The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1895-12-21
Philadelphia Systems Tied Up by
Great Strike.
THE PUBLIC Is IN SYMPA1HY
Gangs OF Hoodlums Have Stoned All
Workmen on branch Lines, and
Crisis Is at Hand.

Philadelphia, Dec. 17.-Philadelphia is
all but at the mercy of gang of hood
lums, and the traction strike is not yet
"a hours old. Tonight not a street car
OF the Union company is running. From
early morning until dusk. as each
branch line made desperate efforts to
start, bowling mobs surrounded each
car, stoned and hooted motormen and
conductors, smashed windows, cut troll
ley ropes and wreaked all possible de-
struction until the attempt was aban-
doned.
Five hundred extra policemen were
sworn in tonight and these with the reg
ular force of 2100 will make an attempt
to quell the rioters tomorrow The sit
uation is the gravest that the city has
ever been called upon to encounter. To-
night staff officers of the National
Guard of Pennsylvania are in their ar
mories, armed in case of need. Three
proclamations were issued by Mayor
Warwick this afternoon. In the first he
appealed to all good citizens to assist in
maintaining order. Secondly, he or
dered the summary closing of all the
saloons, and, thirdly, asked all women
and children to stay at home.
The strikers are firm and determined
to fight to the bitter end. Over 100 ar
rests were made today and nearly all
the prisoners are held for hearings to-
morrow. One youth, not a striker, was
held in $4,000 bail for cutting a rope on
a mail car. He will be a government
prisoner. Large details of police are on
duty at every car stable and points
along the principal thoroughfares. Not
only riding but walking was next to
impossible on Chestnut street today.
The whole population seemed to be on
this and neighboring thoroughfares in
the way peculiar to the public and
seemed to enjoy the excitement.
SYMPATHIZE WITH STRIKERS.
The great strike of the Motormen and
Conductors Traction Union began
early this morning. The sentiment of
the public is clearly with the strikers
The companies employ about 5000 men.
Two-thirds Of them are members of the
employees association. The demand of
the men is for a working day of 10 hours,
with 81 a day, reasonable time for
meals protection from weather and
recognition of their organization At II
o'clock street railway traffic all over the
city, with the exception of few lines,
was dl a SldnuSIlll. Inc enUlre ponce
force was busy suppressing minor out
breaks of violence. Men are locked up
at every station. Despite the efforts Of
the strike managers to preserve order
there has been much violence, although
none of a serious nature. At Cumber-
land and Amber streets about 100 wo-
men plugged switches. The conductors
tried to reopen the switches, but We're
driven away by women. Scores of men
have been arrested for cutting trolley
wires
The most serious disturbance today
occurred shortly before . o'clock on
Chestnut street. between Eight and
Fifteenth, the busiest part of the city
Conductors and motormen were driven
from the cars and the cars wrecked.
Most of the destructive work is being
perpetrated by the hoodlum element
and the strike sympathizers. AS a rule
the strikers themselves are carefully
observing Leader Mahones injunction
to observe order. Sympathy for the
strikers is intense and there was much
fear for tonight's development. The
mayor issued a proclamation calling on
all citizens to observe the peace and
warning them not to collect in crowds,
saying force will be met with force and
peace preserved at all hazards.