The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-05-04
RIOTING IN
 BIG STRIKE Chicago Fighting Fierce and Prolonged. TROOPS TO BE ASKED FOR Business Mems Committee Goes to Capital. Innocent Individuals ReckIessly and Indiscriminately Attacked by Congresated Mobs of the
 Strikers.

streets today was so prolonged anu or so fierce a character that many of the leading business men have concluded that there will be neither peace in the city or safety for it's business interests until the State militia has been called out to restore order.
 A committee of members of the Eru- ployers' Association left for Spring field today to confer with Govern or Deneen and to request him to give or ders to the State troops. The labor unions have representatives at the State capital and it is likely that they will also be heard before any action Is taken by the Governor.
 {. Chief of Police o'Neil says he Is con- f1dent that he has control of the situa- tion and can keep peace In the city. Mayor Dunne supports him in his view and has declared that in his opinion the emergency has not arisen requiring the presence of troops. On the other hand the business men point to the long list of injured which marked the rioting of yesterday and the greater number of those who were hurt today, and declare that this alone Is sufficient proof that the police unaided are not sufficiently strong to cope with the sit- uation.
 No complaint is made against the po- lice department, for the officers have dispersed every mob with which they have come in contact and have guard ed wagons night and day with the greatest vigilance But despite their utmost efforts the fighting continues in the streets and is, if possible, more vicious on each succeeding day.
 Drivers Are Armed.
 While the police have been Dble to disperse mobs and guard wagons, they have not been able to prevent the many attacks that are made on non-union men in the business portion of the city | alone. The situation, the business men claim, will be ten fold worse when ex- press wagons and retail delivery wag- ons are sent to remote parts of the city. Despite the orders of Mayor Dunne and the prohibition of the City l. Councilsk many of the wagons Of the concerns against which strikes have been declared were handled today by men armed with rifles and shot guns.
 The first rife shot fired during the strike went whizzing through a crowd ed thoroughfare today The shot was fired by q guard on a wagon of the United States Express Company while 1t was passing through a crowd ol strike sympathizers at the intersection of State and Randolph Streets. In driving past the corner the driver ol the wagon refined his horses up sud denly. A guard within the wagon poked his head instantly from the wagon and seeing a street car con ductor stopping as though to throw a missile. pulled the rifle trigger with out the slightest hesitation. No per son was hit and 1t developed later that the conductor who narrowly escaped death was intent solely on his legitI- mate work of throwing a switch.
 The request of the employers made today that the police be allowed to ride on their wagons was declined by the Chief of Police. Chief of Police O'Neil explains that while the officers might do just as good work while riding on the wagons. he did not intend to have 1t said that the department was show ing partiallty or guarding private property especially.
 Guns In Evidence.
 One hundred and fifty wagons of the seven express companies went to and fro across the city today, in many in- stances unaccompanied by bluecoats and at no time under the supervision of more than one or two policemen Every wagon carried a guard, some oi whom were armed with Winchester rifles and others carried heavy double IL plain evidence throughout the day ana no attempt was made to interfere with any of the express wagons.
 The trucks of the Scott Transfer Company were also guarded in the same manner. The company transacted its business as though there had been nc strike against it. MT. Scott tonight was elated over the success of the day
 T have 280 teams" he said "and the T,F today. I armed the men who handl ed them. My wagons were not molested and If they are I propose to place more armed guards upon them"
 Both sides made gains today and the result leaves them about as evenly balanced as they were before. The accession to the ranks of the teamsters was made when a strike was declared against the coal firm of Crear, Clinch and Co. This concern employs several hundred men and delivers coal to a large number of the most prominent office buildings in the city. The gain for the Employers Association was made when the members of the Hay and Grain Dealers Association, which em. pIoys 1900 teams, declared that de- liveries would be made to any place in the city irrespective of strike condi- tions. If drivers refuse to obey they will be discharged.
 MObs Large and Ugly.
 The mobs that filled the streets in the business section today were larger and ugIier in disposition than those of yes terday. There was fighting in all sections of the down town district throughout the day and over a dozen times the police were compelled to use their clubs and the wagon guards. who are armed with heavy canes, swung them whenever they were attacked ol thought an assault was about to bt made. In many instances these guard, were not careful whom they hit anC there was a number of persons wht were knocked down simply because they happened to be the nearest man This was the case particularly in fight near the Majestic Hotel when number of people who had just emerg ed from that place were charged upol by private detectives who were II charge of several coal wagons an, badly beaten up.
 On the other hand the strikers ant their friends were equally indiscrimi Tia z in assaulting people. There wer several instances where mobs boarde, street cars and wantonly attacked peo pie riding In them. RIvine as a reasol