New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-13
STRIKERS USE VIOLENCE.
SERIOUS TROUBLE AT THE STATEN ISL
AND ELECTRIC COMPANY's PLANT
PREDICTIONS OF THB STRIKING ENGINEERS AND
FIREMEN COME TRrE-THE COMPANY OFFERS
TO TAKE THE OLD HANDS BACK. But


FIREMEN COME rRrE-THE COMPANY OFFERS
TO TAKE THE OLD HANDS BACK. But
THE TERMS ARE NOT ACCEPTED.
The Staten Island Electric Company yesterday
paid off the engineers and fremen who went out on
! strike on Tuesday. causing the almost complete
/ suspension Of the power house and leaving the
/ island practically in darkness new force OF
/ nremen and engineers Immediately secured
from Manhattan TO take tho places Of the employees
/ who had been discharged and the company
| nounced that It would continue its service without
| further interruption.
! The discharged men remained near the works
saying that they were still strike, and that the
green hands running the plant would be swamped
when the night business began. The company
laughed at this. but as the night advanced the
words Of the strikers came true. and the company
was In as bad position by 10 o'clock as ever. ex-
| cept that II had the troley-cars running.
| The street and commercial lights were turned on
at the proper time. and all went well for couple
Of hours Then residents all over the island
noticed that the lights grew dim This lasted for
time. and then circuit after circuit OF the street
and commercial lights began to out. and by
O'Clock the greater part Of the island was in dark
moss. and the company admitted that II had little
show Of getting the lights going again. BY II
o'clock the only work being done by the company
was to generate enough power to keep the cars
from stopping and to the North Shore com
Hlerclal circuit. Nlne-tentnS OF the DorOugn WAS
without power and the outlook. instead of mprov-
inG. growing gravcr. What the strikers
claimed would happen had occurred The green
hands could not hold steam in the boilers. Late
! in the evening some OF the boilers were cold. and
the power house silent, with the exception Of
tho engine and dynamo generating the trolley
power. and from this a little surplus being
diverted 10 the North Shore commercial circuit.
TROLLEY-CAR MEN JOIN THE UNION.
The strikers in high gee The men who
took their places were competent to run almost
boilers electric plant, but they said that the
elaborateness Of the Livingston plant would stump
them one Of the green hands seen near the plant
said they kept whitehead fires under the boilers.
but they would not make steam. and 1t seemed
that the more fire there was under them the colder
the water grew. The strikers .aughed over this
and said 1t was no more than was to he expected.
There IS every probability that the whole electric
system OF the company will be tied up by noon to-
day Men from Manhattan and Brooklyn worked
hard all day Yesterday enrolling the motormen and
| conductors into the union and with such success
ina last night IT. was snat unless bs me
work the generation of power would he useless. as
For a little while Yesterday morning there was
every, prospect Of the Midland trolley lines shut
into the staten Island system and enabled the
company to run some cars. Early Yesterday morn
pany gave that company the choice Of cutting the
connection which fed the Staten Island company's
wires. or having the fires under its own boilers
drawn The Midland promptly cut the connection
This stalled the Staten Island Gompanys cars TOR
cult intended for commercial purposes during the
day and the cars were run.
The Staten Island company last night offered to
the old men back at twelve hours work sf FOR
hours at 81 or twelve hours at Increased wages.
At midnight the outlook for street lighting for sew
eral nights was poor.
MEN GET FIGHTING DRUNK.
With the pay they had received many Of the
strikers became drunk In the evening About 1890
o'clock they showed the first signs OF violence. The
Staten Island company and operates n small
reserve plant at Elm Park This plant an
independent one formerly used to light Port Rich
mond. Recently the company has been using II
to light Elm Park, Mariners Harbor and Bulls
Head. II was not affected by the strike, and its
power was used for a part OF the North Shore
mercal circuits as well the district 1t usually
supplied.
The strikers learned Of this. and about 1870
o'clock twenty OF them entered the plant. In john
ST. Elm Park Thomas Thompson was In charge
AS engineer Only fireman is employed at
time in the little plant. He was John O Brien The
strikers demanded that Thompson and O Bren shut
down and join them Thompson refused, and
o Brien declared his intention Of sticking by his
engineer
Thompson He knocked down and kicked
despite the fact that he had to face the strikers,
many OF whom we're fighting drunk.
chief for the strikers conented themselves with
dragging him from the plant and making him
prisoner outside. MeanWnle thompson WAS pedteH
into insens bity.
While no was unconscious and ,oBrien was
prisoner the strikers drew the fires under the
boiler They had shut down the plant, when their
pickets announced that pla oon OF police. under
Sergeant Edward Fulton. was approaching. All
fled leaving the work uncompleted.
The policemen found Thompson lying upon the
floor unconscious and bleeding from number or
wounds II was feared his skull had been tract
ured but he was revived. and insisted resumng
his duties despite the wish Of the police 10 send
him to the s. r Smith Infrmary. OBrien reached
the boilers in time to throw the still burning Goals
back into the fire boxes and by the aid Of wood
keep the steam from falling until his fires were
going again.
A CALL FOR AID FROM MANHATTAN,
Meanwhile the police reserves from all parts OF
the island we're rushed 10 the Livingston plant.
lest the strikers should attempt violence there.
The situation at midnight warranted the calling
made tina. sufficient men would be at once sent TO
Staten Island from precincts in Manhattan TO pro
tect the property. The police of the EIGHTEEN Pre-,
cinct also fear a large number or nurglarles ana
highway robberies 6 a result OF dark streets,
No arrests had been made up TO a late nour
O'Bripn and Thompson are expected to be able 10
identify their assailants. ,, -,
The moro conservative strikers deplored the
trouble as they realized that 1t weakened them.
The conductors and motormen were undecideo at
midnight what action to take to-day
RFPTBLICAV CONGRESS CONTENTIOUS.