New-York tribune., 1905-01-24


The military everywhere had firm grip on the
situation. and the police used every precaution'
such as forbsdding the sale OF petroleum and ad-
vising people 10 remain indoors
The tension. which was somewhat relaxed IN
the morning continued to increase during the
day Conditions appeared TO be ominous when'
shortly after dark the workmen in two electric
light plants walked out. refusing triple pay to
remain, and plunged half the CITY, including the
Nevsky Prospect into utter darkness
The water supply also was cut oS and q
vsr1table panic ensued. Tales that dynamite
was in the possession OF the strikers and that
81 was their purpose TO sack and burn the town
had been In circulation. and many people were
terror stricken. Reserve troops were called out
70 guard the darkened portion of the city. The
people stin in the streets. except q few strikers
and roughs. aed 10 their homes Police officers
visited every house and store. ordering all not
10 venture out at their peril and to turn out
the lights in their front windows. shopkeepers
and even private houseowuers boarded or barred
their windows and doors.
After about four hours soldiers from the En-
Eanser Corps, with the AID OF German engineers
from factories. started up the plants. When
the lights were turned on. except for the pa
trolling cavalry ana infantry. the streets were
deserted.
AZ midnight when iifs in the Russian capi-
tai IS usually bright. St Petersburg resembled
q city OF the dead invaded by hostile army
The facades OF the buildings were black. and
closed. The only sound 10 be heard was the
desdened patter OF the hoofs OF the cavalry
horsss and the tramp Of marching men over the
snow the Emperors troops moved TO and fro.
The guards at the palaces OF the grand dukes
are especially heavy. and over 10000 troops
are rnassed at Tsarskoe Selo.
The editors OF four newspapers-ths Russ"
the ''Vedomosu." the "Novosu" and the Crash
DAMN declare their intention, as soon as the
printers return 10 work and they are able to
resume publication. openly 10 defy the censor
ship in the matter Of rtrike news and Sundays
affair. They drew up a letter TO the censor to-
day saying they felt that the gravity Of the
situation demanded that they print the facts
without minimizing or CLOSING them over The
''Novoe vremya" and other papers. however,
refused to join them. and the letter was not
sent but the editors of the four papers named
agreed 20 adopt the course indicated.
It is reported that number of mills and fac
tories will start I'D tomorrow Some of the
industrial managers believe that the worst is
over here
Father Gopon's message to his followers to-
night was:
The Car does not exist. No longer pray for
liberty"
The factory and mill districts Of the city were
practically deserted to-day. The strikers had
no plans for demonstrations. and no special
meeting points had been arranged The alb
Bence OF any definite objective led the strikers
10 drift toward the principal thoroughfare the
Nevsky Prospect, which has been the centre Of
to-day-s less thrilling happenings. As the af-
ternoon wore on the crowds in the Nevsky
Prospect became dense, and the authorities.
possibly fearing that the cars might be con-
verted into material for barricades. stopped
street railway traffic and reinforced the already
large force of cavalry patrols
Toward o'clock. driving up the Nevsxy Pros
pect Inc Associated Press correspondent saw
through the gathering gloom the blaze OF camp
fires in the Palace Square. with the dark forms
Of troopers sitting around them. The Nevsly
Prospect itself was ablaze with light. Strikers
and curiosity seekers promenaded the two miles
OF sidewalk between the Admiralty and the
Nicholas Station. ana squadrons Of hussars and
cuirassiers rode up and down in endless pro-
cession. The crowds seemed peaceful enough,
the watehword evidently being. Don't abuse the
troops" The only shouts heard were a few leo
lated hurTahs.
Suddenly the electric lights IN the upper Sec
ton. between the bazaar called Gostinny Dvor
and the Nicholas Station. were extinguished and
the thoroughfare was plunged. without warning
into darkness which was not relieved even by
lights in shop windows. as all the stores were
closed The driver at irst refused TO move on,
fearing some hidden danger; but he finally was
persuaded 10 proceed, exclsiming, with Russian
stoicism: "One can die only once"
Silence prevailed. except for the rustic of hun
dreds OF feet the snow covered sidewalks,
the mufaed tread Of looming squadrons and the
lugubrious hammering of shopkeepers taking
preesutioa against possible attack by boarding
Der. The curious hastily scurried into adjoining
streets, finding their way home as best they
could through the inky darkness Only a fringe
OF suien strikers and rough characters re-
sba porioa 90 "a. hna..