The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-05-16
Break
Windows and Tear
Up Tracks.
POLICEMAN SHOOTS
TO PROTECT WOMAN
Trouble Begins in Early Morning,
Immediately After Men De-
eide TO Quit Work.

CLEVELAND, Ohio. May 1s.-Strike
was declared this morning by the Street
Railway Mems Union, and all the en-
ployes or the Municipal Traction Com
pany, who formerly had been i'm the
service Of the Cleveland Electric Rail
way ComJ any, went out.
The employees OF the Municipal Trac-
ton Company, who manned che old
3-Cent lines previous 10 tbs recent
consolidation, in most instances re-
fused TO strike, and took out their cars
as usual These employees were MEM
bers Of a separate local OF the union.
but their charter was revoked recently.
About 500 men are on strike.
The strike was ordered at meetings
OF the union last night and early today.
Il followed the failure Of the company
and its old employees 80 agree on de-
tails Of the arrangements which had
been proposed to settle all disputes The
employees struck suddenly, as It was
generally expected that the break in
negotiations was trihinE. and that an
agreement would be reached.
Cars Are Stoned.
stoning of street cars Iegan at once.
Union men massed abou. the Superior
avenue car barns, drove crews from two
Fifteenth street cars as they reached
SUPERIOR avenue, and then tore out the
trolley poles. s. II. Austin. passenger
was hit, his nose being broken.
Police were ordered 10 the scene Pa
troll wagon loads were hurried to ali car
barns when the day shifts reported on
duty, Cars were run downtown on sew
eraI lines without trouble. Ten lines, al
least. we're unable 10 send cut a car.
The unIoni-ed suburban lines carried
passengers only TO the city limits
thence ran in ss mail cars without pas
seugers.
Tbs. conductor Of a Payne avenue car
the second 20 leave the barns. was
beaten By a crowd in H0ugh avenue
A crowd. said TO be strikers. had waited
for tho car. and terlzed off the trolley.
The conductor was dragged from the
car. A third car proceeded TO the
stalled car, and there the crew were
forced 20 abandon IT,
Both Sides Firm.
Superintendent Cook, Of the Municipal
Company, and A. J.. Behner. vice presi-
dent Of the International Street Car
Union. issued statements today. Cook
said that not all the former Cleveland
electric employees had struck. and he
would have 20 per cent Of the street
cars running in ten hours. Behnsr said .
This strike was caused by President
Dupont, Of the Municipal Traction Com
pauy. breaking faith. The executive
committe of the-uri IN made more con
cessious than It was authorized 10 make.
I'VE are In this now TO win, and we
are more than confident The union
recognizes every man who runs a street
car until this strike is over as nonunion,
but we will recognize the rights OF the
suburban men who have contracts.
These contracts will be respected"
Early this morning there was trouble
at the IakeyieW. Payne avenue, and
DenisOn barns. Crowds dragged men
VINO were trying TO operate cars of the
platforms. All the police reserves were
called out and dispersed crowds early
at the Lakeview and Superior barns.
Only two cars were operated on the
Doan street lines, and by 1880 both OF
these had returned TO the barns with
every window smashed.
Shots Are Fired.
Strikers or sympathizers prevented the
starting OF cars at the Lakeview barns
Police and workmen were hit with
stones, the car windows were broken
and the cars were forced back into the
barns.
Shots were fred by a policeman dur
ing an encounter with strike syu1Dafh{z-
ers on a DCan street car, at a. m The
sympathizers had thrown bricks through
the windows OF the car. One hit a WON
an. The policeman fired and captured
one man Iut the prisoner esCaped while
A crowd of fifty men began tearing ur
/ tracks on st. Clair avenue. The police
/ drove them away, and they went Il
! Fifty-fifth street. wEere they laid stee
rails across the tracks.
The employees of the old 3-cent lines
! say they will take out their own runs
/ but will not run any OF the cars aban'
dOned by the former Cleveland Elsctri-
employees. They said the company woulc
/ have 20 run these cars with strike
/ breakers. Chief Of Police KOhler tool
/ command Of the situation. and an
! nounced that he would put policemen
/ on every car the Municipal Traction
! Company desires to run.
The street Car company will be giveI
all the mcl it wants. That is what th'
police are for he said.
Cause of Strike.
The strike is the result of the refusa
/ Of the Municipal Traction Company Il
/ carry out contracts made by the Cleve
| land. Electric Railway with its employe
prior to the consolidation of the Cleve
lard electric and the old Scent lines
| This contract provides that. in case IN
Cleveland electric secured a tranShlS
| renewal before May /. 1893, all employe
| should get a raise of cents an hour
1 with free transportation.
| The employees claimed int the seCuT
ity franchise granted cf the time o
"a =
| accordance with the egre smenJ, and de
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