The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-28
Strikers Disclaim Any Responsibility
Ia or For the Disorder.
THE POLICE FORCE WAS INADEQUATE
To Meet the EmcrRency--Thc Mayor
Calls Upon the citizens 10 Help
Him Preserve Law md order.

Yesterday was a day that will long be
1 remembered in the history OF Houston.
The exciting scenes upon Main street in
I the afternoon, when disorder prevailed 10
! such an extent that the mayor felt called
! upon to call out the militia, created an
excitement that rendered It an eventful
Sunday afternoon.
The cause Of the trouble grew out OF
the street car strike that has been on for
the past Two weeks.
& Under all the preceding circumstances
+, with the sentiment worked UP TO the pitch
that ii was, the day was not at all pro-
{. pitious for attempting to run the cars. with
I so many idle men upon the street, but
Manager MacCrcgor, having made the
4 start TO run cars on Saturday afternoon
determined that 1t would not be good
G policy to show any weakening in his dec
alaraticn that the cars would continue to
B run, and in pursuance Of this idea he start
l cd out three cars in the morning to run
on the Auditorium belt
These cars were run with the new men
and continued to run without any moes-
! tation or trouble until about $50 o'clock
In the afternoon.
About this hour crowd began to as
semble at the corner of Travis street and
Preston avenue. As time passed and with
each recurring passage of tho cars around
the Travis and Main street belt, this crowd
became more excited and dcmonstrativc,
giving evidence that trouble was brewing.
In the meantime. encouraged by the sue
cess with which he had met In running
tho cars without trouble during the fore
noon, Mr.. MacGregor, who bad gone home.
thinking everything was qulel, ordered by
telephone that more cars be put out but
Superintendent Ellis, who was on the |
ground, and saw the impending trouble, |
took 1t upon himself to couutcrmand the
order. and it WIS we'll he did so, as tho
three cars that were out had q sufficient
amount of trouble. ao
About this time the striking employees.
who had assembled at their headquarters,
fn Of Aust I'M, |
marched from there in a very quiet and
orderly manner down Franklin to Main
and ZIP Main around the Capitol Hotel
into Travis street passing down by the
Office of the street car company and to-
wards the crowd that had by this time
assembled at Travis and Preston.
II SO happened that just about the time
The strikers reached the assembled crowd
lne OF the cars came down Travis street.
tho strikers opened ranks to lot the car
Ass. The approach of the strikers In
creased the excitement of the crowd and
as TIE car passed them 1t was greeted with
yells jeers and threats and lust as the
,ar nassed pros,on av.n,o
'' W ''''
'.'01' y 10y" "uo appeared 10 be wei
armed, several Of them on the rear plat
sorm bearing clubs some one In the crowd
VINO stood near the car track fired pistol
within a few feet OF the rear dashboard.
This al course huf addod IA ~. nxat.. |
- ~ ~, eou'se ou' aauea 70 tho excite
!, ~, ~ men pu' one policeman
I ~ ~ ss. ~ p.aosf hel,s ness nut the
= rs p''o' p'o'sp' sergeant Kay
=. ~ y WV o'nsr oincefs' but as no
~ 80. $500 - SHOW VINO nfea the shot no
! I, -. ss"e /,
~ H. ss'u.ns 'ns' 'nls snot was simply
!. snsnns 49, w III ~ ,ue pis'o' was not aimed
! ~ - .0.ns 'a'o Inc ground