Connecticut western news., 1894-01-25
MOB IN BRIDGEPORT.
POLICE psFiEp sY STRIKING STREET
 CAR EMPLOYEES
Riotsr. niecked the Traeks. Msbb.a New Hsn and Wrecked and Tried e Rurs a C@r-c"mpamy'- omcs Guarded with M,- nes-Riot Act Read.

Ni"t~rs bt@eheo tne ttnes@ M@ov~@ NV
 ssn apd Wrecked .ad Tried e Rar~ !.
 C@r-c"mpa~y'- onos Guarded wth Rs-
 nes-Riot Act Read.
 BRIDeEPoRT, Conn, Jan. 22.-A most exciting day In the history of the city of Bridgeport has just passed. Not since leoi, when marching volunteers on their way to the front filled the streets have the resi- dents been so arous~d. All day excited crowds throngcd the streets. and mob law has prevailed. The police have been set al defiance, aud a crowd of angry men have ruled the town.
 The rioting was ono of the results of the discharge of Ave employees of the Bridge port Traction company and the strike which followed. About 100 employees sf the company stopped work Saturday after noon, completely tying up ths road They held numerous meetings and sent . com mittee to the managcrs of the road in aa effort to bring about settlement In this they were unsuccessful
 Fifty men came up from Jersey City to take the places of the strikers, and it WITS announced that the company intended 10 run its cars. Tho men then held lonR consultation and decided that they would not allow the company to ruu the cars.
  psny another ohsnoe for settlement and agreed to send s oommittee to Colonel Heft, the owner of the road, and so the managers.
 Refused to Treat wfsh sh@ C@waraiaa@M As soon as all of the striksrs were in- formed of the refusal ef the owners of the road to arbitrate they proceeded Co block the tracks on every street. The yards of the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad were raided, and railroad iron. ties, coupling pins, boxes and barrels wsrs taken and piled on the tracks at various points. Some of the cars ware moved out of the sheds. but were able Co proceed bus . short distance They were surrounded by the strikers and their friends, and tks crews were compelled to leave them in the streets. Police were summoned from headquarters, and several cars were started with three railroad employees and a guard of three policemen.
 The crowds quickly drove the policemen | from the cars, together with the conductors | and drivers. Sticks and stones were throwa and the windows of the cars broken The | policemen and railroad employees were slightly injured, but the crowd showed nc \ disposition to injure them If tho attempt | to run the car was abandoned. Main street in tbe vicinity of the stables was the oenter of the trouble Here a | crowd of nearly 5000 gathered and encour- aged the strikes. The men themselvss did not take such an active part in the riotias As the young roughs in the crowd | At intervals attempts were made to msvs the cars, and about noon several proceeded . short distance from the stable. Al a o'clock car in charge of i've policemen and several railroad employees was st- tackled at the corner of Congrvss and Main streets. Here a mob of shout 2,o0o Inen and boys was gathered.
 s~s Oar en Fire.
 They hombarded the cars with sionas breaking all of the windows and injuFing several of those in charge. The crowd the. | swooped down on the car, snd after unfss- tening the horses and driving their oceu- | pants out they overturned it in the street. Some of Ihe more excited cried, "Sst t on 6rer' and in a few minutes straw, boxes and shavings were iRnitsd inside. An alarm was sent to the police station in East Bridgeport, and large squad of ofioers arrived in time to extinguish the flames and save the car. .s,s,s s
 President Heft, Supsrink~na>ns R&dsi, Director volker and ath~x Tf.eAko. com pany officials Mrv ccxuuximm kh~ mniu af- focs under a stronG puftews mm~xd. mod in \ @No'@oa snN1 A~F~ ~~~#kN8 ~s* w*A*%@~~@eNs repeating rifles.
 Every regular policsm~n who can bs spared is guarding the compny's proper ". as the report has spread that Qusntlts | of dynamite, which was stolen from the Metallic Cartridge company, is to bs used to blow mp shs main depot of thc Trsosion | company. About n doxsn men arrcst~d after Mayor Bostwick read ths riot nct ars held at the Second precinct station. The militia are ready to respond at moments notice to stand by the mayor, as it is feared more bloodshcd will certainly follow the proposed attempt to run ths cars.
 BRIDeEPoRT, Conn, Jan. a The Trac- ton company has not attempted to move any cars, and the strikers have caused bus little trouble. Police still guard che coua- pany's property, and the new men brought here from New Jersey are keeping out of sight One of the soabs was discovered near the Washington street stables and at- tackled by a crowd. He was rescued by the police and received but few bruises
 Mayor Bostwick attempted to address the strikers from the city hall steps. but was hooted by the crowd. The Salvation Army is here from Ansonia trying to quiei the strikcrs Several men who sre said ts bs Pinkerton detectives arrived from New York, and they are now being closely watched by the strikers and their friends \ --------~~