Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1908-05-16
THREE CENT FARE
STARTED TROUBLE
Merger Company Refused to Keen
Agreement Made by Old Com
pdny and Employees Decide
to Strike Entire System
Shut Down.

Cleveland, May 16.-Rioting and
violence, although not serious, mark
ed the early hours of the strike OF
conductors and motormen of the mu-
nlcipal traction company today. For
the most part the violence was insti-
gated and carried out by sympathix-
ers and not by former employees.
strikers appealed to non-union men
10 leave their cars and some did so.
Many old employees in point of age
remained with the company PRACTICE
ally all the younger men went out.
Some lines are completely tied up
and others are running at irregular
intervals. President Dupont of the
municipal company, stated today that
new men will be employed as rapidly
as possible.
Mob strike sympathizers, armed
with crowbars and other tools, at
tempted to tear up the tracks of the
st. Clair avenue line near East 9Oth
street this morning. The mob was
dispersed however before much
damage was done. A crew of the ST.
Clair avenue line was dragged from a
car by the mob and the conductor
was BADLY beaten, Both conductor
and motorman were nnaliy rescued
by the police.
-
Cleveland. May IG.--CIpyelt..,,i,, Al =,
street car system was tleu up at /,
o'clock this morning by an almost
unanimous vote of the local union OF
the Amalgamated Association of
street and Electric Railway employees.
A meeting began at last night and
lasted until this morning.
approximately 1860 votes were
cast Between three and four hun
dred thousand patrons Of the Urban
ines this morning had to find other
means of transportation.
The strike had its origin in the in
stitution of a three cent fare, a sub
Ject of political contention in Cleve-
land during the past seven years.
When the three cent fare was finally
adopted the street railway formed a
merger, and now the combination re-
fuses to live up to the agreement for
merly made with the men by the
Cleveland Electric Railway company.
1t offered the men a compromise
which was refused out of this the
strike developed.
About 300 mOtOrmen and conduct
prs formerly employed by the Forest
city company, the original three cent
fare line, did not join the strike There
were quite large number of men
employed on other lines who did not
luit work. The latter were largely
made up of men who have been brok-
IN in since the strike was first threat
ened ten days ago.
on many lines no attempt was
made to run cars early today al
thnn1h lltpr "A
manned and sent out These cars
were greeted generally by boots and
yells from the throngs Of working
people who were walking TO their
places of employment
In one case a motorman and con-
ductor were pulled off and half of the
car windows were smashed Police
rescued them and prevented further
trouble.
A large crowd gathered at the Lake
wood barns this morning when an
attempt was made to start several
cars. Strike sympathizers attacked
the non-union crews and a sharp me-
lee followed, In which score Of men
were reported dubbed.
Chief Kohler and a number Of Of
hcers dispersed the crowd ana the
chief was struck in the neck with a
rock.
In Lakewood. a big suburb the
trolley wires Of the Municipal Trac-
ton company we're cut this morning.
Officials of the company claim the
police Of the suburb made no attempt
TO prevent the destruction of its prop
arty and called upon the sheriff for
protection. \ number of deputies
were sent to Lakewood. There is no
disposition yet 20 call upon the militia
to assist the police in keeping peace
In Cleveland, but II Is reported that
the Cleveland military organizations
have been asked 20 be prepared in the
event they are needed