The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-11-24
POLICE GUARD
The CITY HALL.
Chicago Municipal Council
Takes PrecautiOn.
Fear of Trouble From Strikers
and Their Friends.
HOOTED AND JEERED.
Crowd in the Gallery Expressed
1t, DisapprOyal
When an Alderman Alluded to
Honesty of the Council.
HOOTED AND JEERED.

Chicago, Nov. 24.-With police guard
strong enough to preserve peace if dis
order should threaten the city council,
the aldermen transacted business relat-
ing to traction affairs last night with
dispatch. A detail of policemen on the
floor of the council fringing the seats
and guarding the doors, was the unac-
customed precaution taken as the result
of the Tattersan meeting of street rail-
way strike sympathizers Sunday and
the announcements of several union Ia
Dor organizations and other societies
that mass meetings" would be held in
the galleries of the council chambers
The precaution having been taken the
council proceeded to do number of
things which the labor element has de-
manded it should not do and to leave
undone several things which have been
insisted on. A recommendation for the
extension of the Chicago City railway
franchise until February %, was report
ed by the local transportation commit
tee and will be called up next week.
Resolutions against extensions of
franchises before the spring election, for
the referendum of franchise ordinances
and petitions for immediate municipal
ownership were disposed of with short
spite of the demands Of their sponsors
for immediate action.
The advertised meetings brought
only a few score additional people to
the galleries, and they were orderly ex-
cept at one time, when Alderman Her
mann was hooted and jeered at for as
serting that the council was honest.
The mayor quieted this outbreak and
the policemen were not needed.
During the past twelve hours strike
synpathizers did more damage to the
car lines than on any previous time
since the strike was begun. Wires were
cut on many of the cross town lines
and all manner of blockade was put on
the tracks in higher piles than ever.
Every man hole between Forty first and
F'orty-seventh streets was filled with
stones and debris so that the grip. could
not pass over. A big gang of men
worked steadily for hours removing the
distractions.
There is said to be a shortage of coal
at the Twerty-first and State street
power house. Plenty of non-union coal
teamsters. however. are declared to be
in readiness to procure supply If the
company does not hear from the team
sters' Organization soon. Another at
tempt was made to run the State
street cars. Six trains were started
from Seventy-first street, but their
progress was slow In spite of police
patrol spikes were found driven in the
cable slot at intervals. and the OBJ
structions cleared away earlier in the
day were replaced by the strikers in
numerous instances.
When the first State street trains
reached Forty-third street, a crowd
estimated a more than a thousand men
were following them The trains kept
as. close together as possible and We're
under heavier police guard than yeSter-
day. Police Inspector Hunt issued or
ders which indicated that serious trou-
BILE was anticipated
Shoot to hit" were the instructions
given the police in the event attack
should be made upon the cars. The
striking employees Of the city railway do
not want their pay. At least they do
not desire the money badly enough to
appear at the general offices and re-
linquish their badges. Arrangements
that Manager Mccullough made to pay
off the first division of 500 employees
were made futile today by the refusal
of the strikers to take advantage of the
opportunity to draw their money.
Cashiers took up their places and clerks
were at hand to receipt for badges at
the appointed time, but none of the en-
plOyes materialized.
The starting of the cable cars was
further delayed by damage to the big
underground turn Wheel on which the
cable revolves at Sixty-third street,
steel rails had been slipped between the
four foot spokes and when the power
was applied twisted the wheel out of
shape and came near putting the line
out of service for the day. The rails
could only be extricated by saving
tnem INTO SectlOnS. 1nree wires supply
Ing electric power to the Thirty ninth
street trolley cars were cut near Cot
tage Grove avenue. One of these
wires supplied in addition the light for
the car barns at the Thirty eighth street
and Cottage Grove avenue and the sud
den failure of the light alarmed the
nOnunionistS in the barns, who, believ-
ing an attack by strikers and sympa-
thizers was imminent, armed them
selves and prepared to resist. Splicers
repaired the damage.
1t took the State street trains two and
one-half hours to go from Sixty first
street to Thirty-ninth, but from the
latter street to the down town district
progress was practically urObstructed.
The police mistrusting the intentions OF
a crowd in front Of the headquarters OF
the engineers and firemen who left the
with the trainmen, charged with drawn
clubs. The crowd melted into neigh
boring saloons and Railways and none
were hurt. No arrests were made
ONLY ONE POINT TO SETTLE.
Chicago, Nov. 24.-Conf1icting reports
on the probability of immediate peace
in the street car strike came from
representatives, of the Chicago City
Railway company and the striking
trainmen today. 1t was learned def
offered to arbitrate the contention
which the company considered remain
ed the sole issue between the present
situation and a settlement. This
point. it was said, is the taking back
of the men employed by the City Rail
way company who went out on synpa-
thetic strikes. The company asserted
that these men violated agreements
while the strikers assert that the
agreements were not properly made.
Col E. r. Bliss attorney for the
railway company. said today:
e1OnlX one DOlnt is left he d