The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-09-25
A FACTORY LOOTED.
Three Hundred People of
Marion Strip 1t of All
the Woodwork.

There was more commotion among the
residents OF Van Wrinkle and Porter
streets on Saturday afternoon than there
has been for many a day. 1t seemed as
if a good part of the town had taken 6
holiday and made an invasion on tina
portion Of the Hill. which is situated
down near Marion in the swamps, On
Van Wlnkle street, which runs across
Tounele avenue there stand two large
factories which have ceased run
ming for a year. The factories were
formerly coupled by The Oil Cloth
Manufacturing Company. which re.
moved to Newark last October. They
did not take all their machinery with
them. Some of 1t that was left was what
was employed in weaving the oilcloth
into its Sd leable state. The buildings,
which are ID a good condition, are con-
nected by a shaft which runs between
.he second stories. TIE dimensions OF
Van Wrinkle street. The property
belongs to Abraham Collard. being
willed to him by his father, Abraham
Collard. at the ~laGter's death. At the
rear of the factories ms a lane called
Battle Alley. Porter street is Two blocks
off.
THE ATTACK.
Satu rday afternoon about four O'Clock
Abraham Collard, the present. owner,
rushed into Jus Ice Wilson's Office in
GREATNESS haste, and announced that he
wanted projection against insurgents
who were carrying of his factories. The
Justice swore in eight constables, and
dispatched them at once to the scele of
the insurrection.
Boys, men md women were hurrying
to and fro, Juggling with them huge bun
dies of wood aud portions OF machineiy /.
Some dragged bundles after THEM, at
{ ching ropes. Others wheeled away
wood and iron ii Wheelbarrows aud
wagons.
factory buildings, each person With some
sized collection OF material. They would
slide up a side street and skip home with
the wood Then they would come back
and get more. There were fully three
hundred men. women and children
gathering up the wood. Their spUils
came from inside the factory.
Que glance at the place told the story.
The crowd was hacking up the interior
of the building and transporting it for
klndling wood or for bull.iing purposes.
Inside, the place resounded Win the
chopping of axes and the noise or the
saw, while ever and anon a huge piece Of
machinery or timber would fall heavily
TO the floor jarring the building and
causing the supporting tinbers to creak.
The mob was gathering wood :or use,
and they wouli not stop until compelled
by force to DO so.
No ore mad ever heard of such a wanton
desti uction. From ten O'Clock II the
morning until six o'clock ut night the
same cor ition OF things prevailed, aud
then only by maiu force did the officers
OF the law succeeded III qasliing the dis
turbsnce and dispelling tne moo thai was
fast carrying off the buildings.
CoNSTABLES ATTACKED.
When the constabies arrived they were
confronted by a collection of boys, who
hooted and yelled like maniacs. Stoues
flew upin the air and came down danger
ously near the c~onstables' heads. Young
girls flew about, CARRYING baskets In
which to place wood. Men carried wood
in their arms. Everybody had some
thing, and they were making off with
it. The elevator. which had not been
used for many Il day was brought into
reQuisition by the crowd to carry the
wood from the upper to the lower stories.
Ropes were thrown from windows and
bundles let down TO terra hrma. The
whole neighbornood was out, turning tine
place TO desolation and ruin. Doors aud
windows were smashed out and the Eoor-
ing was ripped up without a thought of
any serious consequence.
One woman had lied up parts of a
machine and was about to lug it off when
a constable prevented her doing 1t. The
boards were deposited in the back yards
OF the gathers and left there until they
could add more to their collection. The
c~onstables, after the MOB had been dis
persed, made an investigation. first of
factory n then of the back yards of
the people implicated.
They found that the place was ripped
and slashe.i up at random, most of the
the WOODWORK of the interior being torn
up. Not Que whole window remained in
their sockets. Not a single door was
left unbattered. The only reason as
signed for the destruction of the place Ia
that the mob needed the wood, nnd, no
occupants being In the buildings, had no
computation about making off with 1t.
THIRTY-TWO WARRANTS ISSUED.
Thirty-LNo warrants have been issued
for those who were mixed up in the
work. Nine already nave been captured.
-Four of them. Thomas Grant OF No. %
Holden lane. Rosanna Keegan Of No. 8
Battle lane, Anna Smith of Porter street
aud Hannah Kennedy OF No. % Holden
lane appeared berore Justice Wilson,
and were committeI to the County Jail
awaiting action by the Grand Jury. the
Others will have a bearing this afternoon.
Alderman Lahey. gu hearing oil tina fuss.
declared that no would stand bail for the
whole lot. and the Justice held him at
his word. The damage Is probably close
to $500.