Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-12-18
RIOTERS SUPREME,
Philadelphia in the Hands Of a
Howling Mob.
FIRST RESULT OF THE BIG STRIKE,

Police Utterly Powsriess to Quell the Tur-
balence. Which h . Revel Of Joy to the
Hoodlum Elements y strfkers Then.
Scenes ON the Street Car Llnes-M>voe
Determined to sappress Violence.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 1s.-Philadelphia
Is all but at the mercy Of a gang Of hood.
lums, and the traction strike Is not vet
forty-eight hours old. Last night not a
street car Of the Union Traction company
was running. and that company
controls every line in the city, with the ex.
ception Of two comparatively short cross
town lines. The police were absolutely
unable to control the mob violence. From
early morning until dusk, as each branch
line made desperate efforts to start, howl.
ing mobs surrounded each Car, stoned and
hootcd the motorman and conductor,
smashed the windows, cut the trolley
ropes. and wreaked all possible destruc-
ton. Then the attempt was abandoned.
Strikers Took Little Part.
The strikers took little, if any, part in
the work of destruction. This was in the
hands of the inevitable rowdy element.
Many persons were feinjured by flying mis-.
siles and there is fear that when complete
reports have been received they will in
clude fatalities, and thousands of dollars
worth Of valuable property was destroyed.
Compared to the events of the day the
streets last night were quiet, although
filled with surging crowds.
Stern Measures To he Adopted
Five hundred extra policemen werc
sworn in by Mayor Warwick last night,
and these, with the regular force of ., 100,
will make an attempt to quell the rioters
today. They have orders from Mayor
Warwick to carry their batons unsheathed.
Should this fail the governor will be asked
to order out the militia. The city's execu.
tive declared last night in unmistakable
terms that the strike is no longer contest
between railway company and its em.
ployes. but a battle between the city and
violence, and the city will win if it takes
the United States army.
Situation L. Very Grave.
The situation is the gravest the city has
ever been called upon to encounter Last
night the staff officers OF, the National
Guard Of Pennsylvania were in their
armories. uniformed and armed in case Of
need. Three proclamations were issued
by Mayor Warwick asking the citizens to
assist in maintaining order by not gath
ering in crowds, ordering the closing of
the saloons and asking women and child
rem to keep off the streets Both sides to
the labor contrOversity are firm, the strik-
ers having almost universal sym pathy.
The Offices of the mayor and director Of
public safety were besieged all day oy
prominent citizens seeking an end to tho
battle. ,-4-
Mob Around the Car Stabi %. "a
John LOwber Welsh, president of the
Union Traction company, was in and out
OF the mayors office from early morning
until late at night. At 10 p. m. he hustled
in to tell the mayor that the mob sur.
rounding the car stables at Eighth and
Dauphin streets, where the main offices Of
the company are situated, was increasing
and threatened violence. Additional de-
tails of police were promptly dispatched
to the scene.
Mob Attacks . Railway President.
j. j. Sullivan, president of the Electric
Traction, one of the branch lines, was
recognized by a mob at Fourth and Mar.
ket streets, and the clothes were almost
torn from his back before policemen res
cued him.