Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-07-15
0BEYED ORDERS.
Strikers Stop All Work on the
Wachusett Dam.
Just 80 Of Them Compel $50 Men to
Cease Operations.
They Enforce Their Orders at the
Points of Revolvers.

Clinton, Mass, July IA body Of
determined striking stone masons en-
ployed at the Wachusett dam of the
Metropolitan water system, every one
of them armed with a revolver made
tour of the district in which they
We're employed, this forenoon, threat
ening to shoot the Workmen unless they
stopped labor and within two hours
had forced $50 men to lay down their
tools. This completely tied up work on
the dam. There was, however, only one
instance of actual violence, and this
took the form of throwing one work
man into the Nashua river because he
was slow in Obeying the summons to
cease work. This man was rescued.
That the strikers We're able to so eff
fectually put an end to the progress of
work was, it is said, due largely to the
Inadequate police force. The strikers
to the number of 80, assembled at the
dam; every man carried a revolver and
made no attempt to conceal the weap-
ons. The men marched to the base of
the viaduct on the line of the Massachu-
sets Central Railway and Immediately
ordered so men employed there in rip
rapping to stop work. Threats were
made that unless they did so at once
they would be shot. All the men, eX-
cept one, promptly threw down their
tools and moved away and the man
who hesitated was picked up bodily by
two of the strikers and thrown into the
river, Companions assisted him out of
the water.
The strikers reformed, then, and
marched to the quarry, on the way
driving out all the men at work along
the line, including those on the private
railways operated by the contractors
At the quarry, the strikers swarmed
over the place, pointed their revolvers
at the WOrkmen and ordered all to putt
The summons was speedily obeyed. II
ten minutes suspension was complete
At this point, some of the Quarrymer
joined the ranks of the strikers, and re-
turned with them to the dam.
During all this time only three police
men had been encountered, and these
were unable to check the strikers
Later, in spite of the fact that the po-
lice force had been increased to 10, the
strikers crossed the dam on the mason
~ to the west side of the Nashua river
where tncY stopped dnOtnef gang, VINO
were getting out stone for the rip rap
ping. After that the strikers divided
into several small parties, and some OF
them proceeded to stop all workmen
laboring on the north dixie.
Shortly after o'clock, the cessation
Of operations in the district, was com
plcte. None of the strikers We're arrest
ed. One of them was chased into the
bush, but he escaped, dropping his re-
volver on the way. 1t was found to be
fully loaded.
About half the usual force of laborers
appeared, tonight, to go to work on the
night shift. as customary. The contrac-
tors decided that in view of possible
trouble and the inability to fully protect
its men no work would be done. Special
officers will be on hand, tomorrow, to as
sist the regular force to maintain order.
and work will be begun. Some strikers
said. tonight, that they intend to prevent
work in the morning. Others said that
they would not go near the place, not
even at 10 o'clock to draw their pay