Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-17
BLOODSHED AND
RIOTS FOLLOW
RAILWAY STRIKE
PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT NOT
IN PROSPECT
STATE BOARD MEMBER WANTS
TO AR6ITRATE
Distractions Placed on Tracks Stop
cars-TrolIey Wires Are Cut,
Tracks Ripped Out and
Switches Broken
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
CLEVELAND, Ohio. May 16.--In the
midst OF a day of incipient rloting,
some bloodshed. general disorder, In
convenience to the car riding pubic
and a partial stopping of the street
railway service incident to the strike
of the conductors and motormen OF the
Municipal Traction company, came
proposition tonight to stop further vio-
lence and submit the whole matter TO
arbitration.
This was the situation late tonight,
created by Joseph Bishop, member OF
the state board Of arbitration.
President Dupont of the Municipal
Traction company said the company
was willing to arbitrate. but that the
proposition should come from the
union.
With the union unwilling to take the
Initiative the matter of a peaceful set
tlement and the immediate termination
of the disturbance is still an open
question. All night long Mr.. Bishop
labored with the leaders of the union
In an effort at arbitration.
In the meantime incipient trouble
continued Late today the company
decided to maintain service tonight in
spite of advice to the contrary by Mr..
Bishop to the officials of the company.
Rioting All Day
All day there has been more or less
rioting. At first the men who remained
at work were appealed to by the strik-
ers to leave the cars. When they re-
fused efforts were made by the union
men and sympathizers to force them TO
leave the cars This resuletd In motor
men and conductors being forcibly TAX
en- from cars. Cars were stopped by
the placing of distractions upon the
tracks. Trolley wires were cut, tracks
were ripped out and switch points
broken.
One of the earliest disturbances oc-
Cured at the Lakeview car barns when
one car attempted to leave. mob
surrounded the car. The police at
tempted to rescue the men. Stones and
clubs were hurled. The officers used
their clubs. Chief Of Police Kohler was
struck by a stone, but not seriously
injured.
At noon Mayor Johnson issued the
following proclamation:
violence resulting in destruction OF
property and injury to persons having
already occurred on the streets conse'
quent upon the street railway strike
/ have instructed the chief of police tc
preserve order and protect property
with all the force at his command.
hereby notify the public that I will use
necessary assistance to the police au-
thorities and I warn all persons that
disturbances will not be tolerated and
disorder will be met with force ade-
quate to suppress It,"
Motorman Beaten
Motorman John Dubler was beaten
into unconsciousness late tonight and
left living on the street. He is thought
to have been fatally injured. Many
others were roughly handled, but their
wounds are not considered serious.
Mayor johnson, who also is treas
urer of the traction company. said the
strike was all foolishness and a great
waste, and that he hoped to bring II
to a close speedily.
While the general car service was
seriously crippled during the early
hours OF the strike the company made
rapid headway in restoring schedules.
Tonight fully 25 per cent Of the normal
service was maintained.
Late in the day the company posted
the following notice in the cars:
Notice to the public: These cars
belong to you. You should protect
Them"
To give the men who worked all
possible protection heavy wire screens
were placed In front of the cars to
shield the motormen from stones and
clubs. A policeman rode on each car
No call has been made for outside
assistance. The police claim to be able
to handle the situation. There has
been no talk of military protection.
The funeral and mail cars were not
interfered with. The suburban cars
were allowed to run in the city, except
in cases where the trolley wire had
been cut to obstruct city cars, which
necessarily interfered with the big
suburban cars.