Evening journal., 1905-01-24
REVOLT IN RUSSIA is
SPREADING RAPIDLY
SOLDIERS FIRED ON WORKMEN WHILE THEY
WERE MARCHING TO ST. PETERSBURG.
UPRISING THAT WILL HAVE SERIOUS
RESULTS HAS OCCURRED AT
MOSCOW

st. Petersburg, Jan. PA repos-
has gained currency that the strikers
intend to storm the market on Vas
sill Ostroff and seize the provisions
there.
At Kolpino, IL miles up the river, a
body of workmen, who had started for
st. Petersburg to join the strikers,
were stopped and fred upon by sol
diers. Accounts as to the number killed
or wounded conflict.
The most startling feature in the
situation is the news that several fac
tories in Moscow have closed, and
that workmen in the old capital Of
Russia are repeating the tactics Of
their fellow workmen of the new capi-
tai, marching from shop to shop and
mill to mill, demanding that the es-
tablishments be shut down The whole
city is reported to be in a state of
great excitement over the news of the
bloodshed here, which has precipitated
Immediately the strike that had been
planned for tomorrow. Moscow has
more workmen and less troops than
st. Petersburg, and besides is just
now the heart of the liberal movement,
and the danger of bloodier occur
rences there than have been witnessed
here are proportionately greater. A
rising at Moscow is also more likely
to have greater results industrially
and politically than that in st. Pc
tersburg.
The deputy prefect of Moscow has
issued a proclamation warning the
public, in view of the strike. to avoid
assemblages and professions; other
wise the same severe measures will
be adopted as at St. Petersburg.
According to private reports, the
worknen in several other big cities,
notably Kharkon. where large locomo-
tive works are located, already have
completed plans for a general suspen-
sion of work. Moreover, reports are
current that the workmen, who other
wise would soon be forced back into
the shops or starve, have received as
surances of financial support from the
sources which hitherto have furnished
the sinews of war to the liberal and
revolutionary agitation, but have not
before been in touch with the labor
movement. If the strike becomes gen
eral all over Russia, and especially if
the railroads are drawn in, 1t might
Immediately force the nation to make
peace with Japan.
Situation Crave.
The situation appears grave from
every standpoint; but the authorities,
although apparently somewhat bewil-
dered. declare their purpose to stand
firm, maintaining that it Is their first
duty to preserve order, scouting the
Idea Of actual revolution. What, if any
steps have been taken to meet the
general situation, however. has not
been disclosed; but there are ex-
tremely significant reports that EN-
peror Nicholas, in making the decision
at the extraordinary meeting of the
council of the empire at Tsarko Selo
to declare St Petersburg in a state of
siege, announced that he had resolved
to issue a manifesto to the people,
with a view to calming them. promis
ing to create a mixed commission of
wOrkmen and officials to investigate
and decide the questions of the de-
mands of the strikers, especially the
one affecting hours of labor which
Russian law fixes at IL. The represen-
tatives of the wor1men, according to
this report, are not to be appointed,
but selected by the laboring men
themselves. This would be the first
concession to the representative prin-
ciple.
According to reports, the emperor
will also promise to investigate Sun
days events in St. Petersburg.
Fired a Blank Volley.
There was no repetition of the de-
plorable occurrences of Sunday in this
city, with the exception that a single
blank volley was fired into a weak
crowd near the Warsaw station. Care
full investigation shows that no bull
lets were fired The military every
where had a firm grip on the situation.
and the police used every precaution,
such as forbidding the sale of petro-
leum and advising the people to re-
main indoors.
Conditions last night appeared to
be ominous when. shortly after dark,
the worlSmen in two electric light
plants walked out, refusing triple pay
TO remain, and plunged half the city
into utter darkness, including the
Nevsky Prospect, which is in the
fashionable residence quarter. The
water supply was also cut off. and a
veritable panic ensued. Tales that dy-
Mantle was in the possession Of the
strikers and that IL was their pur-
pose to sack and burn the town had
been in circulation, and many people
were terror-stricken. Reserve troops
were called out to guard the darkened
portion Of the city The people still in
the streets, except a few strikers and
roughs, fed to their homes. Police
officers visited every house and store,
ordering all not to venture out at their
peril, and to turn out the lights In
their front windows. Shopkeepers and
even private house owners boarded or
barred their windows and doors. At
ter about four hours. soldiers from the
engineer corps, with the aid of Ger
man engineers from factories. started
up the plants. When the lights we're
turned on, except for the patrolling
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