St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-07-19
THE GREAT STRIKE.


of this country is nearly over and
railroad traffic is once more resumed.
Grand Master Workman Sovereign s
order to the 100000 Knights of
Labor to quit work was disobeyed
all over the land. The men preferred
to work rather than strike.
On Wednesday, the 18th, the scene
of violence was transferred from
Chicago to California. The South
ern Pacific railroad had raised the
blockade, but strikers 1oosened the
track on a trestle at Sacramento
and ditched passenger train. The
engineer and three soldiers guarding
him were killed and several Others
injured.
The wreck of the train was ac-
complished by means of a loosened
rail. Fish plates were removed,
spikes drawn and bolts taken out.
The rail was left in place, and there
was nothing to show the engineer,
who was running his train slowly
and cautiously, that there was any
thing wrong with the track ahead.
When the wheels struck the loose
rail 1T sent the engine onto the ties.
The cars followed, and the whole
forward end of the train plunged in
to the muddy water.
The effect of the outrage has been
to make the soldiers desperately
bitter against the strikers. Their
feeling is shared by the militia and
hal ~ =, r
those of the three soldiers. The
soldiers captured two strikers who
are suspected of knowing how the
rail came to be displaced. The
cavalry took the men into Sacra-
mento and they were under guard at
the depot for some hours before they
were turned over to the United
States marshal.
Mayor Piugree of Detroit and
Mayor Hopkins Of Chicago again
failed to get the Pullman Company
to arbitrate, the latter telling the
gentlemen that there is nothing to
arbitrate.
The executive committee of the
Knights of Labor want to impeach
Attorney-General Olney, charging
him with high crime and INSIDE
meanors."
Chief Engineer Arthur of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive En-
gineers, in an interview On the
prospective Knights Of Labor strike,
said, We'll, l suppose Mr.. Sovereign
has the right to order the strike or
he would not do it. In view of the
fact that during the past winter all
Of the people were taxed to their ut
most to feed the poor and unem-
plOyed 1t IS wrong for any man, even
though he has the authority, to
order out thousands of working men
who have large fam miles to support.
L would rather receive the con-
demnation of the men for not order
ing a strike than to order them out
and then receive their condemnation.
1t is not the right time to suspend
work when the men have positions
to fill and are entirely satisfied with
their work"
Six thousand men were laid off on
the Big Four system by an order
from headquarters. The last pay
roll of the company contained TO-
600 names. Now there are only
1000 drawing salary. This move
was taken by the company on &C.
count of the falling off in business
since the boycott was ordered.
Gen. Miles reported to the presi-
dent and Maj-Gen. Schofeld Thurs
day morning that everything in Chi
cago was quiet. The night passed
without an incident and there were i
few idle people about the railroad
yards and the streets of Chicago in
the morning. The officials at the
capital think the situation is more
favorable than it has been at any :
time since the strike began.
On Friday a telegram was sent to
President Cleveland asking him to {
come to Chicago Ito lend your in
auence and give US your aid, so that :
the present industrial crisis may be
brought to an end, alike to the ad- {
vantage of the people of our country {
and the institutions under which we {
live" This telegram was signed by {
Samuel Gompers, president of the |
American federation Of labor, the f
tour presidents of the federation, '
and by II other executive officers of
national and international unions, {
brOtherhO and associations.
The excitement continued in Cali
fornia and four men were arrested
on suspicion of causing the bridge '
wreck. Several places, known to be (
occupied by strikers, were raided c
and powder, guns and bandages
seized. '
-Four murders occurred at Chicago l
growing out of the great strike.
The situation at Galveston, Tex, t
was alarming and the mayor called 5
out the artillery.
Dispatches from Pittsburg, Cleve- t
and, Buffalo and Detroit announced S
that the railroads were all getting :
ntO shape again. q