Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-04-18
RIOTS AT CHESTER
Striking Trolley Employees Clash
With Poliea
sTRIKE-BREAKERs ON SCENE
Crowd Charged State Police and shoS
Horse From Under ofieer-seVeral
Persons Hurt, None Dangerously.
More Trouble Expected.

Wore Ircubie Expected
Chester. Pa, April 15.-The situa
ton in the street car strike here re-
mains unchanged. No cars have been
run since Monday and there has been
little disorder. The state constabulary
which was ordered down from the bar
racks at Reading % protect property
and cope with the angry strike sympa
thizers. left the city, and the local au
thorities have taken steps 70 strength
en- their police force.
What seems to have incensed the
strikers more than anything else IL
the fact that where the lines OF the
Chester Traction company come IL
contact with the lines OF the Philade 81
phia Rapid Transit company the Ches
ter employees find that they are receiv
fng. under their reduced wages. Rboul
Sfty cents a day less than the meE
with whom they come in contact an6
who are doing about the same amount
OF work The Philadelphia Rapie
Transit company pays twenty-ont
cents an hour. and the Chester en-
ployes were cut from eighteen to six
teen and two-third cents an hour.
Mondays trouble started when the
strikers. with a lot OF sympathizers. pre-
pared TO stop the running OF any carr
by strike-breakers. The first car OUT
OF the barn was stoned by the striker
and every window Ia Il was broken
This absolutely tied up every line o.
cars In Chester, including the South
western trolley line 70 Philadelphia
The strikers congregated near thu
trolley barns on Edgemont avenue. de
termined not 70 let the strike-breakers
who they say were sheltered IN the
barns, operate any cars. While the
strikers held themselves in readiness
10 prevent the operation OF cars q de
tachment OF twenty state police, In
command Of Captain Groome. came
upon the scene. Their appearance
reused the ire OF the str. Sers and the
officers were stoned and rushed by the
mob. Lieutenant Charles FeursteiI
was struck on the back Of the head
by a stone and rendered unconscious
but he was not dangerously hurt Hi,
co-workers came 10 his rescue and the
strikers and their friends were driver
back.
The strikers declared there was nc
necessity for calling out the constabu
larry, and that the local police. It wai
said could cope with the situation
Several times during the day the
mounted men were compelled u
charge the crowds 70 drive them back
and there were incipient riots, but the
worst disturbance came at nightfall
when the strikers. augmented by sew
cral thousand men and women. charg
ed the mounted state police. a number
OF shots were fired. and horse be
longing 70 Private Sullivan was Shot
from under him and killed. Louis
Dunn, a civilian, was ridden down by
one Of the troopers and seriously in
1ured. To add to the excitement. some
one turned in an alarm OF fire, anc
the engines came changing through the
crowded streets, driving the people
right and left The crowd hooted the
constabulary and declared that they
would drive them out OF town. The
mounted men drove their horses into
the throng and arrested half a dozen
men. The fremen were instructed K
turn the water on the strikers, ano
they were finally subdued.
The strike was precipitated by the
Traction company announcing a IL
per cent reduction IN wages, but foi
some time the trolley men say they
orders affecting them IN their work
and they have the sympathy OF many
people