Los Angeles herald., 1905-01-21
SERIOUS RIOTING
BEGINS IN RUSSIA
INCIPIENT REVOLUTION GETS
ALARMING IMPETUS =
MILITARY READY FOR WORST
Petition Of Strikers to Emperor Takes
on Threatening Political Phase
and All Musoovy May Be
Involved
Special Gable to The Herald.

Special Cable to The Herald.
ST. PETERSBURG, Jan. 21.-At mid
night there was serious rloting at the
Alexandrovsky, Nevsky and Butiloff
works, and the machinery at those
places has been destroyed. A large
number of police have been drafted
to put down the disorder, and troops
have also been called out.
Two companies Of the Preebrojensky
regiment. posted at the Butiloff iron
works, refused to participate in the
maintenance of order on the ground
that 1t was not their dtuy to act as
policemen. All public demonstrations
have been forbidden.
Investigation into the shooting of a
loaded shell at the blessing of the Neva
yesterday has revealed the fact that
another canister shell, containing 1sO
bullets, was embedded in a timber
barge that was frozen in the ice on
the line between the battery and the
pavilion chapel.
The authorities vaguely deny that
the officers of the battery under arrest
nave committed suicide.
Effort to QuelI Riotina
With the Russian capital seemingly
on the verge of an incipient revolution,
thousands of workmen parading the
streets, agitators and fanatics sowing
the seeds of disorder, half the city in
darkness and without fire protection.
owing to walk-outs, the situation was
hourly growing more tense tonight
when the authorities decided to adopt
energetic measures to preserve order.
lent minded, at the same time seeking
to placate the striking workmen by
Offering satisfaction of their demands
in SO far as they are just and reasona
BILE, thus acting with combined firmness
and moderation.
The government tonight augmented
the, garrison of st. Petersburg with
$500 cavalry and 1000 infantry from
Tsarkoe- Selo. and filled the streets,
especially in the disaffected quarter
with heavy patrols of soldiers.
Will Offer Concessions
The refusal to permit delegation
of workmen to present a petition at
Tsarskoe- has made it known that
the great delegation planned for Sun
day, with it's unlimited possibilities for
an outbreak, will not be permitted to
take place. At the same time, acting
in conjunction with a conference of
employers, it has been determined to
offer concessions in the terms of en-
ployment, which the employers de-
clared the great majority of the work
men would be inclined to accept if
they were guaranteed protection from
the more violent faction.
Late tonight it was reported that
Father Gopon, leader of the workmen,
had been quietly spirited away from
his bodyguard and taken into custody,
in furtherance of the plan to disorgan-
ize the elements that are threatening
the peace of st. Petersburg. The au-
thorities believe by these steps they
have the situation we'll in hand and
announce they expect peaceful solu-
tion of the problem.
Many Factories Closed
The situation reached an acute
stage today, but the strike assumed
an open political phase. The day was
one of intense excitement. Mill after
mill and factory after factory closed.
Throngs of workmen paraded the
streets, and when their colleagues re-
fused to join them, broke down gates
and forced out the men. The whole
Industrial center is idle All the textile
mills and every printing office in ST.
Petersburg are closed. One electric
light plant and one water plant have
since shut down, and over 100, 900 men
are out.
Throughout the day workmens meet
ings were held, at which incendiary
speeches were made, the widest
threats being uttered as to what would
come in the event of the authorities
and employers refusing to meet their
demands.
The nervousness and dread of what
the next few days might bring forth
was increased by reports that the
workmen of Moscow, Keiff, Kharkoff,
Kisheneff, and other large cities in the
interior, might join the movement.
Spreads as conflagration
While the government and employers
temporized, the telegraphers and rail-
road employees threatened to join the
walkout, paralyzing the communica-
tions of the country. Many foreigners
are preparing to send their families
abroad. Every newspaper in st. Pc
tersburg has been forced to suspend
publication owing to the strike.
The suddenness of the strike and the
far-reaching nature of the workmen's
organization was largely surprise to
the government and the employers. |
Starting with the walk-out of few
thousand employees Of the Putiloff Iron
works, due purely to Industrial causes.
II spread as rapidly as a conhagration
through the labor classes Of st. Peters
burg and became general