Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-11-08
Immense Quantities of Mer
chandise at the Mercy
of the Mob.

al OF LDe luUeruablOudl uuiOu vi elcc-
tric-light workers, of which they are
members. Dispatches have been
sent to the headquarters in st.
Louis. soliciting this approval, and
as soon as the answer is received, II
it be In the affirmative, the men
will be turned out. AS the gas
workers have already gone out, the
city will be in darkness. By order
of General Borland, commanding
the First brigade of the state militia
the guards at the armories were
doubled today. The troops have
been held In readiness at the armor-
les all day, but fortunately there
has been no call for their services.
In case of any disturbance, action
will be prompt. The governor is in
the city and will remain here for
some time.
Gov. Foster has the militia in
readiness for immediate action. The
idleness of such large body of ne
groes and the desperation ensuing
upon the loss of earnings are feared,
and the authorities will have hard
time to maintain its supremacy and
consequence, as the crowds of strik-
ers and the absence of street cars
will serve to keep many of the bet
ter elements away from the polls.
In the meantime the governor is
using every means to bring about an
amicable termination. Having pro-
cured concessions from the mer-
chants, the governor has referred
the matter to the unions, and they
took the matter under consideration
and promised to give an answer by
noon today. Up to tonight, how
ever, nothing has been heard from
them.
Governor Foster has received an
opinion from the legal authorities
that he can step in and preserve the
peace without waiting to be called
upon by the municipal authorities.
Besides this, the merchants will de-
termine upon, strong measures on
their own account. The merchants
say numbers ofm are willing to re-
turn to work, but did not propose to
be made targets for the union until
they are ready to make vigorous
defense, and so they declined to take
them back for the present. The
strike fails to affect newspapers to
the extent expected, and the only
paper which so far has failed to ap.
pear is the Item, official organ Of
the strikers, although that is ex-
pected to appear tomorrow.
Yesterday morning proclama-
ton was issued by the mayor, call
ing upon all persons to preserve the
peace and warning people that any
disorder would be repressed by the
sternest measures. The most seri-
GUS feature of the situation is the
suspension Of the two lighting sys-
TENS, gas and electricity, but little
alarm was felt when the officers of
the two light companies called upon
the mayor and said they thought
they could furnish light If granted
protection for the men engaged to
take the place of the strikers. This
was readily promised.
During the afternoon the president
of the sugar and rice exchange asked
the mayor that protection be fur
nished those interests. Nearly i0,-
600 barrels of sugar, molasses, and
other products lay OH the levee at
the mercy of a public tumult, and il
the mayor could not furnish the
force required, the exchange, he
said. would tender men to be sworn
In as special officers. The mayor
agreed to commission all such men.
The board of trade also urged the
mayor to do the utmost to bring
about resumption Of street car travel,
continue the supply Of gas, electric
ity, and water, and other actual
necessities.
In reply the mayor announced
that his powers were restricted to |
the preservation Of peace; that he
could not force men to work. but
he could and would maintain order. |
A strong influence was brought TO |
bear on electric light men. Ms their
being out was such serious matter.
and they were finally induced TO re-
turn to work. The gas men are still |