The herald., 1893-11-07
THEY CAUSED A SENSATION,
A Queer Move on the Part of
the Southern Pacific.
Rumors About Double Track Laying
on Alameda Street.
A Number OF rrackisysrs Massed at the
San Fernando strest Yards-Much
Mystery About Their Move
ments and their Work.

This morning at one O'Clock it was re-
ported at the police station that the
Southern Pacific company had about
1000 men massed in the San Fernando
street depot yards and intended to lay
double track on Alameda street, from
San Fernando street to the Arcade
depot.
A HERALD reporter visited the yards and
found that there were several hundred
men in the care who would not say
what they were going to do. Three
cars were loaded with them.
1--WE are going to work at about 4
o'clock, said one of thesmen, "and we
are going to buy some tracts. but it's
none of your business where it it is."
1t was further stated that the company
had been massing their men all day at
the place named from number Of
neighboring places.
At the Arcade depot the night train
dispatcher said he knew nothing about
the matter.
The chief of police was called up
by Clerk Hensley by telephone, but he
said the matter was not in his jurisdic-
ton. That it was the street superin.
tendent's business to look after it.
At this morning most of the men
were asleep and there was then little
apparent design of doing anything out
OF the way.
The report that the track was to be
laid on Alameda street probably grew
out OF the well-known fact that the
company is extremely desirous of hav-
ing a double track road from the San
Fernando street yard to Santa Monica.
The company has already franchise
for double track from the Arcade depot
south to the city limits.
At 2:30 o'clock Division Su2erintend-
ent ]. A. Muir of the Southern Pacific
company was seen by HERALD report
er. He said that as far as he knew there
was no design ON the part of his COM
pany to lay another track on Alameda
street, and knew nothing about any
great number of men being on hand.
There was nothing in the story as far as
he knew.
From another source the statement
was had that it was the intention to use
the men in laying piece OF track across
the Briswalter tract, and that work
would commence at daylight this
morning.
AT THE DEPOT.
At 80 this morning on arriving at
the San Fernando street depot the
HERALD reporter found everything dark
ness and solitude. After half an hour
searching the section hands were found
in three cars, stationed in the San
Fernando yards.
One OF the men was awakened from
sound sumher and questioned. but
with poor results.
He didn't know what they were
going to do or where they wers going
to do it. and he didn't seem to care
whether he was alive or not.
Several carloads of ties and ballast in
close proximity to the sleeping section
hands were seen, but it was impossible
TO gain any information as to their
probable uses.
The men arrived about 8 80 and were
kept in close concealment, orders being
issued that they were not to leave their
cars. They we're in charge of q man
named Brieriy, and were from every
section On the line.
Further down the line more sleepers
we're found in box cars, provided with
picks, shovels and other tools; they
were equally Incommunicative.
! At 4 O'Clock the men commenced to
| get out of their hunks in the cars and
/ at once commenced to get their tools
together, the fiat cars loaded with ties
about and a general commo-
ton about the yard followed.
Several gangs OF from 10 to Is were met
on Alameda street on their way toward
the Arcade depot, but whether their
destination was the Briswalter tract or
Alameda street itself could not be
learned from them.
TRACK LAYING.
| At O'Clock the police reported that
the railroad men had commenced work
on laying track on Alameda near Com
mercial street.
5 5:S0-At this time large force of
men were at work at Alameda and Com
mercial. The road bed was torn up and
a train load of ties and rails arrived.
The men commenced to work north
! from Commercial street. The force of
men employed at this hour should be
enough to have the break completed by
10 O'Clock. The men are working as
rapidly as possible. No attempt has
been made 30 far to stop the work by
any city officials.