The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1904-08-23
A STREET RIOT AS SEEN
FROM AN UPPER WINDOW

CHICAGO, Aug. ga second
story view of strike riot is extreme
ly interesting and a little bit excit-
ing. There's a spice of danger in the
chance that he of the birdseye view
may get the usual portion of the in
nocent bystander via a badly aimed
brickbat or wandering bullet
1t is like the unfolding of the plot
in play to see the riot develop from
the first piping yell of a street ur-
chin to the grand stampede that in
evitably winds up the performance.
A meat delivery wagon drawn up
at the curb in front of a butchers
shop is the signal. The mere fact it
is there is evidence that the outfit
is in charge of non union teamster.
Everybody knows that the regulars
are on strike.
Seeming trouble, half a dozen lit
tie street boys are soon lined up on
the curb. A dozen men join them.
Emboldened by numbers the boys cut
few capers. They yell 'scab, ''and
they throw small sticks at the man
carrying meat from the wagon to the
store. One of them yanks a horses
bride to start the team. The team
ster rushes angrily toward the tan
TALKING kid. The latter darts into
the crowd now swelled to so.
The Transfers futile effort to get
the boy is a great joke. The men
roar with laughter The boys boot
The racket penetrates the buildings
and heads appear at open windows.
1t is heard for a block and people
come rushing to the spot. A yell in
the streets nowadays draws like the
open cages in a circus procession.
Everybody knows it means there's a
riot brewing.
In a few minutes there's a crowd
of 800. Two policemen try to drive
them away. It's like shooting a swarm
of flies. When the cops charge the
line of spectators 1t gives way at the
point Of the charge, but bulges out
ward at others. They could get the
same sort of exercise by going down
to the lake and sweeping the water
back from the shore.
This effort of the police evokes a
few cries of derision from the back
ranks. Front ranks don't jeer Chi
cago policeman. His muscles are
strong and exceedingly timber and
his club is hickory of the second
growth.
There's enough of demonstration
to bring a crowd that, added to the
natural accumulation. makes 1000
people.
Windows of the neighboring build
ings are simply jammed with onlook-
ers. These latter help the game am
azingly because these latter can jeer
without feeling the sting of the hick-
DRY.
Numbers inspire courage. While
the police, now half a dozen in num-
Der, are pressing back the crowd,
fire vegetables at the teamster. More
boots, more crowd. A bold man gets
inside the police lines and takes a
healthy, very healthy, punch at
the non unionist. The latter. hav-
ing light club handy, raps his as
sailant on the head, bruising him a
little and knocking off his hat.
Nothing makes a man much mad
der than to knock off his hat, and
the anti non unionist Is furious. He
backs TO the middle of the street and
pulling rocks from his pockets, fires
three of them at the non unionist.
His throwing is very rapid and there
fore very inaccurate. His delivery
has got to be some faster than a gat-
ling gun, because by this time three
policemen have abandoned their
share Of the crowd for the nonce and
are after him.
They are swift and eager. Their
muscles are tense and their clubs
are raised in readiness for crack
that would drive a baseball a mile
or a golf ball into the next state.
This prospective crack, if delivered,
would drive the rock thrower right