The Portland daily press., 1895-01-25
The Rioting Degenerated To a
Cutting OF Wires.
A FEW DAYS WILL PROBABLY
END THE TROUBLE.
The Threatened Strike of the Line Men
FizzIed Out and the Companies Are OBJ
tanning Plenty of Men-No Trouble of
Importance Reported Yesterday.


Importance Reported Yesterday.
Brooklyn, Jaunary 24.-At one this after
noon. Louis Roth. James Connell and
George Starkey took up stand at the cor
ner of Broadway and Lorimer street, ano
began throwing stones at passing cross
town car. One missile knocked off the hat
of the motorman and the others went
through the windows of the car. No one
was hurt. After throwing the stones the
men fed and Were pursued by the two
policemen guarding the car. They repeated
ly called upon them to halt. The men pald
no heed to ths command. The policemen
finally drew their revolyers and fired four
shots at the fleeing meE. This brought them
to standstill and they were arrested.
One of the men arrested in the Hicks
! street affair yesterday was discharged to-
day, and the others were sent to jail for
| fifteen days. The youth arrested for throw
| ing ID tin can at Court street car was sent
to Jail for ten days.
| At 3.l5 D. M, the wires were short
| circnited and burned out for sixty feet Oh
Broadway. between Chauncy street and
| Sumpter avenue. A detat hment of troop
| A, Quic KY arrived at the scene and dis
| persed the crowd. Fifteen cars were
| blocked until $3.50. when the lines were
| cleared. Al $3.50 p. IN. the strikers cut the
| wires on Fulton street between Hopkinson
| and Rockaway avenues. The mounted
police quickly appe ared and the wire
| cutters fled. No arrests we're made. Line
1 men began repairing wires. The wiros are
sagged and cut from Saratoga to Hopkinson
| avenue on Fulton street. No troops are
/ stationed at this place, but an occasional
1 mounted policeman comes along, but the
/ wire cutters have dispersed before he
arrives.
| At3.45p D. m. troops arrived on the scene
| of wire cutting at Sackman street. From
that street to Rockaway aveune, ash barrels
and heaps of ashes covered the tracks. but
no crowd was in sight.
BEFORE THE GRAND JURY.
President Norton of the Atlantic Avenue
Railroad company and President Partridge
of the DeKalb Avenue line. were examined
before the grand jury today as to the man
agement of the road, the speed of the cars
l and the hours Of labor. President Lewis is
to be called in regard to the collision of the
trolley cars the night of January lst. In
I this accident several people were injured,
and John Slater dl opped out of sight. He
has not been seen since. The collision was
| between the cars of the Franklin avenue
and Fulton street lines, and the cars were
going at high speed.
The Flushing and Graham avenue lines of
the Brooklyn City railroad begon opera
tions this afternoon and the first car started
at 2.35 D. m, This road operates through
the toughest section of the city, and 1t was
| generally expected bloodshed would follow
| the opeIiug of the line. No militia men
| we're placed along the streets through which
1 the cars 1un. but strong force of police
| were ord ell ed out and keptthe crowds from
| concregating. Companies 3, and b.
| Eighth regiment, we've on hand at the ccm-
pany's barns on Flushing avenue, but their
services we're not required. Shortly after
| the first car WAS started the others lmmedl-
| ately run out, and within Al hour fifteen
/ cars were in operation. The first car made
the trip on schedule time.
| Only A half of the cross town line opened
| .odar Ths line runs from Hunters Point
to City hall and thence through South
Brooklyn 10 Erie Basin, notoriously bad
section of the city. where the "Gas House
gang, has held undisputed power for de-
cade past.
FEARED TROUBLE.
The opinion has been freely expressed By
the militia and police officials that half a
dozen regiments would be required to pass
the cars through, and the toughs of this
district for weeks past have openly declared
that no car canever be taken over that branch
nv non union men. Behind the fences ano
in out OIL the way corners which abound In
that section piles of stones. tricks, barrels
and ,inbers, to be used as missiles anc
barriers were to be found on almost every
block. All along I he route things of the
most absurd description were hung upon
the trolley wires. In one place six deao
| cats were strung together in twos, ana II
another two tin pals, still further dowr
the line. S. S. Remond, today. began the
oneration of a stage line between Hamilton
Ferry and Third avenue. the proceeds O.
which he announces will be paid into the
strikers relief fund.
hundred and fifty more special police
men were sworn in at police heaqduarter
today. and twenty special policemen re
signed, having become disgusted with the
service.