The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-01-16
First Efforts to Run Cars
in Brooklyn Brings
Danger of Riot.
FIERCE STONE THROWING
Mobs Melt Before Police Charges
collisions Caused by
Green Hands.

For the first time since the struggle
began, the strikers made open threats
that they would kill anybody who tried
to take their places. Moreover, reports
came to the police that many of the
strikers were arming themselves
Before the police went out on duty to-
day, by order of Superintendent Camp
bell. every man of them had to offer his
revolver for inspection. When they were
mustered out for duty, every police
man was armed with a nightstick, his
revolver and several extra rounds of
ammunition. The police expect the trou-
BILE to begin about noon.
The announcement of the companies
that they would this morning start cars
from all their barns, complicated the
situation seriously for the police 1t
not only made it necessary to divide the
availing force, but also required that
part of the men be detained to ride on
and protect cars en- route This neces-
sariIy, Superintendent Campbell said, this
morning, materially weakened the pro
lection he could give to new employees.
The strikers made their threats so
loudly this morning and so determined
ly, and began to mass in places so sys-
cred away a great many men who had
promised to take their places. This was
a blow to the companies that they had
not figured on.
AS early as 7:45 o'clock a message
came to Police Superintendent Campbell
that the strikers at the Flatbush Avenue
Station of the Brooklyn Heights Rail-
way Company were preparing for fight.
1t came from Inspector McKelvey, who
also said that the policemen in his com
mand there were greatly outnumbered
and were unable to cope with the unruly
crowds.
The strikers at that hour were gather
ing about two points-in the neighbor-
hood of the car barns and also on the
reservoir bluffs, where they had trouble
yesterday with the police three different
times.
Inspector McKelvey also reported that
another body of 200 strikers, all in an
ugly mood, were moving along F'latbush
avenue in the direction of the bluff.
Police Superintendent Campbell at once
ordered ten additional men to rein
force Inspector McKelvey. A squad of
men from the mounted force also went
to his aid. These strikers were very
threatening. They were enraged be-
cause the company had succeeded in
slipping out three cars this morning be-
bore they (the strilzers) had got around.
The strikers have now a regular sys-
tenn Of picketing, and keep the depots
under surveillance day and night. These
three cars got out unmolested, but the
strikers declared that the next one
would be met with a cyclone.
While these strikers were gathering,
others had already massed themselves
and were ready for action across from
the Fifty-eighth street car stables, which
are also of the Heights. Railway line.
They had been on guard there since
'dayl ght. Their headquarters We're at the
Pecuod Club. but it was too small to
accommodate all. The saloons and shops
put out their pickets at three O'Clock
his morning. They had had spies out
al night.
These men heard that the company
vas preparing to surprise them by run
ming cars out from Fifty-eighth street
That was what they were there to pre-
vent. They said they We're ready to
handle both police and non-union men.
They We're keeping sharp watch for
men who came to take their places.
They had shut off every approach to the
depot, and every man who came within
one block of it had to stop and explain
his business. When the strikers doubt
ed pedestrians were occasionally COM
oelled to show the letters in their pock-
cts to prove their calling.
In anticipation of trouble at the At
lantic Company's barns at Twenty-third
street and Fifth avenue at nine o'clock
two platoons of policemen were placed
there. A number of reserves were also
held at tn eighteenth precinct station.
II was said there that an attempt might
be made to run cars out of tkS stable
at Twentieth street and Nip ) avenue.
Strikers, at that hour, hS = Ss5egun to
gather there and were making threats
of personal violence to anyone who
should try to start a car.
Biasterworkman John ]. Harrington
who is in charge of some of the strikers
at Flatbush was arrested there this
morning. He was charged by Frank
Sweatbread, an electrician, with having
toned the Brooklyn Heights Railway
sonpanys repair wagon.
At $50 O'Clock this morning two of
Tie cars that the brooklyn Heights Com
3any had slipped out on the F'latbush
tine, came back. A crowd of one hun
ired strikers met the cars and stopped
them The police, under command of
Inspector McKelvey, charged them and
he strikers retreated. No arrests We're
made.
he Brooklyn City Company managed
o get 90 cars running on Court street
his morning. The cars were running, 50
he officials of the company said, on
chedule time. with two minutes head
vay. They were all guarded by two po-
lcemen, one n front and one in the
ear. The police, who have been on
iuty on t!se cars for the past three days,
re now becoming little scafed They
ay that they have TO contend with the
worst crowd of strikers there is in the
ity The cars run through South Brook
yn and the police say that wnen they
each Hamilton avenue they are in dam
Ser of their lives.
All along Hamilton avenue crowds of
trikers ana their friends congregate,
and when a car passes they hurl all
Sinds of remarks at the police and motor
men and occasionally a BRICK comes
crashing at the car. Several of the
policemen have narrowly escaped being
hit with the missiles.
The officials do not want to and will