The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-01-22
RIOT IN BRIDGEPORT
Street Car Line Tied Up and the
Strikers Running the Town.
Police Stoned and Driven to Seek Shelter
Company Announces Through the
Mayor Compromise.

BRIDGEPORT, Conn, Jan. 21.-To-day has
been one of the most exciting In the his
tory of the city of Bridgeport Not since
1861, when marching volunteers on their
way to the front filled the streets, have
the residents been so aroused. All day ex-
cited crowds have thronged the streets
and mob law has prevailed, the police set
at deflnance, and a crowd OF angry men
have ruled the town. The rioting was one
of the results of the discharge of five of
the employees of the Bridgeport Street-rail-
road Company yesterday and the strike
which followed. About one hundred en-
ployes of the company stopped work yes
terday, completely tying up the road. They
held numerous meetings and sent a COM
mittee TO the mana gers of the road in an
effort to bring about settlement In this
they were unsuccessful.
This morning fifty men came up from
Jersey City TO take the places of the
strikers, and it was announced that the
company intended to run its cars to-day.
The men then held a long consultation and
decided that they would not allow the
company to run the cars. They concluded
however, to give the company another
chance for settlement, and sent a commit
tee to the owner and managers of the
road. They were denied audience the
managers refusing TO meet them as a COM
mittee or give reasons for the discharge of
the men. They announced they would meet
the dissatisfied ones individually, but
would not recognize them as an organiza-
ton. The men withdrew and the strikers
held brief session at which ii was de-
cided that they would not return to work
and would prevent the company from run
ming cars.
Meanwhile the company was preparing
to start service and at O'Clock nine cars
were drawn out of the sheds. They were
in charge of the new men from New Jer-
sey, the stable hands and about a dozen of
the old men who reported for work. The
report that the company was TO start cars
and that the strikers would try to pre-
vent il, spread rapidly through the city and
in short time all Of the strikers and hum
stables Main street and along the
streets through which the road runs. AS
soon all of the strikers were informed
of the refusal of the owners of the road
to arbitrate they proceeded to block the
tracks on every street The yards of the
New York, New Haven q Hartford rail-
road were raided and railroad iron, ties,
coupling pins boxes and barrels were
taken and piled on the tracks at various
points. Some of the cars were moved ont
of the sheds, and were unable to proceed
but short distance They were surround
ed by the strikers and their friends and
the crews were compelled to leave them in
the streets.
headquarters and several cars We're started
with three railroad employees and guard
of three policemen. The cowds quickly
drove the police from the cars together
with the conductors and drivers. Sticks
and stones were thrown and the windows
of the cars broken. Several policemen and
railroad employees were slightly injured.
May street in the vicinity Of the stables
was the center Of the trouble. Here a
crowd of nearly five thousand gathered and
encouraged the strikers. The men them
selves, indeed did not take such an active
part in it as the young roughs in the
crowd. The demonstration became so threat
ening that an alarm was sent out from DO
| lice headquarters and all of the officers and
specials who could be summoned were
brought In. This force was stationed along
the tracks at the stables and the cars.
The crowd near the stables and along the
road increased in numbers until nearly ten
thousand people were IN the street. The
presence Of the police did not deter the mob
and Instructions OF all kinds were piled on
the tracks as rapidly as they were removed
At intervals attempts were made to move
the cars, and about noon several proceeded
a short distance from the stable.
At o'clock a car in charge of five police
men and several railroad employees was at
tackled at the corner of Congress and Main
streets Here n mob of about two thousand
men and boys were. gathered. They bonn
barded the cars with Stones breaking all
of the windows and injuring several OF
East Bridgeport, five hundred men and
boys raided the yard OF Jones & Hoffman
contractors and piled lumber, trucks and
other obstructions on the tracks Ar 2
O'Clock the company succeeded in getting
one car. strongly guarded by police, over
TO make the circuit during the day AT 6
o'clock the patrol wagon filed with police
pi0ves left the stables to bring hack a
wrecked car at the corner of Congress and
Main streets. on arriving there they were
surrounded by mob and a lively row en-
sued. in which a hostler employed by the
company had his nose broken and employees
were badly bruised. The police and rail-
mo n hn rsaV.
Meanwhile the Mayor summoned the Po-
lice Commissioners sheriff and city officials
and a conference lasting three hours was
held with the owners OF the road At the
conclusion of the meeting it was announced
that the company had agreed TO re-emp plOy