The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-12-18

line. Il ne cars
JOHN L wEIsH reached east of
Broad and between that point and Eighth
street about twelve cars were massed when
a crowd Of small boys began haunting the
motormen and conductors. Then stones
were thrown and in an instant almost the
twelve cars were made the subject of a
general attack. and forced pedestrians and
shoppers to take refuge in the stores. The
attnck was kept up for SO long that some
merchants were compelled to lower their
iron window shades for protection.
+ Meanwhile a detail Of policemen had
been summoned, and after hard work sue
ceeded in dispensing the mob, making
many arrests. During the disturbance
Reserve Policeman Keppler was very Sc
riously injured through being beaten and
stoned. The trouble was without ques-
tion tho fault OF small boys, urged and as
sisted by a gang of hoodfums.
Along Eighth street practically the same
condition Of affairs prevailed. The cars on
both thoroughfares were badly damaged
and every pane of glass was broken. The
men on the Chestnut street cars We're COM
PEELED to abandon them.
The police were absolutely unable to
control the mob. From early morning I'M
til dusk, as each branch line made desper-
heo tiiottn VIZ poulu, noNithS ihopS oui-
rounded each car, stoned and hooted the
motorman and conductor, smashed the
windows, cut the trolley ropes and wreaked
all possible destruction. The strikers took
little, II any part in the work OF destruo-
tion. This was in the hands of the incy-
liable rowdy element Many persons were
injured by flying missiles, and there Is fear
TINT when complete reports have been re-
ceIved they will include fatalities, and
thousands of dollars worth of valuable
property was destroyed.
The fiercest riot OF the day occurred at
Sixth and Vine streets, about noon. The
mob reached almost to Market street. 1t
entrenched itself along the sidewalks and
bombarded every car which attempted to
run the gauntlet Superintendent Lin
den, with a great force OF police, finally
succeeded in dispensing the crowds, after
sixteen arrests had been made. At Sixth
and Market a veritable pandemonium
broke loose as the first two cars reached
that point. l an instant every glass was
smashed, and a fusiiade of dinner kettles,
fro buckets and blocks of wood poured
from the upper floors of business houses
on either hand. Motormen and conductors
fled for their lives
Later in the day another violent scene
was witnessed at Eighth and Market. A
West Philadelphia car made its appear
ance. Motorman, conductor and the few
passengers were ordered to leave, and after
the fender had been ripped from its at
tachments, and the same general work of
destruction perpetrated, the car was upset
at the intersection of the two lines of
track. This blockade was not raised for
two hours. Similar scenes occurred in
tho northeastern section, and all through
tho city less destructive attempts were
made TO prevent the running Of the cars.
Three proclamations were issued by
Mayor Warwick yesterday afternoon.
First, he appealed to all good citizens to
assist the authorities in maintaining or
der, and to that end to refrain from gath
ering in crowds on the streets. Secondly,
he ordered the summary closing of all
liquor saloons, and thirdly, he asked all
women and children to stay at home.
Five hundred extra policemen were
sworn in by Mayor Warwick last night.
They have orders from the mayor to carry
their batons unsheathed Should this fail
the governor will be appealed to to order
out the militia, The city's executive de-
olared in unmistakable terms that the
strike is NO longer q contest between a
railway company and its employees, but
battle between the city and violence, and
the city will win, II 1t takes the United
States army.
Over hundred arrests were made dur
ing the day, and nearly all the prisoners
were held for u hearing. One young man,
not Il striker wns held In $1,000 bail for
cutting the rope on a mail car. The United
States commissioner will give him an ad-
ditional hearing.
President Mahon of the National Asso-
citation Of Street Railway Employees, made
a statement to the public in reference to
the disturbances. He denied that the
strikers were in any why to blame Ho
said the disorder and destruction to prop
erty was tho work of others not connected
with them. The committee decided also
TO again caution the men against violence.
The company, he said, was alone respon-
sible for the trouble by not listening to
their or the citizens committee. 1t is stated
that the traction company purposes hold
ing the city responsible for the damage to
their cars.
The war itself remains unchanged Tho
traction leaders refuse to listen to any
suggestion from the other side, and, In
deed no effort is being made In that direc-
tion. The strikers are firm and deter
mined to fight it to tho bitter end They
have almost universal sympathy-not only
from CONSERVATIVE citiSehsi VIM Wuiie ue-
precating violence, declare that the strik-
ers have right on their side-but from la
Dor unions throughout the country.
John Lowber Welsh, president of the
Union Traction company was in and out
tho offices from curly morning until late
at night At 10 o'clock last night he bus
tied in to tell the mayor that the mob sur
rounding the car stables at Eighth and
Dauphin streets threatened violence Extra
police were at once ssnt to the scene.