Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1892-08-18
RI0T0US STRIKERS.
WRECK AND BURN WHOLE TRAINS AT
BUFFALO, NY.

| Cars-Trouble in Tennessee-Miners Re-
lease Convict tLaborers-stockadeB Burned
to the Ground-TroOps to be Called Out.
Another great strike is on, and though
there has been no blood shed as yet,
thousands of dollars worth of property
have been destroyed and several bad ac-
cidents narrowly averted. Last week
the switchmen at the Erie and Lehigf
Valley yards at Buffalo, N. Y, struck for
higher pay, but nothing serious was an
ticipated until Sunday, although there
have been some conflicts between the
strikers and men who were hired to take
their places. AT ? O'Clock Sunday morn
ing series of incendiary fires broke out
simultaneously in the Lehigh Valley
yards, and about 20 cars filled with
merchandise were burned. The fires oc-
Cured at places where it was difficult
for the firemen to get at, and no water
could be obtained to stay the progress of
the flames. AT about the same timei the
water tank adjacent to the coal sheds
was smashed and an engine that was
taking water there was wrecked by
started from the trestle. Capt. WurtZ
of the 11th precinct put force of
dozen men into The yards as soon as the
alarms were given, but they were unable
to find any suspicious characters.
| The strikers and their sympathizers
pulled coupling pins, turned switches
and drove off crews which were at work.
Three men were sent to the hospital with
serious injuries received at the hands of
the strikers. One of the most cowardly
acts of the day was the throwing Of
switches under passenger train at 7.30
O'Clock in the evening. Two passenger
coaches were thrown from the track, but
no one was injured. Two trains were
burned about midnight and about l a.
M, Monday, three more fires broke out.
One man was arrested Sunday for
assault and has been held on the charge
of roting.
Monday found no change for the bet
ter Thousands of cars are tied up.
hundreds have been burned and but
little freight is being handled. Special
police are being sworn in to do duty
about the city, the regulars being sta
toned about the railroad yards, yet they
seem almost pOwerless. Two strikers
were in the police court Monday, and.
the hearing was postponed till Thurs
day. Forty-seven special duty sheriffs
lett for Cheektowga, suburb Of Buffalo
and more were sent out during the after
noon, but they could do nothing WITH the
strikers, who refused to allow trains to
proceed. A reward of $4,000 is offered
by the Philadelphia and Reading rail-
road company for evidence which will
lead to the arrest and conviction of any
person guilty of violence to their en-
ployes, or of destroying their property.
On the Philadelphia and Reading road
not car has been moved since Satur-
day, and the immense freight sheds are
full OF freight and the elevators full of
grain. Most of the roads are refusing to
handle perishable freight. The only
Lehigh Valley train moved was coal
train which went out to William street
guarded by eight policemen. About
43O O'Clock Monday afternoon an en-
gine was pulling freight train into the
city when 80 strikers boarded the train,
pulled out the coupling pins, threw pins
and links into the stagnant pools at the
side of the track and disappeared. The
engineer got new supply of pins and
links and hauled the train in with
policeman on about every fifth car. This
attracted very large crowd.
Great excitement prevailed at Waverly,
n. Y, and Sayre, Pa, just over the state
line, because of strike Of the switchmen
there. The strike is gradually spreading
out, and the men say it will reach as far
as Chicago in ten days if their demands
are not acceded to. An attempt was
made to run an engine and caboose out
of Sayre Monday morning, but the men
surrounded the engine and refused to let
it proceed. The sheriff turned the switch
himself but it was Immediately turned
no oh hr q Fri
but the strikers pulled the coupling pin
between the engine and cabOOse and
caused another delay. An attempt was
made by the sheriff to arrest some of the
strikers but they were Immediately res
cued by their companions. Superinten-
dent Stephenson and the sheriff mounted
the pilot, but could not keep the men
away, and at noon the engine had moved
about 200 yards, and the men were in
command Of the situation.
A switchman in the Lehigh valley
yards said yesterday there would be a
meeting held some day this week of the
cf the Switchmen's Mutual Aid
association of North America in Jersey
City to consider the question in ordering
a general strike in all the railroad yards
in the vicinity of Jersey City. This or
ganization is made up of freight con-
ductors, switchmen, night helpers and
day helpers. The men complain that
they are required to work from II to 15
hours day, and they want to be paid
extra for every hour they work over ten
hours day. They also want an advance
in wages. There are $500 men employed
in the Jersey City yards.
At O'Clock a. m., Tue. day, the 65th
regiment was ordered out and sent to
to guard the Lehigh Val
ley and the Erie yards, and at 1.30 the
the 74th regiment was called out to pro-
tect the Central and West Shore prop
cry. At l O'Clock the New York Cen
trail switchmen abandoned all work in
the freight yards, though they have no
known grievances. 1t is claimed by off
erals of the road fhat the men would not
have left off work had they not been
by strikers, but were afraid of
violence if they continued. Police es-
,ort was sent out to bring in the Lake
Shore train due at 40 a. m. The New
ork Central ranroad has officially
,ailed on the sheriff of Erie county to
protect their property, and il i, n,ino