Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-07-07
The TORCH
Being Used by Strikers
at Chicago.
Hundreds of Pullman and
Freight Cars Burned.
City, State and federal Forces
Not in Sympathy.
Gov. AItgeId Orders Out Two Bri-
gades of National Guard.
Pres. Debs Confident of Victory---
Chief Arthur ForeteIIs Defeat.
But Few Trains Moving-Strikers Gain Many
Gov. AItgeId Orders Out Two Bri-
gades Of National Guard.
Pres. Debs Confident of Victory.
Chief Arthur ForeteIls Defeat.
But Few Trains Moving ng-Stikers Gain Many
Additions 10 Ranks.

twenty five freight cars on the Pan Handle
tracks between 45th and 59th streets, dis
tance of about mile, were burned between
the hours of 6 and tonight. Shortly after
) this evening, immense crowds of men,
women and boys had been coming from the
stock yards toward the net work of tracks
at the crossing of 47th street. The mob
was augmented every minute by SEEM
iDgly never-ending string of strikers and
their sympathizers, and about 6 clock fully
1000 people were massed along the tracks
from 45th street, south. They were the
stock yards crowd intent on repetition of
last nights destruction.
The few police who remained On duty
were utterly powerless. They were not
even noticed by the strikers, who went to
work at once. "Down the tracks," was
the cry, and with rush the mob started
southwark. Bunches of waste stolen from
the switchmen's shanties and soaked with
"dopev used in oilng cars, made excellent
torches. At 47th street, five cars standing
on the Grand Trunk line were the first to
meet destruction. Some were loaded. The
seals of these were broken and the doors
slid back. The bunches of burning waste
were thrown inside, quickly igniting the
five cars were blazing fiercely.
The crowd surged on. 1t kept to the
Pan Handle tracks, and at 49th street came
upon six more cars. These were fred in a
twinkling and on went the crowd. In Gar
field boulevard the yards of the Pan Handle
four tracks were full of freight cars, more
'han half loaded. At this crossing is To-
Gated the switchman's tower, and this was
H. "a
ton to the cars on the sidings, but for some
reason fred but one car OF dressed beef,
started eastward several days ago.
The crowd suddenly stopped its incendi-
arism, and egan to tear up the switches.
After a number had been rendered useless,
the mob continued on its way southwark. At
5Sth street is situated the station of the Com
bined roads. This was quickly de,troyd. A
strong wind was blowing, and the flames
quickly spread across three or four tracks
filled with cars. Railroad people say that
there were so cars there, 40 loaded. All
were soon mass of flames. About third
of the cars were filed with coal, and the
heat was intense. Fifteen cars contained
meat from the big packing houses, Swift
and Nelson, Morris, etc.
By this time the fire department was 'ad-
vised of fires further north on the track,
and had sent forces there. On learning of
the seriousness of the situation at 5Sth
street, they abandoned the fight further
northward and came to the scene of the
cor rfagration, which promised to be seri-
Gus. Upon the approach of the fire and
police departments, the mob started for the
city. On the way to 47th street it set ire
10 all the cars it had missed in the hurried
trip southwark No water could be OBJ
tanned near the Garfield boulevard yards
and the cars are slowly burning up.
1t was noticed that the leaders of the
mob were mostly foreigners, and as it re-
traced its steps, few leaders, accompanied
by hundreds of follows, started off in the
stock yards. There are $50 cars in the dis.
trict now in possession of the mob, and it is
probable that all will be destroyed by mid
night. A number of hoodlums were in the
gang.
President Debs said 1.-THE situation is
more promising for the Railway Union now
than at any time since the Pullman strike
began. Trade unions in Chicago and the
country over have given assurances of help.
In California 100000 was raised for us by
popular subscription. A mass meeting will
Ue Helu ueIc Cuhudy nigut W Piotest SaiuSt
the calling here of government troops"
General Master Workman Sovereign of
the Knights of Labor has arrived from
Omaha, and agreed to issue general strike
call to the Knights Of Labor whenever a
request to that end was presented.
The ministers of the city have called a
meeting of citizens in favor of settling the
great strike by arbitration.
One of the most serious aspects of the
strike is that horses are dying at the rate of
from rs TO 100 day, and there is no way
of removing them from the city. The car
cases are decaying in the sun and the
health of the community is seriously threat
ened.
Five hundred or more freight cars are
burning in the Edison yards on the Grand
Trunk, and 100 police have gone to the
scene with orders to shoot on sight if they
are attacked.
Six Of the most prominent trunk lines
served notice, today, on Mayor Hopkins
and Corporation Counsel Rubens of their
to hold the city of Chicago, a.
well as the county of Cook, liable for all
financial loss involved in the destruction of