Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-05-26
FIREMEN's STRIKE SERIOUS.
Blood Flows at Athens and Mobs
Form at Augusta.

Atlanta, Ca, May 22.-The race
issue late tonight suddenly gave an
extremely ugly aspect to the strike
OF less than hundred white firemen
on the Georgia Railroad, who went
out in an attempt to force the rail-
road to discharge it's negro firemen.
Blood flowed at Athens, and q
,'mall mob formed at Augusta, the
former disturbance being over
white fireman, and the latter over a
negro.
The engineers were called out
shortly after midnight, when word
was received here that trains had
been stoned at Lithonia and at Con-
yers, Ga, ana that the engineers had
been struck by rocks intended for
the firemen. The order calling out
the engineers was temporary, and
was issued by Assistant Grand Chief
Burgess, of the Brotherhood of Lo-
comotive Engineers, who is in At
lanta. He intimated that If ade-
Quate protection should be afforded
for the engineers, the order for them
not to take out their trains might be
revoked. MEANWHILE Passenger
Train No. 4, from Augusta, with
nearly crery coach full, stood in the
train shed here with its time for
pulling out past due, and no Cngi-
nCer to be found to handle the throt-
tie.
Governor Smith was in conference
about midnight with Sheriff Clark.
at Augusta. who assured the Cover
nor that the negro, who had been
threatened there was safe. and that
things were quiet for the night.
The Governor appreciates tic
o. nE Cir
that careful handling is necessary to
avoid stirring up race issues. From
reports received here tonight there
is some ground for the hope that the
unusual number of attacks made on
trainmcn to-day was due principally
TO the SATURDAY half-holiday. ant
that the beginning Of the new week
Will see quiet restored.
Mob stones Officers.
Athens, Ga, May 22.-Nearly a
thousand men and boys tonight
stoned policemen and detectives who
were protecting white fireman,
VIII Williamson, who had fired a
passenger train on the Georgia Rail-
road yesterday on the run from Ath-
ems to Union Point, Ga. A detective
was knocked down with q missile,
and II. II. Morris, policeman, had
an arm painfully lacerated in the
fight. Williamson came into Athens
tonight on his train. His guards
struggled with the Surging, hooting
crowd, from the station to police
headquarters, where they took shell
ter from the flying sticks and stones.
Williamson was struck several times
in the back, and a man in the crowd
was accidentally struck in the face,
blood streaming from cut opened
by the blow.
Offer to Mediate.
Augusta, Ga, May 22.-The Au-
2usta Chamber of Commerce to-day
rendered their good offices to the
Georgia Railroad and its striking
hremcn, with the purpose Of endeav-
0ring to settle the differences. The
fircmen have signiiied their willing
ness TO take up the matter with the
Chamber OF Commerce. The road
has not yet been heard from.
Engineers Must BE Protected.
Atlanta, Ga. May 22.-To-night
there was little change locally in
the strike sit alton. +. A. Burgess,
assistant grand chief OF the Brother
hood Of Locomotive Engineers. said:
1--WE are not going OFF half-cOcicd |
in this affair, but we are not going |
to send our men out to be slaught |
cred or maimed.'
Railroad " ants Protection.
Augusta, Ga, May 23.-The Geor- |
gia Railroad is completely tied, UP |
tonight. The management is not |
trying to move trains, simply an
nouncing that it has the men. the |
nd 10 4 L
will do so when the State announces |
it is ready to protect it's property |
and employees. The strikers are |
standing pat. They assert that they
have not been and will not be parties |
to any Violence. SympathiZers with
the strikers, it is set out, have done |
all the hurt that has been done.
General Manager r. *. Scott, at |
+ p. m, made the announcement that |
no trains are moving COY. Hokc |
Smith has wired the sheriff of Nc
Dune county TO cooperate with the |
authorities and to sum- |
mon all deputies necessary to pro-
tect lie and property. 1t is in this |
county that Thomson is located, and |
1t is at Thomson that the crowd is ;
sued decree last night that 10 |
trains should pass carrying either |
1iremcn or negro frcmen.
Gov Smith has also asked the sheriff
there 10 Keep him fully advised of
The situation. The Governor has
also wired the shcriffs Of Rockdale |
and DcKalb co nlies, giving them
information that engineers claim to
have been rocked at Conyers and |
Lithonia, and urging upon them
prompt action for the protection of
the railroads employees and prop
nrty. From the offices Of the Geor-
gta Railropd here Tonight it is an
MOMmCoA that all frniohi accnmnlnt-