Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1894-01-23
RIOT AT BRIDGEPORT
The Discharging of Five Men
Causes Much Trouble
SEVERAL BATTLES TAKE PLACE.


Totally Wreexed-Come TO Terms.
BRIDGEPORT, Conn, Jan. 23.-Sun-
day was one of the most exciting in
the history of the city OF Bridgeport
Not since 1861, when marching volun-
teers on their way to the front filled the
streets, have the residents been SO
aroused. All day excited crowds have
thronged the streets and mob law has
prevailed The police have been set at
defiance and a crowd Of armed men
have ruled the town.
The rioting was one of the results of
the discharge of five employees of the
Bridgeport Traction company Saturday
and the strike which followed About
100 employees of the company stopped
work, completely tying up the road.
They held numerous meetings and sent
committee to the managers of the
road in an effort to bring about a set
tlement. In this they were unsuccess-
full.
Fifty men came up from Jersey City
to take the place of the strikers and it
was announced that the company in
tended to run its cars.
The strikers held brief session at
which it was decided that they would
not return to work and would prevent
the company from running cars. Mean
while the company was preparing to
start service and at o'clock nine cars
were run out of the sheds. They were
in charge of the new men from New
Jersey, the stable men and about one
dozen Of the old men, who reported for
work.
The report that the company was to
start cars and that the stikers would
try to preventit, spread rapidly through
the city and II short time all of the
strikers and hundreds of sympathizers
gathered at tire main stable on Main
street and slong the streets through
which the road runs.
As soon as all the strikers were in
formed of tae 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
ana Hartford road were raided and
railroad iron, ties. coupling pins, boxes
ard barrels were taken and piled on the
tracks at various points.
Some of the cars were moved out Of
the sheds. but were unable to proceed
but a short distance. They were sur
rounded by these strikers and their
frieeds and the crews were compelled
to leave them in the ST. eets.
Do1;.o f~o,,, 1,.o1
quarters and several cars were started
with three railroad employees and a
guard of three policemen. The crowds
quickly drove the police from the cars
together with the conductors and driv-
ers.
Sticks and stones were thrown and
the windows of the cars broken Sew
eral policemen and railroad employees
were slightly injured.
May street in the vicinity of the
stables was the center of trouble. Here
crowd of nearly $4,000 gathered and
encouraged the strikers. The men
themselves, 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
police headquarters and all of the off
GERS and specials who could be sum-
moned were brought in. This force
was stationed along the tracks
The presence of the police did not.
however, deter the mob and obstruc-
tons of all kinds were piled on the
tracks as rapidly as they were removed.
At intervals attempts were made to
move the cars and at noon several pro-
ceeded short distance from the stable.
A car in charge of five policemen and
several retired employees was attacked
at the corner of Congress and Main
streets Here mob of about 1000 men
and boys gathered. They lombard ed
the cars with stones, breaking all the
windows and injuring several of those
in charge.
At Williams street in east Bridge
port 500 men and boys raided the yard
of Jones & Hoffman, contractors, and
piled lumber trucks and other OBJ
structions on the track. At o'clock
the company succeeded in getting one
car, strongly gurded by police, over
the entire line, but this was the only
one to make the circuit during the
day.
AT 6 o'clock a patrol wagon filled
with policemen and three wagons with
railroad employees left the stables to
bring back wrecked car at the corner
of Congress and Main streets. On
arriving there they were sur
rounded by mob and lively row
ensued in which hostley employed
by the company had his nose broken
and another employe was badly bruised
about the body.
The police and railroad men re-
treated and abandoned the car. Mean
while the mayor summoned the police
commissioners, sheriffs and city of
ficials and a conference lasting three
hours was held with the owners of the
road. AT the conclusion of the meet