The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1903-09-30
RIOTIHG AT THE 500.
Assault Upon Company's Office
by a Mob.

Restore order-Company Agreed to
House and Feed the Men Till Their
Wages Are Paid-Two Frenchmen
Shot by the Police.
Sault Ste. Marie, Mich, Sept. 90
The situation in the Canadian 500,
which has been the scene OF serious
rioting by the discharged employees of
the Consolidated Lake Superior com
pany, is very grave. The only de-
fense against the mob, which grows
hourly, is a more or less demoralized
police department and a small com
pany of militia.
A successful assault upon the Office
building by the mob yesterday after
noon before the arrival of the troops,
resulted in the destruction of every
thinG movable on the ground floor
The office staff, with drawn revol
vers; prevented the rioters gaining ac-
cess to the upper floors of the building.
Every window and door in the build
ing is smashed in. The arrival of the
troops, armed with ball cartridges,
served to restore a semblance of or
der. The rioters then contented them
selves with throwing stones and hurl-
ing invectives at the soldiers, who es-
tAbiisned a dead line" around the
building.
The mob is chiefly of ignorant for
eigners. All have been drinking more
or less, although the saloons finally
oDeyed the official order to close. Riot
ers seem mCst anxious to get at Mr..
Coyne, the assistant manager, who is
in charge OF the work.
Late in the afternoon the leaders
of tbe mob held conference and de-
manded that the company house the
men in .neir hotel and boarding house
and feed them while the money for
their wages is forthcoming.
This demand was granted and the
men have taken charge of a large
boarding house, operated by the COM
pany.
An att mpt is being made to put
the street car system in the Canadian
500 which suspended operations yes
terday morning after an attack had
been made upon it, into operation
again. Two cars were sent out heav-
lily guarded, No disorder took place.
1t is estimated that there are 1000
men Ia the 500 and these are re-enforc-
ed by all the idle rabble in town. A
train carrying 400 more woodsmen is
expected to arrive later.
The local police force is being
strengthened and each man is armed
with instructions to use his revolver
if necessary. Considerable feeling has
been aroused over the shooting of two
Frenchmen by the police during the
trouble yesterday morning. The riot
ers claim that the officers used their
revolvers when it was not necessary.
Neither Of The men is fatally hurt, how
ever
The mob threatens an attack upon
police headquarters with a view of
efiecting the release of all the men who
have leen arrested. Both that build
ing and that occupied by the fire de-
partment is guarded against attack
The firemen cooled the ire of the crowd
by turning the hose on them during
the morning riots.
The particular grievance that caus
ed the rioting was the promises to pay
the mCn After a meeting the en-
ployes of the Consolidated Lake Super
ior company went to the company's
Offices. On the door was bulletin
reading:
The president and directors in New
York have been unable to raise the
money to pay today the wages and
salaries now due the men and Off
GERS of tire company. Advices receiv-
ed frori New York indicate that our
president and directors have a plan
to raise the money necessary to not
only pay the men but to start up the
works Jhat seems to promise success.
promised support of Sir Wilfrid Laur-
icr, the premier of Canada, and the
Hon. c. w. Ross, premier of Ontario,
and it is expected to produce the neces-
saTy money within 80 days. While we
regret Hcry much the inability of the
company 10 pay today the fact remains
that there is money to pay with. Bear
in mind that your wages will have to
be paid ultimately and constitute a
Just obligation against the company,
which all the property and other as
sets will be liable for"
This notice infuriated the crowd
which by this time was estimated to
number 800 and rocks and other mis-
sles were directed at the Office build
ing.
Efforts to secure admittance to the
building by members of the mob were
frutless. Firemen turned several
streams on the crowd and the rioters
moved away. An attack on the street
cars followed
Later in a fight over the arrest Of
a French w0odsman two Frenchmen
who attempted to prevent the arrest
we're shot by the police. one seriously.
The moi formed and the afternoons
attack took place.
English Cricketers Won.