Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-11-10
KEW ORLEANS IN TERROR
Militia Called Upon to Guard the
 Cotton Wharves.
LABOR RIOTS ARE NOW IMMINENT.

The White screwmen wnI Not Work
 With the Black serewmen. and Arson
 and Murder Have Already Been Resort
 cd To-Ths Cause of the Trouble.
 NEW ORLEANS, Nov. IO.-Four compa- nies of infantry and n battery of artillery. with three gatlings, are quartered today in the armories of our local militia, and railroad and steamship property is being guarded by United States marshals and special police against possible incendiary attempts as an element of the labor trou- bles which have been existing here for two weeks past.
 The trouble Is not in tho nature of a strike, but grows out of the refusal of members of tho White Cotton Screwmcn's association to allow the colored screwmen to engage with them any longer in that business. The screwmen's association hero has existed for 10 years and is finan- cially, as we'll hs by reason of its influence and well disciplined organization, one of the most powerful bodies of labor in the world
 So we'll have they controlled the com mercial situation that 75 bales Is a days stowago for each gang of hvo men. and for which the gang foreman receives $7 and each of tho remainder of the gang $5 per day. The organization has n heavy surplus in its treasury and n reserve in strike emergencies or other critical times.
 R. fused to Work With Negroes
 In attaining it's present control of tho situation the white organization has for years cultivated and received tho support of the negro screwmen. At first all were members of one body, but were subse- luently divided. and the negroes and the whites worked separately, but at times on
 
 ling entirely the situation tho white asso- citation recently issued a circular to ship ping agents that they would no longer work with the negro screwmcn. and. when the question came to m issue, struck, but afterward made m agreement that cer- tain lines of vessels would be permitted to uso the black labor.
 The understanding was only reached after n small riot on Oct. 26 in which four negroes were shot or driven into tho river and drowned. the city police stand ing idly by and protesting inability to recognize tho offenders. Previous to this a squad of tho white screwmen had gone to tho leveo at night, and. taking the few private wharves by surprise, went aboard the ships and threw the tools used by tho negro gangs into the river, thus destroy ing about $4. 900 worth of property. M. J. Sanders, agent of tho West India l gagged the negro screwmen to work on the vessels of his line due here this week. and the announcement was treated as n piece of local news in sundays papers. About 6, OOU bales Of cotton and n largo l quantity of cottonseod meal and cake. bo- ! sides slaves and 900 barrels of molasscs were on the company's wharf Sunday afternoon. when fire was discovered in . tho very middle Of the cotton shed. Set Fire tn Cotton wharve>.
 There was large detail of police guard ing the property at tho time. but un. fortunately no precaution had been taken 1 to guard underneath the wharf. Some one had me below the planking and set | fire to the cotton overhead. In wharves, cotton and other property destroyed the loss footed up about <l5O. 0OO, and the | unanimous opinion Is in accord with the { police theory of incendiarism by some 1 member of tho White Scrowmen's s asso- l citation. Be this 1t may, tho negroes did not go to work on this particular cot 1 ton on Monday.
 Tho proximity of the election probably prevented public demonstration of tho | sentiment of tho community, but the mat { ter was only temporarily deferred and the negroes given every Ssurance of ample ! protection. Tho test accordingly began l Friday in Southport. tho export terminus ! of tho Illinois Central and Mississippi Valley railroads on the river, just above the city limits. The steamship William Cliffe began taking cargo with negro la- bor. and a German steamer at the same dock was being worked by whites. The steamship agents had applied tC the United states authorities, and l@ deputy marshals and some "a special pc lice officers were on duty all day. Nc demonstration was made. although it is certain that trouble will develop very shortly. and that too. of most serious character. It is fully expected that re sort to arson will be had ns a retaliation upon the shipping interests and railroad companies.
 Militia Ordered on Duty.
 In Southport there arc two grain ele | yators and sCmo 4j0 carloads of cotton cakc and meal. All along the city front tho wharvcs are full of cotton awaiting shipment, and in the same vicinity arS tho cotton presses full to their utmost ca pacity. X fire of any magnitude would mean the lUss of hundreds of thousand. of dollars, and the city Is cursed with [ police force of dwarf proportions and ut ter unreliability.
 Tho levee and yards of tho Illinois Cen tral railroad are full of cotton and have been under nightly patrol of trusted em ployees in addition to the hired poll e force all tho week It is feared that at tempts will be made at either or botl these points to fire the company's proper ty and thus destroy the cotton.
 Governor Foster Is in the city and hai consulted with the legal representative of the company. and late yesterday after noon ordered tho details of militia al ready mentioned on duty in the armorie to be held in readiness. About % em ployees of the Illinois Central are or duty at Southport and some 10 at thu levee depot-a sufficient force to hold il check any attempted movement until re lief could reach either point. Tho mex developments cannot be predicted. bu tho next few days can safely be expected to bring forth some sensational develop ments.
 Mir. Sanders has obtained from Judg rardee, in tho United States court. an in junction restraining the scrowmen an' longshoremen from interering with tn loading of his ships by colored labor. Tn Cotton Exchange and other bodies en deavored to keep the matter from goin! As far as the federal government becaus the local protection accorded was noto riously inefficient.
 , Brilliant English ErusIon.
 LONDON, Nov. lO.-The Post comment , ing upon tho recent elections In the Unit al States and the AmerIcan constitution