Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1895-12-20
Philadelphia Street Car Lines
Are lied Up by a
Strike.
Considerable Violence in Spite
of thu Efforts of the
Leaders.
An Angry Crowd Smashes Car
Windows Strikers Have
Public Sympathy.

strike Of motormen and conductors of
the Union Traction company began
early this morning, and all lines Of the
company are practically tied up Pres
ident Welsh says hundreds of men are
applying for mork, and he asserts that
nearly all the cars will be running by
noon. Cars are running with more or
less frequency on Chestnut street, but
not enough to accommodate the people
who usually ride, Beyond hooting and
jeering at the men. the cutting Of a
trolley rope ane placing boxes and bar
rels filled with ashes on ihe tracks, no
serious disorder has occurred.
Have Sympthy of the Public.
Several cars We're derailed The SYM
pathy Of the public is clearly with the
strikers. The company employs about
5000 men. two-th;rds of them members
Of the Employees association. The de.
mand of the men is for working day
of ten hours, with - pay, reasonable
time for meals, protection from the
weather and recognition of their organ.
ization.
At 10 o'clock street railway traffic all
over the city, with the exception of a
few lines, is at standstill. The entire
police force is on duty and very busy
suppressing minor outbreaks of vio-
lence.
Men are locked up at every station
house, and more are being brought in
constantly.
There Is Some Violence.
Despite the efforts of the strike lead
ers to preserve order, there has been
much violence, though none Of a Sc
rious nature.
At Sixth and Market streets, in the
hsart of the city, somebody threw a
brick through a car. and the conductor
and motorman fled for their lives. The
crowd then broke every window in
that car anc the one which followed it.
A detachment of police surrounded the
cars and prevented further damage.
Smashed Il Few Windows.
The most serious disturbances of the
day occurred shortly before 2 o'clock on
Chestnut street, between Eighth and
Fifteenth, the busiest part of the city.
The conductors and mo tormen of two
cars were induced to leave their posts.
The crowd broke the windows in these
cars, and when they saw cars coming
down Chestnut, they started with a
yell for them. The nlotormen and con.
ductors, seeing the angry crowd, fed
up Chestnut street. The mob attacked
and wrecked the cars, A group Of re-
serve policemen gathered but they were
practically powerless.
Inside a half hour there were about
two cars to the block on Chestnut
street from Eighth to Fifteenth, each
surrounded by a bowling mob.
What the Strikers Want,
The conductors and motormen who
are out are waging war for an in
crease Of wages, shorter hours and the
privilege Of belonging to the Amalga.
mated Association Of Street Railway
Employees. Dissatisfaction has been
growing for a long time, but reached a
high pitch Immediately after the recent
consolidation Of all the local lines into
one company. Then action was pre-.
.cipitated by the numerous discharges
from the company $ service Of men be-
longing to the Amalgamated associa-
tion. Many conferences have been
sought BY the various committees rep.
resenting the railway men, but all have
been rejected by President Welsh and
the company S board Of directors.
General Strike Decided On.
At 5 meeting held Monday morning
q committee Of one was appointed to
convey an ultimatum to President
Welsh. He returned with the informa-
ton, given by the president himself,
that there would be no answer, and
that no person connected with any la
Dor rganization would be recognized.
The sentiment Of the motormen and
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