Evening star., 1909-06-03
SUBWAY AND | MEN
JOIN THE STRIKERS
Two More Philadelphia Lines
Crippled by Labor Leaders
This Mornig.
COMPANY EXPECTS TO
KEEP L ROAD RUNNING
Disorders Resumed at Scene of Last
Nights Rioting.
FOUR HUNDRED POLICE ADDED
Strike Leader Declares Trouble Will
End If Mayor Reyburn Announces
Willingness to Arbitrate.


PHILADELPHIA. June 3-The striking
motormen and conductors Of the Philadel-
phia Rapid Tranct Company made their
first aggressive move today by pulling out
the men from the subway lines and Grip
ping this service. This move, long
threatened. had been held off, Director
Pratt of the strikers announced. in the
hope that the intercession of citizens or
a move on the part of the mayor looking
to arbitration would make it unneces-
sary.
The subway was opened less than a year
ago. 1t takes in a section from the Della
ware river ferries to 69th street in the
extreme western end of the city. con-
Meeting with the lines leading into Chester
and Delaware counties. It's employees were
better paid than the surface men. and in
addition it is understood they had been
receiving double pay since the strike be-
gan.
Soon after clock the order went out
to close the ticket windows. and thou
sands of people anxious to get to their
places of business were left stranded
miles from the center of the city.
morning." said Pratt. land we decided to
give the company something to talk about.
The men were called out. and before
night the tie-up will be complete"
L Road Motorman Quits.
The first man to quit his Job on the "L'
did so through fright. He was Ben Rice.
motorman, who had received a letter
threatening to blow up his house. He de-
serted his post in fear at the 46th street
station, and other trains following were
tied up until a substitute could be found
to take his place. The threat frightened
Rice so badly that he would not remain
on the car.
Rice said that his wife found a note on
the porch of his little home In West
Philadelphia this morning reading: IF
you go to work we will blow up your
house." This unnerved him and he felt
he must quit. When he abandoned his
crowded train the passengers sent up
loud cheer. and this influenced the crew
to also quit. Other crews followed suit.
and only a few trains are being operated.
At noon subway and elevated trains
were running twenty minutes apart. The
usual headway is four to five minutes.
Expects to Keep L Road Running.
Lawrence McCoubrie. division suoer:l-
tendent on the elevated system. who made
the trip on the car deserted by Rt:e, said
that Rice had quit because he had been
threatened by the strikers.
Rice was one of our most loyal men,
said McCoubrie. "but he lost his nelva
because of the letter he received. l have
seen this letter 1t threatened tha. unless
Rice quit working today he wod"l De
killed and his home blown up. Rice was
worried for fear the strikers would carry
out their threats.
Il have in my possession a dozen such
letters. turned over TO me by the me1
working on the subway and elevated sys-
TENS. threatening them with all kinds or
bodily harm If they do not quit the COM
pany.
In spite of the desertions we expect to
keep the L in operation. The division
is in good shape and we are fully pre-
pared To meet any emergency.
The operation of the system is .rreSu ar.
and at some Of the stations the 10 Ice
guards were preventing would be passs n
gers fr0rl entering.
Just before IL clock this morning. and
while preparing to, address mass meet
ing of the elevated and subway en-
ployes. Leader Pratt declared that he had
formal. called out the L men and
that already there was an 50 per cent
tie-up on the system.
Two more cars on the elevated and sub
way system were deserted by motorme0
and conductors at Goth and Market streets
The men walked out Of their trains and
announced that they had quit. The line
was again tied up, this time for about
twenty minutes. while the subcrews were
brought from the 69th street barn.
At that terminus four conductors turn
ing in shortly before 10 clock announced
that they had had enough and would
quit The men gave their badges to the
officials of the company there and refused
to continue their runs
Details of Philadelphia Rapid Transit
fEa
the roadbed and equipment to insure
against any tampering with the line.
All Of those injured in last nights
serious rioting will recover. About one
hundred are under treatment in hospitals.
The station houses are filled TO overflow
ing with persons arrested for rioting.
Disorder Resumed Today.
AS illustrating the ugly feeling en-
gendered by last nights rioting' there
were more minor disturbances this morn
ing probably than at any time since the
strike began. Nothing serious happened.
the strike sympathizers merely devotins
their energies to the harassment or the
strikebreakers and others who are run
ming the compa ratively few cars that
are on the street. Each car carries one
or more policemen, but few passengers.
the public evidently being afraid 10 ride.
Thousa nds walk from choice, however.
as means of getting even" with the
transit company for its recent increase
In the rate OF fare.
Rioting at I'd and Dock streets. ,ust
across the Bourse. brought a small army
of mounted cops TO the scene at 10 O'Clock.
a mob composed largely of market and
produce men, attacked car. breaking
the windows and cutting the trolley rope.
The crew Of strikebreakers was hauled
off and severely beaten. The crowd
fought the police. but was finally dis
persed after score OF heads had oeen
broken and many arrests made.
Four Hundred Police Sworn In.
Four hundred additional subpolicemen
were sworn in this morning.
Timothy O'Leary. assistant superintend-
emf of police who has been in active
charge of the policing of the city since