The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-03-06
MYSTERIOUS
BODY OF
WORKMEN

Philadelphia, Marcn o'-SeNtlal huh"' ""
workmen. many OF whom professed not
TO know where they were going or by
whom they had been employed, paraded
the streets OF Philadelphia yesterday ana
then left for New York upon special
train OF II cars. All the time they were
i'm the city they were closely watched
by guards No one was allowed to be
near them.
Five hundred additional men passed
through this city on a special train early
this morning and are reported as being
distributed among hotels in Newark and
Jersey City.
Arrangements are also being made at
hotels here TO receive another 800 men,
the plans for their coming being made
by the same men who brought the others
The men for the most part were won
dering and uncommunicative. Their
leaders were absolutely silent regarding
their destination
Regarding this mysterious army there
is but one opinion in labor circles here
and that In that some great electric or
steam railroad is preparing against the
possibility OF a strike OF its employees.
SURPRISE IN NEW YORK.
New York, March 6.-The New Haven
railroad sound steamboat G. III. Northam,
TO whom chartered or whittier bound the
superintendent OF the marine department
would not say, was tied up last night at
Pier /. Communipaw, receiving large con-
s,gnments OF men over tho Reading rail-
road from Philadelphia.
Fy $50 o'clock there were 800 Of tho
men on board. They were described in
philadelphia dispatches as strike break
ers.
When q representative OF the Inter
borough Rapid Transit company. fo-
whom dispatches from the west had said
the men were coming. was asked about
this, he denied explicitly that the men
were hired for the Interborough company.
On the other hand. the New Haven rail-
roads difficulties are supposed TO be
oyer.
Neither Vice President Bryan nor Gen
er~l Manager Hedley OF the Interborougn
was accessible, but the spokesman for
. the company said thst he was as much
in tho dark as anybody about the men
on the Nor-tham.
have -ffsyt-beeH- brought here by
ths Interborough company. and the com
pany knows nothing about them at all"
he said. '"The company has no trouble in
eight which would warrant any such pre-
cautions"
ARE STRIKE BREAKERS
At New Haven. General Manager Hig-
gins OF the New Haven railroad said that
he had not heard that tho Northam WIS
moored at Jersey City. loaded with strike
breakers and Pinkerton men.
He expressed much surprise at the re-
port and said that 50 far as the New
Haven road was concerned tho strike
breakers were not engaged for any, ser
vice whatever for the road.
According TO one report tho men were
mostly mechanics. and IL was suggested
that possibly they were bound Cor some
New England point up the Sound,
The larger part OF the men on the
Northam arrived at Communipaw in n
special train at Gao There were 30 Pink
erton detectives on the train. acting as
an escort. At the Communipaw terminal
the men were marched 10 the covered
section OF Pier / and corralled there while
they were addressed by the man IN
charge OF them.
A reporter got within talking distance
of the Northam. He found a man who
was willing 70 talk
These men are strike breakers" said
this man. They have been brought here
To work In case there IL a strike. / don't
know how long this boat Is going to stay
at this pier, Dut rn0y are waiting Tor an
other trsinload OF men, and the present in
tention is 20 land these men at Mott
Haven
EXPECT SUBWAY JOBS.
A man, who said he was G. ". Gundv,
deserted the Northsm last night after
word had been taken TO him that his wife
WAS 10 the railroad depot without money.
Cundy said an effcrt was made 10 keep
him aboard the boat. but he insisted on
being allowed to leave.
II was last employed in Pittsburg" he
said, las special policeman. left there
Last Thursday night with 81 other men.
We had been hire1 there TO come To work
on the subway in New York city.
I'VE were to be paid $3.50 a day and ex-
penses until we got jobs. When we got
10 Philadelphia Ne were placed with
over 100 other men, who also had agreed
20 come here TO work
1--WE all arrived here last night about
800 strong. We were taken direct to the
boat and told TO make ourselves comfort
able. There Is plenty 10 eat on the boat,
but they are little shy on blankets
None OF the men knows where he is go
ing To be taken next but they all expect