Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-12-26
IN A MOB'S HANDS
RATHER LIVELY TINES In THE
STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA.
Sympathizers of the street Car
Strikers Defy the Police and
Wreck Cars go Many People In
jureG by Flying Missiles - The
Mayor of Philadelphia Threatens
the Militia.

iumS II the Traction strike is not
yet twenty-fOur hours old. Not a
street a of the Union Traction COM
pany is running, and that company
controls nearly every line in the city.
The police were absolutely unable to
control the mob's violence today.
From early morning, as each branch
line made desperate efforts to start,
bowling mobs surrounded each car,
stoned and hooted the motorman and
conductor, smashed the windows, cut
the trolley ropes and wreaked all pos
sible destruction. Then the attempt
was abandoned. The strikers took lit
tie, if any part in the work Of de-
struction. This was in the hands of
the inevitable rowdy element. Many
] persons were injured by flying mis-
siles, and there is fear that when COM
plete reports have been received they
will include fatalities, and thousands
OF dollars worth of property was de-
| stroyed.
Five hundred extra policemen were
sworn in by Mayor Warwick. and
these, with the regular force of :, 100,
will make an attempt TO quell the
rioters tomorrow. They have orders
from Mayor Warwick to carry their
4 'tN'hAS pllclib lllio ldtI
the government will be appealed to to
order out the militia. The city's ex-
ecutive declares that the strike is no
longer a contest between a railway
company and its employees, but q bat
tie between the city and violence, and
the city will win, if ii takes the United
| States army.
The situation is the grayest the city
has ever been called upon to encoun-
ter. The staff officers of the national
guard are in their armOrleS. uniformed
and armed in case Of need. Three
proClamations were issued by Mayor
| Warwick this afternoon. First, he ap-
pealed to all good citizens TO assist the
authorities in maintaining order, and
TO that end, to refrain from gathering
IN crowds on the streets: second, he
ordered the summary closing OF all
liquor saloons, and third, he asked all
women and children to stay at home.
The war itself remains unchanged.
The Traction leaders refuse TO listen
to any suggestion from the other side,
and, indeed. no effort is being made
in that direction. Three mass meet
ings of the strikers were held in vari-
u parts Of the city. They have al
most universal sympathy, not only
from conservative citizens, who, while
~deprecating violence. declare that the
| strikers have right on their side, hut
from labor unions throughout the
country.
A Fierce Riot.
The ~fiercest riot of the day occurred
Mt Sixth and Vine streets. The moo
reached almost to MarKe. street. two
blocks below. 1t e~ntrenched itself
along the sidewalks and bom5arded
every ear which attempted TO run the
gauntlet. Supt. Linden, with a treat
force of police finally succeeded in
dispensing the crowds after sixteen
arrests had beeA made. At Sixth and
Market streets 4 veritabIe pdnde-
monium broke loose as the first two
cars reached thai point. IL an in
slant every window was smssred and
n fusilade of dinner kettles. FIRE buck
cts. blocks of wood poured from the
upper floors Of business houses on
either side. Motormen aud conductors
fed for their lives. Later in the day
another violent scene was witnessed
at Eighth and Market streets. a
West Philadelphia car made its APP
~pearance. Motornan, conductor and
the few passengers inside were Or
dered TO leave, and after the fender
had been ripped from It's attachments
and the same general work Of destruc-
ton perpetrated the car was upset at
| the intersection of two lines of track.
| This blockade was not raised for two
hours. Similar cen occurred on the
northwestern section, and all through
the city less destructive attempts
were made to prevent the running OF
| the cars.
Women Are playing a prominent part
in the strike. One of the EARNEST ad-
herents Of the striker Is Mrs. lew
ard, who has dore much toward or
ganizing the men and w.nElag over
| new recruits. The Women's Health
Protective association adopted resolu-
| tons of sympathy for the men. Apart
from these facts, women congregated
in large groups about many Of the
car stations and did not for a moment
allow the agitation to siamber. All
over the town many women succeeded
In inducing motprmen TO leave their
cars in the streets. In fact, many OF
the women were far more bitter
| against those who remained Mt work
than were the strikers themselves.
Philadelphia, Dec. %. Ta-day's
| events were a continuation hose OF
| yesterday, for pe.ther the strike lead
ers, the Tractiou ciiciais, nor the
mayor and the o:her heads OF depart
ments sought their homes unuii late.
AT every pfincipoi point in the city
detEehments OF armed police were
concentrated ard scattered along the
more frequent thoroughfares were
blue coats in plenty. 1t vas apparent
that the mob realized the condition Of
affairs, and there was practically no
attempt 10 resume yesterdays rioting
except one OF two instances in the
outlying sections. Following an order
from Director BiettIer any gathering
consisting Of more than five persons
was instantly dispersed. Several
~peacaable but curious citizens resent
ed this and were promptly arrested.
Throughout the day attempts to
i keep several of the Hines in met!nn
were made, but In every instance the
crawling car bore more policemen
than passengers. This attracted from
the crowds more derision than vio-
lence. On the Market street line the