Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-06-26
THE RICHMOND STRIKE.

wore away at midnight, the hour the
cars stop running, and the crucial
period was passed without serious
trouble. There was some rioting yes
terday but the military acted promptly.
Two soldiers were wounded in an at
tack on cars in the West End. A sol
der on a car with a wounded man, was
shot in the thigh. The other militia
man was struck on the calf of the leg.
None of the wounds are serious. Two
men were arrested by the skirmishers
last night under suspicion. Their names
are not known. The motOrman wounded
was also shot last Wednesday. The COM
pany will not give his name, as they
believe he has been picked out as a spec
ial mark FOR strikers hate.
While the fire department was re-
spending to an alarm on Church Hill,
at Q o'clock last night, and cars were
stopped to give way to the fire appara-
tus, a crowd gathered and began riotous
actions. The military fired a yolley
over their heads and the crowd dispersed.
Several times during the night torpedoes
exploded along the rails, and in view OF
the orders to the soldiers yesterday after
noon "to shoot to kill" caused intense
excitement. In Fulton there was excite
ment early in the night, and an attempt
to obstruct the track with steal beam.
The military charged the crowd and
prevented any Others from forming. All
citizens were ordered of the streets,
Two companies ofinfantry and a detach-
ment with gatling guuis on duty there.
Five companies, under Major Martin,
are posted at Twenty-ninth and p streets,
for several days the storm center. Be
fore sundown he sent his men to every
house in that district, and repeated his
order to shoot to every family. They
we're warned to keep indoors at night
on their peril. 1t was eflectual. There
was no trouble during the night. A large
crowd assembled at Lombardy, street
where the shooting occurred Wednesday
night, but they were turned, and at the
first feint on the part of the soldiers to
fire they fed.
The cars ran the regular schedule on
all the main lines last night.
Chief of Police Howard assembled the
entire police force in the Hastings
Courtroom yesterday evening and gave
them severe talk. He declared that
it was notorious fact that the force had
not done its duty, and that any complaint
hereafter would be followed by instant
dismissal, and that he had the pledge OF
the police board to back him up. 1t is
an open secret that martial law was to
have been declared if last nights expe-
rience showed that the present arrange
ments were not adequate to prevent
bloodshed.
The display of lawlessness was kept up
all Wednesday night, and in Fulton,
where there were no troops stationed
after the cars were withdrawn, there was
great destruction Of property. The
street car tracks we're torn up in way
that could not have been done except by
men working in concert with improved
tools. The trolley wires were cut down
and switches broken. Other lines were
more or less damaged, and no cars ran
in the city until noon.
People awoke after an al most sleep
less night, amid silence that was puz-
cling and regarded as ominous. Few
knew the cause of Incorporation of the
cars and attributed it to fear of the in
surrectionary disposition of the MODS
which played so much havoc Wednesday
night and disregarded the law in the
face of even large military force.
While the repair wagons of the Pas
senger and Power Company were
rushed from point to point to repair
damages, a car here and there was run
over repaired lines, enabling the mill
tary authorities to transport troops and
rearrange their disposition in accord
ance with a renewed determination t.
establish order.
BY noon the Broad street and Clay
street lines were clear and cars began t.
run with heavy guards. A car filled
with soldiers was run to the scene o.
trouble at Twenty ninth aud 7 streets,
and other cars started from that end OF
the line. Ten cars were started and
while there was some jeering there wa
no serious interruption.
The bloodshed of Wednesday night
seemed to have sobered the mobs and q
calm followed the storm. The police
court was a center of interest yesterday.
Tbs three guards. r. Mitchell, NJ.
Il. Diggs and NJ. Cronk-who shot into
the mob at Vine aud Main streets We'd
nesday night, were turned over to the
county authorities and taken to the
county courthouse. They were refused
bail and were placed in Jail. Much
comment was made on the fact that the
county officers placed handouts on the
men and marched them through the
streets ironed together, though they
were surrounded by a company of
soldiers. g.
A new determination was formed both
by the civil and military authorities yes
terday to bring the lawlessness to an end.
Colonel Anderson placed the Norfolk com
panies in Fulton and at the Reservoir car
barns. Order were issued TO the men TO fire
when attacked and shoot to hit and to
pick off those seen throwing at the soldi-
ers or trying to disable the car men.
Every man on the cars had his gun load
ed with ball cartridges and 40 rounds in
his belt. AS they are relieved frequently
at street corners, the squads, mounting
the car load their pieces, and those re-
lieyed unload and place their cartridges
in their belts. The order says: Com
mandiDg officers, while endeayoring in