The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-11-12
Union Employees Of Chicago City
Railway Quit Work.
Not a Passenger Car Able to
Reach It's Destination.
OBSTRUCT THE TRACK.
Trucks and Delivery Wagons
Gather in Masses.
Police Are Ordered Not to Take
Sides in Trouble.

morning the long expected and often
deferred struggle between the union
employees of the Chicago City railway
and the company began, and when the
residents of the south and southwest
sides Of the city started for their places
of business they were without their
usual transportation facilities. Begin
ming at midnight the trainmen gradual
ly took their cars to the seven barns of
the company scattered throughout the
system and left them there. In the
shops, barns and power houses the
union workers laid down their tools and
quit, declaring that they will remain
idle until the company consents to arbi-
trate the issue that brought on the
controversy.
Notwithstanding statements by Off
cials of the company that no attempt
would be made to run cars today ex-
cept for postal service, a few passenger
cars were started this morning early on
various lines. The result was trouble
almost instantly, the first instance re-
ported being the intimidation and flight
of non-union crew on the Cottage
Grove avenue line. The cars were with
out passengers. That distur bance
might be expected today was indicated
by the wide distribution of a prOclama-
citizens to keep off the streets along the
lines of the city railway. With general
orders to remain in reserve and take
no part in the strike unless ordered and
then only to protect property, details of
police were sent to the various car
barns. The first car started was a mail
car, leaving the barns at Thirty-ninth
street and Cottage Grove avenue. 1t
was not harmed during its entire trip.
In all 205 policemen were detailed to the
different car barns.
Following the trip of the mail cars
efforts were made by the street car
company to move passenger cars with
non-union crews. Four trains were
started on the Cottage Grove avenue
cable line bound towards the business
district. At Fortieth street an obStruc-
ton upon the rails blocked the trains
A crowd OF strikers had assent mbled and
shouts and jeers greeted the train
crews. shower of stones followed,
and car windows were demolished. One
man, non-union conductor, is said to
have been injured in the first clash.
A mail car following the first pas
senger train was also derailed near
the scene of the blockade. Besides the
police detailed for service at the sew
eral barns, as many more were quick
" made available to respond to emerg-
encv calls
A car on the Wentworth avenue line
proceeded north with little difficulty
until Van Buren street was reached.
There its progress was blocked by
trucks and delivery wagons which
~athered by the score locked wheels
Union Traction company also helped
to make the blockade complete Thou
sands of pedestrians on their way to
work massed in the street adding to
the confusion and hampering the po-
lice in their efforts to clear a way for
the stranded car.
Another cable train was derailed at
Forty-seventh street on the Cottage
line 6xr1 i
sympa thizers. A horseshoe was Wedged
in the cable slot and brought the train
to standStill. The gripman was in
jured by the shock and was removed
attend him is said to have inquired if
he had a union button. On receiving
a negative reply he said: Take him
to the barns; they will attend to him
there," and refused to examine the
gripmans injuries.
1t soon became apparent that a de-
termined effort was being made by the
company to break the strike at the
Cottage Grove and Wentworth lines
came along quickly as soon as mail
cars were safely out of sight. No po-
licemen rode in the cars, which were
parently preferred to walk or make
long detours to steam and elevated
lines rather than risk injury.
The first passenger car on the Went
Strikers say that the women were put
there by the street car company to
test the attitude Of the union toward
passengers. This was the car which
was promptly blockaded by team
The strike was ordered at an early
morning mass meeting of conductors
motormen and gripmen, which acted
with only four dissenting votes. The
strike is to enforce a demand for a
wage increase of 25 per cent. and rec
ognition of the union. About 5000 en-
ployes are involved and. 220 miles of
surface trackage, part cable and part
electric.
Officials of the union fearing inter
ference with the operation of the U. s
mail service would result in calling in
of troops from Fort Sheridan to pro-
tect the cars. instructed motormen on
mail cars to report for duty as usual
Union men who reported at the va
rious barns to take out the mail cars
were told by the barn bosses. it is said.
that they must take off their union
buttons if they intended to work. This
number of the men refused to do
At the barn 8 Thirty-ninth and State
streets. the strikers distributed buttons
TO would be passengers bearing a pic
ture of a street car and the legend:
stand for principle. viii walk
The railway company refused the SER
vices of union crew for a mail car
sent out on Sixty-third street The un-
ION crew reported Tor NoEk ana were
told by the barn boss that they were
not needed. The car was manned by a
uonunion crew and the strikers said that
the company had played one of its
strongest cards for federal interference
The mail car that was stopped by the
blockade in Cottage Grove avenue was
manned by union men
The union men asserted that public
sympathy was with them and pointed to
the use of vehicles as evidence that
CrrzfpY1Tf077S were ff-f1A Two ar477i-
bus onpanies had scores of buses bnsi-
n, ssar, cre,.-