Evening star., 1909-05-29
POWER TO END STRIKE
Authority to Agree to Arbitrate
Given General Manager Scott.
VIOLENCE IN AUGUSTA YARD
Negro Fireman Badly Beaten by
White Men-ExcitementH High
at Thomson and Union Point.

ATLANTA, May o9.-The state of Geor-
gia officials will today instruct that the
sheriff at Lithonia summon a posse of
sufficient size to protect and insure the
movement of the stalled freight cars from
Lithonia to Atlanta.
This is the first interference by the state
in the strike and 1t applies only to the
situation at Lithonia.
. The arbitration feature of the strike
was simpified today. It was announced
that General Manager Scott of the rail-
road now has full power to say whether
or not there shall be arbitration for every
mile Of track covered by Georgia trains.
Up to today Mr.. Scott could speak only
for the Georgia railroad proper. but not
for the action Of the Atlanta Joint Ter
minals Company, controlling the tracks
and yards In this city affected by the
strike.
White Firemen in Charge.
The mail train on the Georgia railroad
which left for Augusta this morning had
for it's fireman a non-union white man in
stead of a negro, as was the case on the
trains run TO and from Atlanta yesterday.
The violence at Lithonia last night.
when Engineer Dowling was hit by
stone, was known within an hour In al
most every town along the Georgia rail-
| road, and II served to Increase the bitter
| resentment against the railroad for using
negro firemen almost exclusively in Oper-
atlng mail trains yesterday.
AT Union Point and Thomson excite
ment was high. Every one OF the mail
| trains went out today carrying United
States post Office inspectors, as was the
case yesterday. and 1t was realized that
an overt act directed against q member
| Of the crew on one OF these trains might
| result in further complications. The pos
tai authorities stated positively TO-DAY.
| however, that they did not anticipate the
| slightest trouble in operating mail trains.
| Knapp's Arrival Awaited.
With a tenseness indescribable the ar
rival was awaited today from Washing
| ton Of Chairman Knapp Of the interstate
commerce commission and Second Assists
ant Postmaster General Stewart. who
come at the direct instance OF President
Taft to investigate the strike, with q
view to aiding in bringing about settle-
| ment. 1t is not known along what lines
| these men will proceed. but there Is
general feeling that since they come as
the direct agents of the President, and at
his earnest solicitation, something definite
and satisfactory will be accomplished
without much further delay.
After a brief conference last night with
Commissioner Of Labor Neill, c. E. Evans.
fourth vice president of the Louisville and
Nashville railroad. left the city. nothing
being given out as a result Of his visit.
Excitement Running High.
MADISON, Ga, May 29.-Intense ex-
citement prevails at Thomson and Union
Point on the Georgia railroad, and there
| Is a firm determination that no trains
save those carrying mails solely will be
allowed to pass those points.
The acton of the railroad in sending
| the mail trains out with negro firemen is
bitterly resented. 1t is feared that these
trains are not safe from attack.
There are many negroes residing in
these towns along the Georgia railroad,
and to the great majority OF them the
manifestation of excitement upon the
part of the whites is not understood. 1t
Is current among some of the blacks that
race trouble has broken out in Atlanta
and that several hundred negroes have
been killed.
There is no denying the fact that 1t Is
imperative that something in the way OF
settling this strike be done without delay,
else there probably will be bloodshed.
Negro Fireman Beaten.
AUGUSTA, Ca, May 29-A negro fire.
man has just been badly beaten by white
men In the Georgia railroad yards near
this city. One arm was broken.
Two white men have been placed under
arrest.