The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-01-22
RIOTOUS RAILROADERS.
Street Oar Strikers Of Bridgeport
Create q Lively Sunday.
POLICE OFFICERS PUT TO FLIGHT.

The Strikers Barricaded the Streets, and
During the Day-The Mayor Finally Ef-
fects Compromise.
BRIDeEPoRT, Conn.,, Jan. 22.-Yesterday
was one of the most exciting days in the
history OF Bridgeport. All day excited
crowds thronged the streets, and mob law
prevailed. The police were set at defiance.
and crowd OF angry men ruled the town.
The rioting was one of the results of the
discharge of five employees of the Bridge
port Traction company on Saturday
morning and the strike which followed.
About 100 employees Of the company stop
ped work Saturday afternoon, completely
tieing up the road. They held numerous
meetings on Saturdayhnight, and sent a
committee to the maDlsgers of the road in
All effort to bring about a. settlement In
this they were unsuccessful.
On Saturday night fifty men came up
from Jersey City to take the place of the
strikers, and 1t was announced that the
company intended to run its cars The
men then held long consultation and
decided that they would not allow the
company TO run Its cars. They concluded,
however, to give the company another
chance for settlement, and agreed to send
committee to Colonel Heft, the owner
of the road, and to the managers. Ac-
cordingly the representatives of the strilS-
ers sought the railroad officials yesterday
morning. but they were denied audience,
the managers refusing to meet them as a
committee or give reasons for the dis
charge Of the men on Saturday. They
announced that they would meet the dis
AaI snH 4.
recognize them as an organization. The
men withdrew and the strikers held "A
brief session, at which 1t was decided that
they would not return to work and would
prevent the company from running cars
II possible.
Meanwhile 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 men from New Jersey, the
stable hands, and about dozen of the old
men who reported for work As soon as
all of the strikers were informed of the
refusal OF the owners of the road to arbi-
trate they proceeded to block the cars on
every street. The yards of the New York.
New Haven and Hartford railroad were
rsided, 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 out of the
sheds, but were unable to proceed but a
short distance. They were surrounded by
tho strikers and their friends, and the
crews were compelled to leave them in
the streets.
Police were summoned from headouar-
tiers, and several cars were started with
three railroad employees and a guard of
three policemen. The crowds quickly
drove the policemen from the ears, with
the conductors and drivers. Sticks and
stones were thrown and the windows of
the oars broken. The crowd showed no
disposition to injure the men II the at
tempt to run the oars was abandoned
The demonstration by the crowd became
30 threatening that all of the officers and
specials in the city who could be sum
moned were brought in This force was
stationed along the tracks. at the stables
and on the cars. The crowds near tho
stables and along the road increased in
HIubcrs, and the presence OF the police
did not deter the mob from piling OBJ
structions of all kinds on the tracks as
fast AZ they were removed. At Intervals at
tempts were made to run the cars, and
about noon several proceeded short dis
tRuce from the stable
At o clock car in charge of five no.
hcemen and several railroad employees
WAS attacked at the corner of Congress
and Main streets. They bombarded IL
with stones. breaking all Of the windows
aad injuring several of those in charge.
The crowd then closed on the car. and
after unfastening the horses and driving
the occupants out overturned it in the
street, AT Williams street, East Bridge
port. hNe hundred men and boys raided
the yards of Jones and Hoffman, contrac
tors. and piled lumber, trucks and other
distractions on the tracks AT o'clock
the company succeeded In getting one ear,
strongly guarded by police, over the en-.
tire line, but this was the only one to
make the circuit during the day.
At d O'Clock patrol wagon filled with
policemen and three wagons with rail.
road employees left the stables to bring
back the wrecked car at the corner of
Congress and Main streets. On arriving
there they We're surrounded by mob and
q lively row ensusd, In which a hostler
employed by the company, had his nose
broken and another employe was badly
bruised about the body. No one was Sc
riously hurt. The police and railroad men
retreated and abandoned the car. Mean
while the mayor summoned the police
commissioners, sheriff and city officials.
and conference lasting three hours was
held with the owners of the road At the
conclusion of the meeting it was an
nounced that the company had agreed to
10 employ the strikers with the exception
Of nine men, and they would give good
reasons for the discharge of these