The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-10-26

lor, Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Hughes.
took stand at the path leading to the
washery and halted the fireman. who
ives bent on putting in days work
II have ten children" tsaid one of
the women, in reasoning with the fire.
| man, land my man isn't working. You
don't need to work any more than he
does"
The fireman agreed to quit, and after
pulling the fires, setting things to
rights about the engine room, took his
can and went home.
The strikers then formed in sets of
fours and proceeded to the National
and Meadow Brook collieries, just at
the southern end of the city, and in
duced the men to quit.
Quiet and Orderly.
Everything was carried on in quiet,
orderly manner. A committee from the
marchers approached the foreman in
each place and advised him that the
best thing he could do would be to close
down. The foremen lost no time in ac-
cepting and acting on the advice. The
narclfers also suggested that the
empty cars be taken out of the switch
and the proprietors. upon being COM
municated with, said they would have
this done.
Emboldened by their success. some OF
the crowd wanted to march on the
Bellevue washeres. The question was
debated pro and con for long time,
and finally it was decided to put it Off
till today. when it Is intended to muster
big crowd and "show the Bellevue
fellows how to close down the wash
cries. as one of them put it.
While the question OF marching on
Bellevue was being discussed, word Of
the design reached the Delaware, Lack
awanna and Western company's coal
offices and steps We're immediately
taken to prevent the marchers from
carrying out their design.
A telephone message was sent to
Chief of Police RObling that bother was
expected at Bellevue and advising that
he send men there to check 1t. The
chief dispatched Mounted Officer Joseph
Bloch and Patrolmen Fred Karius and
ID. j. Davis to the scene forthwith.
They We're instructed to take different
routes and to move along leisurely
when they reached Bellevue, so as to
avoid giving the impression that there
was occasion for anybody being en-
cited.
Big Crowd Gathered.
A crowd of fully a thousand men and
women from Bellevue and Dodgetown
were on the hill or culm bank on either
side of the washery, but respectful
distance away, watching for the COM
ing of the Minooka marchers. Officer
Bloch came down the railroad track on
an easy jog, scanning a slip of paper
and paying no more attention to what
might be going on around him than if
he was the only man in that whole Sec
tion of country.
The crowd sighted the officer and
began to be suspicious. Patrolman
Karius, about this same time. was
sighted coming across the field. The
crowd began to shift about and gradu-
ally edge away. Patrolman Davis
minute later was espied strolling down
Archibald street. This clinched it. The
crowd took it for granted that the
whole police force was out and that
they We're being surrounded. With
one impulse the crowd on either side
of the track broke and disappeared and
a half hour later when committee of
seven from the United Mine Workers
headquarters appeared with message
from Acting District President Burke
directing that the men disperse and
quit the company's property, there
wasn't a striker anywhere to be
found A similar committee, which
was sent to head off a rumored march
on the Hampton washery, returned