The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-08-09
SITUATION IS SERIOUS.



OMAHA. Ana. A c<ias srcse last
might. and Il sh<r~ tS.s Improvement to-
day several ocnaP&nies ~ militia viii bs
sent % South Omaha. and the packing
house district placed under martial law.
The situation Il most serious. and tie 100
strikers have been doing as they pleased.
AZ o'clock last evening they forced their
picket line, that has for 4S hours sur
rounded the packing plants, under the
walls Of the big buildings, and their num-
ber was increased by the addition Of sew
eral hundred men.
At o'clock Mayor johnson Of South
Omaha went before the Omaha police
board and asked that detachment Of
police be sent there, as he was powerless to
control the lawless element. He said he
had driven all over the city and found
gangs Of strikers patroling the streets,
waiting for some Of the workmen to show
up ON their way to work. He had found
gangs Of 90 and rs strikers all armed with
clubs.
Tho local police force was powerless to
COPE with these organized mobs, and un-
less some radical measures were taken to
suppress tho disorderly element there
houses would bo In ashes before night.
The board was informed that the gov
ernor was In consultation with the pack
ers, with view to putting the packing
houses under martial law, and concluded
70 await his action.
Must Have Protection.
The packing house managers held q con-
ference, and at the close Mr.. Cudahy noti-
fed the adjutans general that unless the
worlxmcn could be given adequate protec-
tion all packing houses would be COM
PEELED to close ut once. He said the man.
agers do not feel like endangering their
plants by keeping them at work, while
their men are In danger of assassination.
Last evening the governor and the adju-
tant general met the strikers to canvass
the matter. They decided that the situa-
tion was most serious, and the governor
finally concluded to do nothing until
today, and then II there was no improve
ment to call for troops. The employees
last night, on their way to work, were as
saulsed BY strikers.
Many Of tho man 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 to venture
out. Men who were on their way to work
were turned back by strikers, and not al
lowed TO pass the strikers picket lines. In
ono instance three policemen were unable
to escort one Of the night men to his home
A mob Of 70 or moro strikers would not
permit them - pass and the laborers had
to return to tho plant and stay there.
Citissns Become Deputies.
A number of tho most prominent citi.
Eens were called On yesterday and asked
to aot as deputies Many signified their
willingness, and mot last evening and
wcre sworn IN.
Mayor johnson and Sheriff Drcxel Wis
tied the VARIOUS avenues leading to the
different packing houses last night. They
both reported the strikers 10 be in an
angry frame Of mind. They said the en-
frances to the packing houses were
guarded by tho strikers with nm armed
fo1oo Of mon, with clubs, revolvors and
stenos, and efforts were made to prevent
the now men from going to work. Sew
sral conflicts occurred between the strikers
and the men going to work, in which tho
latter wcrs more or less bruised and
abused
Mayor johnson predicts serious trouble,
and unless the militia is brought into
Omaha at once he says tho regular army
will have to be brought in to prevent
bloodshed on larger scale. Sheriff
Drcxel Is inclined to think that the police
and deputy shenns oan preserve the peace
unless soma unforeseen event occurs, and
he does not favor the idea Of calling out
the militia ct once.