The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1908-05-18
STREET CARS tied Up
I've Thousand Employees Go on
Strike at Cleveland.
DISORDERS BEGIN AT ONCE
Nonunon Men Beaten and Driven
From Their Posts and the Cars
Bombarded With stones--Wage Dis
pute. Cause of the Trouble.

from Their Posts and the Cars
eombarded With stones-,Wase Dis
pute Cause of the Trouble.
Cleveland, May 49, - Cleveland's
street car system is tied up by an al
most unanimous vote of the local un-
lon OF the Amalgamated Association
of Street and Electric Railway En-
ployes.
Variously estimated between three
and four hundred thousand patrons of
the urban lines are without means of
transportation. City officials, it was
stated, had not made preparations to
combat the situation Union men, how.
ever, asserted that two weeks ago
President du Pont of the Municipal
railway had begun negotiations for
additional help. They claimed this
assistance would be Efficient.
The strike involves 1000 men. 1t
had its origin in the institution of 8.
cent fares, a subject of political CON
tention in Cleveland during seven
years past. Following the municipal
election last November, when the
principal issue was the question OF
municipal control of traction compa
MES and an ultimate rate of fare of 3
cents within the city limits, consolt,
dation Of street car lines came about.
thoT o,,+ 4Io+
the Cleveland Electric Railroad com.
pany, the major traction corporation,
had signed a contract with the Anal
gamated Association of Street and
Electric Railway Employees whereby
it was agreed that, in the event Of
continuation" of their franchise or
its equivalent, the conductors and mo.
termen would receive specified in
crease of cents an hour and an ad-
justment Of other minor alleged griey-
arces. .
The merged properties having been
leased to the Municipal Traction com
pany the traction infant" took the pO-
sition that the contract was not bind
ing upon them. The new company
did, however, offer an increase of 1
cent an hour in the pay of the men,
to take effect April %, upon which
day the Scent fare was put into oper-
alton. The new company also ordered
that all employees should pay carfare
when riding upon the company's cars
while not at work. The company also
proposed to supply the men with uni
forms free OF charge.
Proposals Not Satisfactory.
. The propositions of the new COM
pany, in lieu of the previous arrange
ments with the old company, were
not satisfactory to the employees.
About 800 motormen and conductors
formerly employed by the Forest City
company, the original Scent fare line,
did not join in the strike. There were
also quite large number Of the men
employed on other lines who did not
quit work. The latter were largely
made up Of men who have been
broken in since the strike was first
threatened ten day ago. ...-...-
At the corner Of Superior avenue
and East One Hundred and Fifth
street large crowd collected when
car bound down town appeared.
The nonunion motorman and conduc.
tor were pulled off and about half of
the car windows smashed. The po-
lice rescued the motorman and con-
ductor and prevented further trouble
An attempt to run cars on the
Payne avenue line was frustrated by
a crowd of strike sympathizers. They
teok away the controller lever of
ear, pulled down the trolley and cut
off the trolley rope. The motorman
and conductor left the car standing in
the street. Later it was hauled back
to the barns.
a mob of strike sympathizers armed
with crowbars and other tools attempt
ed to tear up the street railway tracks
on st. Clair avenue, near East Nine
tieth street. The mob was dispersed,
however, before much headWay on the
work had been made.
The crew of a car on the st. Clair
Avenue line was dragged from the
car by mob. The conductor was
badly beaten, his scalp being laid open
with brick Both the conductor and
moterman were finally rescued by the
police.
Mayor Tom Johnson, who is treas
hrer of the Municipal Traction COM
pany, said:
II intend to do everything I can to
bring about settlement of the trou-
Bile. This strike is all foolishness and
q great waste and I hope to bring it
to close soon."
The mayor would not discuss the
means he proposed to pursue.
Another EmbezzIement Charge.