The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-04-03
RIOTS AT. THE OUTSET.
The Big Coke Strike Begins with
Great Disorder.
EoN-sTRIKERs PUT TO FLIGHT.

At Hill Farm tho Rioters Started to Burn
tho Homes of the Workers, but tho
Frantic Entreaties of Women and Chill
dren Prevented.
UNIoNTowE, Pa, April 8.-The storm
has broken and the scenes of 1891 are be-
Ing repeated throughout the coke regions.
The big coke strike, with all its attendant
rioting and destruction of property, is now
on in full force. The call of the Scottdale
convention was obeyed by more than half
the works in the coke field, and it took
fully 5000 men from their work. Ever
since the close Of the mass meetings Sun
day afternoon there has been more or less
rioting and destruction of property, es-
pecially In this end Of the region, and sew
eral calls have been made on the sheriff
for protection. The situation is now one
of great peril throughout the coke sec
ton, and more destruc tive outbreaks are
expected at any time.
The convention, according to official re-
ports, did not declare for making the fight
general until yesterday afternoon. Yet
the announcement of the order has swept
over this region like fire, and there are
few works, If any, however isolated OF re-
mote, at which the newsi is not now known.
The sum and substance OF both operators
and employees is that there will be no ovens
burning by tonight and in all the coke
making regions, as it has been said, Wed
nesday will see the air as clear in this
country as it was before ever any coke was
burned here"
The rank of the strikers has been SO re
Enforced that this morning the lowest es-
1. Il.
outset the strike has been turbulent, with
tendency to open defiance of law. There
was rioting in several quarters Sunday
night. 1t has grown steadily worse, and
yesterday there were more serious out
breaks in this end of the field. The men
of the Oliver works went out, leaving
1,50O tons of coke burning up in the ovens.
The company, to save the property, at
tempted to put some men to work draw
ing The coke, when the strikers made a
ferocious attack on them with stones and
clubs, driving them from the grounds. In
the melee several men were badly hurt.
The Oliver people telegraphed the depu-
ties, and the works are now guarded. The
coke will be drawn under protection of
the sheriff
The greatest outbreak was at the famous
Hill Farm mines hear here. About 400
foreigners from Morrell and Wheeler, Of
the Cambria Iron company, armed them
selves with guns, revolvers and clubs and
started out to drive the men from the
neigh boring plants. They first visited the
Humphrey works and finding the men ut
work drove them away under the muzzles
of pistols. One workman chose to stand
at his post. He was given one minute to
leave by q Hungarian who covered him
with a revolver. After driving the work
men away they continued their march to
Anchor, where the workmen offered no
opposition, and immediately left the works.
The next engagement was Mt Hill Farm.
The worhmcn were quietly at work when
the mob of Infatuated Huns bounced
down upon them. ordering them to leave
at once Some alterations followed, when
the rioters enforced their demands by an
attack, md n half dozen workmen were
seriously injured During the conflict
twenty shots were fired. A negro was
nearly Drained by stone and very badly
hurt. After all the men had been driven
| away the rioters began firing the shanties
but desisted at tie frantic entreates of
the women and children. Superintendent
Long, of the Hill Farm. had some of the
Hungarians arrested for attempting to
burn the property.
! The Stewart Iron company's works here
closed down on Saturday, but the men
drew the coke yesterday. Superintendent
Van Dusen said the plant closed down on
account of no market for coke, aud not on
account of the strike. Everything is quiet
at these works, and no trouble is antici-
pated. The operator who will perhaps
fight the strike as bitterly as any other is
w. J. Rainey. He is determined not to
recognize the mems orgfAization, and will
fight 10 finish. He to q the first bold
step in this direction yesterday, when sew
enty-five of the foreign workmen at Meyer
went out. lie at once engaged the sume
, number of non-union Americans and put
them to work. He says he will hereafter
employ only Americans and nou-uuion
men.