The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1903-10-02
- AT THE 500.
Apaid Workmen Attack and De.
stroy Office Building.
MILITIA AND POLICE ON HAND
Two Policemen Hurt - Woodsmen
Shot In One Fight-Workmen From
Woods Marching to City-More
Trouble Expected.

Toronto, Ont, Sept. 29.-The re5u'
lars from the fort here received orders
shortly after midnight to proceed tc
Sault Ste. Marie. They will reach
Sault Ste. Marie some time this after
ICON.
Sault Ste. Marie, Mich, Sept 29.-
Within thirty-six hour from the time
Mayor Plummer of the Canadian 500
and Assistant Manager Coyne of the
Consolidated company sent out their
statement that no trouble was to be
feared, that city has witnessed the
first clash between the idle and unpaid
workmen and the authorities. The
beautiful Office building has been
wrecked by the angry mob, officers
and men have been injured, and unless
prompt and vigorous methods are
adopted to overawe and subdue the
rioters the extent of the lawlessness
will be beyond prediction.
Rioting Began In Morning.
The days disorders began at 9
o'clock Monday morning, when huge
body of the discharged employees or
the company, for the most part men
from the mines at Michipicoten and
the woods along the Algoma Central
surrounded the Office building and de-
manded their pay, which had been
promised them Monday. They were
met with locked doors and Gordon Of
police, who refused to permit any OF
them to enter the building. bulletin
addressed to the men was given out
promising that their wages would be
forthcoming within thirty days and
the works reopened and all given en-
ployment as the result of plans now
being worked out in New York
This reception served to arouse all
the latent ugliness Of the mob, and
some one in the crowd threw a big
rock through one of the windows Of
the office building. In an instant the
air was filled with missiles. A scene
Of confusion followed that beggars de-
scription.
A crowd of rioters tried to force
an entrance into the building, but were
repulsed by those who guarded the
doors. A number of shots were ex-
changed and two policemen were so
severely injured in the melee that they
had to be removed to the hospital. The
appearance of the fire department,
which responded to an alarm turned
in from the building, created a diver
nd fO11nxx,n1 htrt ,,r
ing the water on the rioters. By this
means the crowd was kept at dis
lance for some time.
Two Woodsmen Shot.
In the meantime disorder had
broken out down town, and in a fracas
between five policemen and some
French woodsmen two Of the latter
were shot, one in the neck and the
other in the leg With two of their
fellows down the crowd fed, pursued
by the police, but no further arrests
were made.
The authorities, who had been apa-
thetic up to this time, now ordered
all saloons closed and telegraphed to
Toronto to order the local militia out
and to reinforce the company here
with troops from Toronto at once.
The order to close the bars was dis
regarded. Orders to assemble the mi
litia were received, and the one COM
pany, comprising about sfty me-
gathered at the town hall and were is
sued ball cartridges and given orders
to shoot to kill
Meantime the mob had reassembled
at the Office building and, forcing its
way through the doors, it gained pos
session of the ground floor and drove
every occupant of the building before
it, strewing wreck and ruin in its path.
A telegram was received from
Premier Ross of Ontario, directed to
the secretary Of the workingmen'J
committee, in reply to letter directed
to him asking that he see the rights
Of the men were protected in securing
their pay. It states that the govern
ment will insist on the settlement of
the claims for wages prior to anything
else. This has had very uuieting in