Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-08-15
CRIMINAL WORK.
Supposed to Have Been Done
by Strikers.
THE TORCH AND TRAIN-WRECKING.

LII 1OhOn AMI lhdl LIN w nhOh1N0s
Methods Used at Buffalo to Win n Fight
for Higher Pay-A Passenger Train
Crowded with People Thrown from
the Track-Several Incendiary Fires
In the Yards-SuppOsed Scabs Driven
from n Observation-Disclosures in Tennes-
see-Convicts Sent Away and Stockade
Burned Talk About Homestead.
BUFFALO. Aug. 15-On Saturday the
switchmen in the Lehigh Valley, the Erie
and the Buffalo Creek yards at this city
struck for about 20 per cent increase of
wages and Immediately proceeded to tie up
things in the usual style. Saturday night
at the D., l.. and w, bridge in the Erie
yards at East Buffalo switch was turned
and four cars of freight were thrown from
the tracks. A police patrol wagon hur
ried to the scene, but could find nobody to
arrest. 1t is charged that the strikers
tnrned the switch in order to prevent the
train from going out of the yard, but they
deny it.
Incendiary Fire Beaks Out.
Yesterday morning a much more Sc
rious charge was brought against them.
At As a, m. three fires were started stimuli
taneously in different parts of the Lehigh
Valley freight yards at East Buffalo.
The fires were we'll planned and the plot
well executed. The fires were started
where the cars were thickest and no
hydraunts from which water could be
obtained and at "a time when the yards
We're deserted. Eighteen freight cars
loaded with merchandise and two pas
senger coaches, together with two office
buildings, were completely destroyed.
The cost of the blaze was $4,000.
The DeviItry Kept Up.
This didn't seem to satisfy the vandals
whoever they were, for 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 water crane. And later
eight cars We're wrecked on the Erie.
Matters didn't improve yesterday. An
incomin train was boarded by men on
the watch for "scabs" and about fifty men
were driven from it. Several men were
assaulted during the day. The supposed
''scabs" ran in every direction, except one,
Henry Schrader, who was so badly hurt
that he had to be carried to the hospital,
where ne said he came here to work as
switchman.
The Worst Case of Violence.
The HoruellSvil!e accommodation train
was derai3ed last evening. There were
four coaches crowded with passengers,
many standing or the platforms. As the
train slowed down to a5out four miles an
hour to run into the stanton a switch was
/ thrown and the train sent humping over
the ties The baggage car was thrown
across the track and he first coach sent
over to one side. 1t was a miracle that no
one was killed. But by good fortune no
person was even severely hurt.
Some More Jncepdiarism,
The excitement over the wrecking of
the train had not died down when the
strikers had a new sensation ready. At
about 10 O'Clock fire was started among
a number of standing Lehiyh Valley
empty freight cars about half a mile from
the city limits. After the destruction of
about twenty-five cars the flames were
subdue ed. The whole police reserve has
been ordered on duty and the sit uation
Is hourly growing worse.
Perishable Goods Stalled.
Many switches Were turned during the
day, and to avoid danger the engineers of
all trains We're given positive orders to
run carefully through the Buffalo yards
and watch for open switches. During the
afternoon a train of perishable goods on
the Buffalo 81 Southwestern division of
the Erie boarded by men between
Seneca street and the Western New York
and Pennsylvania crossing and the pins
pulled from every car, stalling the train.
The Strike Will Spread.
1t was something over an hour before
the train could be moved into the yards.
The roads which will probably be tied up
next are the New York Central and West
Shore The strike on the Erie and Lehigh
Valley lines has extended to averly and
Sayre on the Lehigh, and freiaf traffic on
that line is at a standstill. Atrain of beef
stands on an Erie siding there, the switch
men refusing to allow it to be switched to
the Lehigh tracks to proceed to its des-