The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-09
A CRISIS AT OMAHA.
Packing House Strikers Too
Strong for Civil Officers.
MILITIA LIKELY TO Be NEEDED.
Deputies to BE Used Today-Coiorado
Coal Miners strike-Ths Uniens'
Attack on 0lasy.

I
night. and II there Is no improvement by
| morning several companies Of militia viii
| be sent to South 0mahs and the packing
! house district will be placed under martial
Law. The situation is most serious to-
night, and the ], 500 strikers have been do
ing about as they pleased. At O'Clock
this evening they forced their picket line,
| which has for forty-eight hours sur
rounded the packing hoases, under the
walls of the big buildings, and their num-
Der was increased Or the addition OF sew
eral hundred men. At s o'clock Mayor
| Johnson, OF South Omahs, went before the
Omaha police board and asked that
| detail OF police be sent there, as he
was powerless to control the lawless
element He said he had driven ali over
the city tonight, and found gangs OF
strikers patrolling the streets, waiting for
some OF the workmen to show mp on their
way TO work He had found gangs ofhtty
10 seyenty-hve strikers all armed with
clubs. The local police force was power
less to cope with these organized mobs,
and unless some radical measure was
taken 10 suppress the disorderly element
there would be trouble, and the packing
houses would be in ashes before night.
The board was informed that the governor
was in consultation with the packers with
view of putting the packing house dis
trict under martial law. and concluded to
await his action. The packing house
managers held q conference. and at
its close Mr.. Cudahy notified the
adjutant general that unless the work
men could be given better protection
ali packing houses would be compelled to
close down tomorrow. He said that the
managers do not like endangering their
plants by keeping them at work, while
their men were in danger OF assault. Every
fresh assault they claim increases the seri-
business of the situation, and they believe
that there is but a step from violence to-
ward the men to violence 10 the packing
houses. In the evening the governor and
adjutant general met the packers TO can
vass the matter. The packers declared
that the situation. was most critical, but
the governor finally concluded to do moth
ing until morning and then if there was
no improvement TO call for troops.
Gen. Gageis on the scene tonight, keep
ing a close watch on the situation. He is
in constant communication, not only with
the managers of the several packing
houses, but with prominent leaders of the
strikers. If 1t should be decided that 1t is
necessary to call out the state troops the
two companies in Omaha will be first
brought into service, and If more are
needed the companies from York. Lin
coin. Fairbury and other points within
quick running distance from Omaha will
be summoned. Here in Omaha the adult
ant general has a standing arrangement
designed to expedite the movement of the
Omaha guards and the Fhurston rides in
he. Ids tkAsr
company sergeanss are required to keep
men in their squads constantly in reach of
tho telephone, or of quick messenger serv-
ice. All that is necessary Is TO notify the
sergeant that the company has been or
dered into service and the men will be
summoned to the Armory within an hour,
1t is believed that both Omaha companies
could be thrown into South Omaha within
two hours if necessary.
Many employees tonight on their way
from work were assaulted by strikers, who
were stationed at all points to intercept
them. Many of the men who left the
plants last night and went home to sleep
were unable to return to work today. In
some instances their houses were watched
by strikers and they were afraid 10 venture
out. Men who we're on their way to work
were turned back by the strikers. and were
not allowed to pass the strikers pickets.
In one instance three policemen were I'M
able to escort one of the night tank men
10 his home. A mob of 100 or more
strikers would not permit them 10 pass,
and the laborer had TO return TO the plant
and stay there.
A number of the most prominent citi-
gems, merchants and other business men
were called on this evening and were
asked to act as deputies. Many signified
their willingness and met this afternoon
and were sworn in. Mayor Johnson and
Sheriff Drexel visited the various avenues
leading 10 the different packing houses
tonight. They both report the strikers to
be in an angry frame of mind. They said
the entrances to the packing houses were
guarded by strikers with an armed force of
men with clubs, reyolvers aud stones, aud
efforts were made by the strikers to pre-
vent the men from going TO work, in
which the latter were more or less bruised
Mayor Johnson predicts serious trouble,
and unless the militia is brought into
action az once he says that the regular
army will have 90 be brought into action
70 prevent boodshed on a large scale.
Sheriff Drexel is inclined to think the
police and deputy sherifis can preserve
the peace unless something unforeseen
occurs, but he does not favor the idea
Of calling out the militia at once. Capt.
Mostyn, IN charge of the special deputies.
received a telephone message from Shelly
this morning that mob of 200 men had
assembled along the tracks to sidetrack
the refrigerator ears containing meat
shipped East from the packing houses.
A patrol wagon load OF police was sent
to Shee.y, but before ii arrived there the
meat train had passed unmolesied. The
regular dummy train, which left Omaha
for South Omaha with the packing en-
ployes, was stoned at Shelly, and de- |
rlslve howl greeted the tram as Il passed |
through the suburban station.
All o'clock this (Thursday) morning |
the conference OF municipal. county and |
state authorities with the packers. which |
had been sitting since o'clock, decided |
TO send 30 deputies so the scene at once TO /
maintain order.
The Illinois Miners.
SFRISs VALLEY Ill.,, Aug. 6-The min /
ers held meeting today in the opera /
Z. !. a. go