Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-04-26

that they had provisions enough to last
over night This evening, he said, they
would get together and obtain train,
He did not care whose train II was, ex-
cept that it must not DO one belonging
to the Union Pacific.
He then asked all who were in favor
of this plan to say "aye" and vocif-
erous chorus intimated that the PROPOSE
ton met with favor The crowd then
broke up in an orderly manner, and the
demonstration was temporarily over.
THEIR FIRST ToRoIBLE CAPTURE.
The first capture by force made by the
thousands of Knights, who marched to
Council Bluffs this morning for the
purpose of rescuing General Kelly's
army, occurred at o'clock All the
engines and cars of every description
had been removed from Omaha and
Council Bluffs carly in the day in antci.
patton of trouble later.
Just about dark the Union Pacific
| passenger train of three coaches and
engine used as bridge transfer passed
slowly over the Missouri river bridge to
Council Bluffs. As it approached the
Iowa side the thousands of Knights
who lined the track for miles began to
cheer.
Engineer Tom Quick said he thought
the crowd would make way for his
engine, and he reduced speed for the
purpose of giving the vast army of
laborers time to get Off the tracks, but
he was mistaken. In an instant the
coaches and engine were black with
men, and they climbed on top, on all
sides and hung on the pilot of the
engine.
THE ENGINEER TAKEN PRISONER.
Charles Quick, one of the leaders of
the knights, and son Of the engineer,
sprang into the cab and remarked:
Pop, you are our prisoner"
The old man surrendered after de-
llvering himself of several choice cpl
thets. He was pushed outside.
In an instant the cab of the engine
was crowded with dozen women who
accompanied the strikers. Then the
engine was decorated with hundreds of
small flags.
Some delay was experienced in NOV
ing toward the rescue of Kelly's men,
in removing the distractions on the
tracks which the Knights had placed
there in anticipation of the engineer
making an effort to run by the crowd.
Rocks, cross ties and logs had been piled
on tho tracks. In few minutes the
track was clear, and amid the widest
acclamations of delight and yells from
| 5000 knights the train started slowly
towards Kelly's army in charge of
committee of Knights, young Quick
taking his fathers place at the throttle.
PAST THOUSANDS OF KNIGHTS.
For three miles tho train proceeded
slowly between the files of the thou
sands of Knights. At tho transfer an
effort was made to add other cars to the
train, as it was known to be wholly in
adequate to accommodate the army and
nothing but loaded box cars could be
| found.
Then a meeting of the committee of
| knights was held for the purpose of
discussing the ACCESSIBILITY of unloading
the freight cars and thus making up a
train. Forty loaded cars We're found,
and they were switched into long
string. Then the immensely of the work
began to dawn on the committee, but
the whole country for miles was black
with men who had left their trades to
help the industrial army, and they
screamed and howled for an oppor.
tunity to unload the train of cars and
proceed to the rescue of the men.
| Then came the reports that militia
were proceeding from all parts of Iowa
to the scene, and it was calculated that
the train could not be gotten ready for
two hours. After much discussion,
amid the widest enthusiasm, it was de-
cided to at once proceed with the empty
cars to the camp of General Kelly, and
bring the army in relays to the Rock
Island roundhouse, in Council Bluffs,
where they would be encamped until
morning, when train would be secured
at any cost, even if the loaded freight
cars had to be unloaded.
FEARED UNCLE SANS TROOPS.
This decision was arrived at also for
the reason that the strikers are not anx-
ious to undertake to run the Union
Pacific engine, which is government
| property, through to Chicago, since it
was feared the national authorities
might interfere. When this decision
was communicated to the assembled
knights they cheered wildly; in fact,
the men appeared to be ready to cheer
on the slightest provocation.
With this decision, the Knights cleared
the tracks, and after clearing out the
train of all except the ladies in the cab
and the Knights committee, the train
started to Kelly's camp amid the screams
and yells from the great crowd, waving
of flags from the coaches and the strains
of the brass band that had arrived to ac-
company the train.
A committee of safety, consisting of
100 great strong fellows, were detailed
to remain at the round house and await
the arrival of the army. The others
slowly dispersed to their homes.
HAD THE FREEDOM OF THE BRIDGE.
The two bridge companies instructed
their managers TO pass the Knights free
across the river, and accord them every
| faculty in passing between the two
| cities as long as the crisis lasted. w. S.
| Dimmock, manager of the Omaha &
Council Bluffs Bridge Co., made speech
to the assembled Knights before admit
ting them to the freedom of his bridge,
requesting them to break their company
step, as the tramp Of 5000 men would
be likely to permanently damage the
immense structure.
The men obeyed with great reluctance,
and crossed the bridge, marching in
| struggling order rather than to music
or with concerted military movement.
When the captured train arrived at the
camp of the army it was greeted with
cheers; but when General Kelly found
that it had been taken by force he
refused to accept it, and it was returned
to the transfer.
KELLEY LEAVES OMAHA.
OMAHA, NEB., April 22.-The fears of