The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-04-21
MORNING SCENES.
Gathering of the Crowd and It's March
to Council bluffs.

OMAHA, Neb, April 2).-Three thou
sand labor.ng men marched out OF Omaha
to-day. with banners flying. bound for the
camp OF Kslly's industrials at Weston,
sixteen miles east OF Council Bluffs. At
last nights meeting of the Central Labor
Union 1t was agreed that If Kelly did not
secure a train for his army this morning
church bells should be rung and whistles
blown Kelly failed to get train and the
signal was given. Inside of five minutes
one thousand men had gathered at Jeffer-
son Square. and were quickly organized into
companies, with a captain for every ten
men. The march was then taken up
through Sixteenth street to Farnam, where
the column proceeded TO the City Hall and
courtermarched. AT every street recruits
were received and when the column
reached the Paxton Hotel there were $500
men in line. Each company was provided
with American flag. and as fast as re-
crults joined they were formed into COM
paines and provided with banners. At
Eleventh and Farnam streets the main
column met by a detachment of five
hundred men. They joined forces and pro-
ceeded to the Douglas-street toll bridge
across the Missouri river. Here they were
met by the superintendent Of the bridge,
who said the company was glad to give
them free transportation across the river.
This was a graceful act. for the men were
prepared 10 cross with or without permis-
sion. 1t had been expected that the Union
Pacific shop men would join the column
at this point. but that part of the pro-
gramme was not carried out, for the COM
pany warned the men when they came TO
work that those working would be expected
IN all ha
chanic also prevented the blowing of the
shop whistle. There were a number OF
Union Pacific men in line Of marchers how
ever, but they were men who had not gone
to work this morning.
Thousands of people followed the column
TO the bridge, and other thousands were on
hand on the other side of the river to well
come them. The cold weather seemed to
have the effect of bringing out a greater
throng than had been expected last night,
when the rain was falling so heavily. All
the the men iso seemed % to be in excellent spirits
mean business. The column had been pre-
ceded TO Council Bluffs by a committee
OF prominent citizens. appointed at last
nights meeting of the Central Labor Union
including Rev. Or. Joseph t. Duryea, pastor
of the First Congregational Church; Rev.
Dr. Hamerso1, OF the First Presbyterian
Church. and Rev. Frank Crane, of the First
Methodist Church. The committee was TO
call ON Governor Jackson and the managers
OF the railroads and urge that the COM
TlonWe8lers be at once started on their
way East.
KELLY TALKS TO ST. JOHN.
While the column was marching towards
the Missouri General Kelly was in Omaha
seated in the private car of President St.
John, of the Rock Island road, holding an
animated conference Mr. st. John said, in
response 10 request for a train. that he
was not in a position to grant it, even
should he desire TO do so. as the matter
was now wholly in the hands of the presi-
dents of the Iowa trunk lines, and no one
road could grant request for train un-
less the presidents of all other lines agreed.
General Kelly then left the car and called
on other friends for advice. One promi-
nent man suggested that the army levy on
the farmers for horses and wagons, that
the army be split up into squads OF one
hundred men each, and that they spread out
over stretch of territory twenty-five
miles wide and march on foot across the
State. 1t was suggested that such a plan
would soon bring the people of the State
TO time, for the army would practically de-
vastate the country through which ii
passed. and the railroads would then be
forced TO take the commonwealers up and
carry them out of the country. General
one. and he thought Ii might be tried. He
agreed TO call a council of his officers and
place the plan before them. After delib-
Grafton, if they agreed to il, the plan would
be adopted. The General later left for
Council Bluffs.
1t is said that some of the Anarchists
who were in the column marching out of
Omaha had dynamite with Them but how
much is not known. strange sight was
witnessed on the march from the bridge
10 the heart of Council Bluffs Men and
boys seemed TO spring UP from the ground.
and the column which crossed the bridge
had grown TO over six thousand men by
the time il reached the heart of the city.
The burly form of Captain ODonahue head
ed the column. and at intervals the line
was broken into companies, each one head
ed with a flag-bearer and acting under or
ders of n captain. At Fifteenth and Broad
way the Omaha army was met by q de-
tachment of Council Bluffs laborers, with
fife and drum band and a dozen flags.
These, acting as an escort, took the COM
pany TO Bayless Park. where a halt was
called and, in response TO a request from
Chief of Police Seaman, a committee was
appointed to present the demands OF the
men TO the railroad officials, who were, IL
was said, TO be found In the Office OF John
Y. Stone While the committee was in the
office the lined up along the sides Of
the square. warming their toes by stamp
ing on the pavement. and cheering i'm.
promptu speakers. In Mr.. Stones Office
Rev. DR.. Duryea and Col. d. b. Daley ad-
dressed the committee in pacific speech.