The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-06-14
PAW TUCKET QUIET
DURING THE NIGHT.

closed at o'clock.
COMPANY TO GET PROTECTION.
Mayor Fitzgerald, after having issued
his proclamation to the public. sent "a
communication to General Manager
Potter of the Union Railroad company:
Pawtucket. r. l., June 13. 1902
To Albert T. Potter, General Manager
of the Union Railroad Company:
Dear Sir-I wish TO assure you that,
the deputy sherffs having been with
drawn from the cars, the police depart
ment OF this city assumes the respon-
sibility for maintaining order and pro-
tecting property and to assure you that
II your cars are properly conducted
through the streets, by capa BILE men. there
will be no interference herewith Re-
spectfully,
(signcd) JOHN ]. FITZGERALD.
Mayor.
MR. PERRY SPEAKS.
When called upon by News represen-
tative and queried as to the attitude OF
the United Traction company Marsdep J.
Perry said:
No fair minded person can interpret our
request for the interference OF the state
authorities In Pawtucket to any desire
TO irr.tate or insult the people OF that
city or It's city council AS 10 its mayor,
any attempt 10 protect life and property
from the attacks OF the dsorderly ele-
ment which exists I'm Pawtucket as in
any other city, appears to strike him
an insult. He 10 the avowed champion
and spokesman Of that element. and evil
IDENTIFY enjoys the distinction. Ills name
is enthusiastically cheered whenever they
assemble, and IL he has omitted any op-
portunfty during his incumbency OF the
office OF mayor TO exert his authority
over the police OF Pawtucket so as TO
give this element full swing whenever II
has been engaged In an endeavor to pre-
vent men who were willing to work from
doing 80 the occasion has escaped my OBJ
servation.
INSTANCE RATHER INDEFINITE
A few years ago. when a strike was in
progress at one OF the large manufacture
ing establishments In Pawtucket. he not
only refused to exercise his authority to
protect from assault and abuse men and
women who were willing to work and
who were trying to work In the mills
but he even went so far as to remove
from their positions officers who under
took TO give such protection. Then. as
now. the owners OF property In Pawtucket
were compelled to go TO the sheriff of
Providence county for protection. And
the strike ended when that protection
was given. This the mayor perfectly un-
pathy to deputy sheriffs
The circumstances under which appli-
cation was made by the United Traction
ana Electric company for detail OF dep
uty sheriffs to protect its property in
tho city or Pawtucket are substantially
as follows: The company received inform
alton which led IL TO believe that there
was likely to be a strike on it's lines. Hav-
Ing full knowledge of the turbulence
which had attended strikes of the en-
ployes of other companies In the city OF
Pawtucket, the company felt that police
protection for It's property. the persons
OF Its employees and OF the people using
Its cars was necessary.
ASKED CHIEFS ASSISTANCE.
1t called upon the chief OF police for
such protection, and he promptly station
ed an officer at the companys car house
This officer was within a very few hours
removed by order of the mayor OF the
city. The company began the operation OF
It's cars and found. as IL had feared that
the lawless element I'm the community
was determined to drive It's employees OF
the streets. Demonstrations OF every de-
scripuon, including the application OF
vile epithets, threats, the hurling OF mis-
siles at the cars and the deliberate OBJ
struction OF tracks, were resorted TO for
this purpose.
the chief of police and again asked for
protection for It's employees. It's cars and
the people who might wish to ride I'm
them. The chief OF police replied that
he could not furnish such protection, as
the mayor would not permit IL. The
mayors reasons for not permitting II
were given In letter addressed by him
to the public. In brief. these reasons
were that the people who were conduct
ING the strike deserved encouragement
from the public; that there had been only
one or two noisy demonstrations by en-
thusiastic people. that whatever disuir-
Dances had occurred had been the work
OF small boys, and that the placing OF
police on the cars would irritate the peo-
pie.
The correctness OF the first OF these
reasons may fairly be said to be a mat
ter Of opinion. but the rest OF them
were utterly devoid OF truth. There had
been moro than 20 distinct attacks upon
the property OF this company and the
persons OF its employees within the city
OF Pawtucket since the strike began.
No protection from these attacks had
been afforded by the police. The com
Tany had persisted I'm Its attempts to
run its cars until one OF them was dis
aoled and left In the streets, surround
ed by bowling mob and by all manner
Of distractions, and all the others were
driven into the barn. Then Il called up-
on the sheriff of Providence county for
the protection TO which n IL entitled by
law, and which the mayor OF the city OF
Pawtucket had absolutely forbidden its
police Go AFFORD.
The truth about tho present situation
Is simply this: Certain people from
Michigan, who earn a livelihood by fol-
lowing the profession Of strike organizers
have been engaged for months In stirring
up discomfort among the employees
OF the United Traction and Elec-
trio company; these people have
endeayored TO coerce the company
20 accede TO certain demands as one
means of this coercion. and as a princi-
pal means, they have relied upon In