The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-07-03
Police Clear the Track i'm the Midst of
the HOwls of Mob of 500-Bold
Attempt to Derail Train.
MONON TRAIN HELD HERE
Engineer Lamphier Refused to
Take 1t with Its Pullman.
Judge Baker Talks Pertinently on the
Strike-MethOd of Dealing with
Debs-The Strikers Parade.

The last twenty-four hours has brought
about a more serious situation in the local
railway strike. A large number of men
are out on all the roads entering the city,
and the members of the American Railway
Union claim that every road entering this
city will be tied up to-day. The Union
Railway Company, operating the Belt road
suffered the most The men all went out
about o'clock in the evening and not
wheel was moved on that road after that
hour. Switchmen are out on the Big Four
and Lake Erie & Western, and the other
roads are affected in the same way. Early
in the evening the union men only claimed
that about 80 men were out, but 1t seems
that the number exceeds this figure.
Freight traffic is badly crippled, and
number of trains were compelled to remain
in the yards last night. Only one case of
violence was reported, the stonng of a
coach bearing men brought here by the
Panhandle to take the place of strikers,
but ii is insisted that these stones were
thrown by small boys. The local union
received the order from Debs last night
calling out all the railroad men in Indian
apolis.
The most formidable attempt at inter-
ference with handling the Pullman coaches
was made last night about twenty minutes
after 10 o'clock. The Pennsylvania train
No. Z, from New York, due at 1918 o'clock,
pulled in on time without being molested.
The train leaves the Vandalia every
night at 11:20 o'clock Before leaving, sew
eral Pullman sleepers that stand previous
to the arrival of the train on the tracks
at Tennessee street are put on the train.
Last night Vandala engine No. IL was
detailed to remove the Pullman sleeper,
which was the only one intended for this
train. around the Union tracks to the east
end of the Union Station and from there
to the rear of the train. The car was
then to be coupled on to the rear car
Engine No. II had completed the switch
and the signal for going ahead was about
to be given when crowd estimated at
five hundred rushed down and surrounded
the engine and the car. A Panhandle en-
CINE YVES standing on the next track 70
the Vandalia engine and very close to it.
When the crowd rushed down and sur
rounded the Vandala engine and the Pull
man a number of the strikers got to argu-
ing with the switchmen on the Panhandle
engine Finally one of the switchmen
stood upon the tender of the engine and
going out. He was greeted with deafening
cheers. He then blew out his lamp, put
it on the engine, got his coat, which he
had left in the cab, and joined the strik-
ers. He was treated as a hero and was
at once followed by the majority in his
movements.
When the crowd rushed down and sur
rounded the Vandalia engine and the Pull
man Sergeant Laporte and twenty officers
hurried there also. The officers cleared the
track number Of times and the signal to
move ahead was given. However, before
the engine had moved a wheel, the crowd
pushed forward and swarmed over the
track The police made one more desperate
effort to clear the track, and did so for only
a moment. The Vandalia train was in
charge of the night yardmaster of the
yards at Kentucky avenue and the rail-
road track, and he saw the opportunity
and gave the signal to come ahead. The
engineer sounded the whistle and the train
moved. There was a rush for the switch
by the strikers and a desperate attempt
was made to throw it and derail the train.
The yardmaster and several officers inter-
posed and prevented this. The train moved
over the switch safely and the
yardmaster boarded the Pullman to
accompany it around the tracks
to the east end and from there to where it
was to be coupled to the train. He was
seen by the crowd as he stood upon the
platform, and he was greeted with cries of
"You are a scab. Hit him with a brick"
The movements OF the police then proved
very effective. Sergeant Laporte gave or
ders right and left, and in a short time
had the tracks cleared. The train moved
eastward and the car was placed on the
track in the rear of No. 70 without any
further mishap. superintendent Darlington
was seen just after this episode and said
that the Pennsylvania employees still stood
out against the intimdations of the strik-
ers He said none of his men were out ex-
cept those that struck yesterday morning,
and whose places were afterwards filled.
He said that the trouble with No. was the
most serious yet experienced by that road.
The Monon train, with three Pullman
cars, which is due to leave this city for
Chicago at 1885 this morning, did not pull
out The strikers succeeded in holding il,
and without the least show of violence or
intimida ton 1t was held by the power of
moral suasion Engineer Jared Lamphier,
who was to take the train out. refused abb
solutely and positively TO take out the
sleepers At 1890 o'clock last night the
local union received telegram from Debs.
The contents are unknown. but, acting
upon this advice, a committee went i'm
mediately to the Monon yards and saw
Lamphier. c. II. Thurston, an employe of
the Chicago division of the Big Four, acted
as spokesman and asked Lamphier not 20
pull out the sleepers. The engineer said
he would back his engine down to the
station at the usual time. and If the COM
pany would cut off the sleepers would take
the mail car and day coaches through, but
gave his word that he would not, under