Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-06-17
MOB IN THE CAPITOL
Composed as Usual of the Best
Citizens" or Proteges
of the Same.
CENSUS OFFICE CLERKS IN A RIOT
TO Get Pay for Doing Nothing
Saturdays.

! Washington, June 11.-As a protest
| against an order issued week ago
| by Director Merriam, providing for the
payment OF the census bureau en-
ployes after p. M, instead OF during
office hours, as formerly. a disgraceful
stampede occurred in the department
| Saturday afternoon, in which one wo-
man was severely wounded about the
head, several others tainted. and an
! immense glass electric switchboard
was destroyed. Ever since the order
was posted in the census office great
dissatisfaction has prevailed among
the clerks. and many have been out
spoken in their denunciation. They
considered the order n curtaiIment of
their privileges. although II was issued
only because the clerks made Il prac-
teal holiday of every pay day.
Begins With n Wild Scramble.
In order to prevent confusion the
clerks were directed yesterday to form
ut the entrance on First street i'm col
umn of twoS and march to the main
entrance on Il street. through which
they were to approach the office of the
diSburSer. Instead of needing this
order. however. the entire office force,
numbering 1000 clerks. grabbed hats
through P.e doorway and windows on
the first troke of / o'clock. y scene
of conf don prevailed. When the
first batch of clerks reached the First
street entrance the doorway became
jammed and Il small riot enSued. Two
thousand frantic men and women
fought To get through the doorway, and
for a moment IL seemed some one
would be trampled upon and crushed.
Women were caught I'm the stream and
carried along helplesSly.
Began to Keep Tab on Them.
One elderly female clerk who was
unable TO eNtricate herself from the
thronS. trlpped and fell headlong down
the stairs. cutting an ugly cash in her
forehead. When the crowd reached
the Il street entrance Chief Clerk Ma
cauley and other officials attempted TO
stem the tide but were brushed aside
10y the excited employees. who rushed
up the steps TO the diSburser'S office.
Neither argument nor threat was of
avail. and Macauley WAS once more
rushed against the wall. While the
crowd surged by. The chief clerk then
drew pad from his pocket and COM
menced writing down the names of the
men lie could recognize In the melee.
sudden Darkness Ensues,
As soon as the excited clerks diScOv-
cred what he was about they crowded
around him. and some one reaching
over his shoulder snatched the pad
from his hand and tore il into pieces.
Macauley turned TO identify the Of
fender. but at that instant Il great
crash was heard, the electric lights
throughout the building We're eXtin-
suished. and simultaneously the re-
fans came to = sudden stop.
Ii was discovered later that some one |
had smashed the immense glass |
switchboard which controls the census
office electric service.
Not "SIIent. suIIen People,
At this iuncture the crowd began TO |
veil and the two officials retired dis |
rreetly TO their Offices. The uproar |
continued until = o'clock. when Il mat |
iorlty of the clerks went home to din |
ner. II will he difficult to identify the |
but Director Merriam will |
attempt to locate and punish them.