The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-24

Chicago, Nov. 24.--During the past
twelve hours strike sympathizers did
more damage to the car lines than at
any previous time since the strike be-
gun. Wires were cut on many OF the
cross town lines and distractions
were piled on the tracks higher than
ever. In State street every manhole
between Forty-first and Forty-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 OBJ
structions.
There is said to be a shortage of
coal at the Twenty-f1rst and State
streets power-house. Non-union coal
teamsters, however, are declared to
be in readiness to deliver supply
If the company does not hear from
the teamsters' organization soon.
Another attempt was made to-day
to run the State street cars. Six
trains were started from Sixty-first
street, but their progress was slow. In
spite of the police patrol spikes were
found driven In the cable slot at in
tervals and the distractions 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 at more than thousand
men was following them The trains
kept as close together as possible and
were under heavier police guard than
yesterday. Police Inspector Hunt is
sued orders which indicated that ser1-
GUS trouble was anticipated.
Shoot to Kill.
Shoot to hit" were the instruc-
lions given the police in the event
concerted attack should be made
upon the cars.
The starting of the cable cars was
further delayed by damage to the big
underground "turnwheep on which
the cable revolves at Sixty-third
street. Steel rails had been slipped be-
tween 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 ex-
tracted by saving them into sections.
Three wires supplying electric
power to the Thirty-ninth street
trolley cars were cut near Cottage
Grove avenue. One of these wires
supplied in addition the light for the
car barns at Thirty eighth street and
= Cottage Grove avenue and the sud-.
den failure of the light alarmed the
e. non unionists in the barns, who, be-
llieving an attack by strikers and their
Esympathizers was imminent, armed
themselves and prepared to resist.
ISplicers repaired the damage.
Detective Assaulted.
John Copper, 20 years old, pri-
vate, detective employed by the Chi
cago City Railway company to guard
trolley wires at Archer and Ashland
avenues, was attacked by seven men
h early to-day. They beat and kicked
him, leaving him in semiconscious
state. After assaulting him they
stripped him Of his outer garments
and took $6 and revolver.
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 downtown dis
II trlct progress was practically unob-
structed The police. mistructing the
g actions of e. crowd in front of the
J headquarters of the engineers and fire.
men, who left the railway company
Is employ in sympathy with the train
men, charged with drawn clubs. The
+. crowd escaped into neighboring sa-
5loon5 and Railways and none was hurt.
No arrests were made.
Don't Want Their Pay.
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 relinquish their badges.
Arrangements that Manager McCul-
rloch made to pay off the first division
tof 500 employees were made futile to-
day by the refusal of the strikers to
take advantage of the opportunity to
draw their money. Cashiers took
their places and clerks were on hand
toareceipt for badges at the appointed
time, but no men materialized.
Peace Negotiations.
Conflicting reports on the probable
ity of immediate peace in the street
car strike came from representatives
of the Chicago City Railway company
and the striking trainmen to-day. II
was learned definitely that the railway
company had offered to arbitrate the
contention which the company consid-
cred remained the sole issue between
the present situation and settlement
This point it was said, is the taking
back of the men employed by the
City Railway company who went ou
on sympathetic strikes. The company
asserted that these men violated agree.
ments, while the strikers assert tina
the agreements were not properl!
made.
Colonel e. r. Bliss. attorney for the
railway company, said to-day:
"Only one point now is left to be
adjusted. The company is willing tc
arbitrate that"
President Buckley of the striking
division said at the same hour:
I'VE are no nearer a settlement nov
than we were last night or yesterday
y.