eric siding there, the switchmen refusing To
allow il to bc switched TO the Lehigh tracks to
proceed to its destination. The division sipcrln-
tendent OF the Lehigh has teegraphed to Owcgo
for the Sheriff to come to his ala. although the
men making demonstration Tomorrow
IL is expected that the Erie men will also 60 out.
and then all traffic through those towns VIII DC ~
a sta ands,il The men are non-communicative ana
their future movements are unknown.