Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-06-04
EXPECT STREET
CAR STRIKE TO
BE ENDED SOON
SETTLEMENT OF TROUBLES IN
PHILADELPHIA PROBABLE
SERIOUS RloTINo OCCURS DUR
ING NOON HOUR
Employees of Elevated Road Join Rapid
Transit strlkers-Influentia
Politicians Try to Stop
Hostllltles
lRY Associated Press. ]

- strike of the motormen and con-
Il ductors of the Philadelphia Rapid
Transit company is in process of set
tlement. Those having the matter in
charge confidently assert the trouble
will be over within twenty-four hours.
Serious rioting was resumed today.
Most of the disturbances occurred dur
ing the noon hour, when the workers
threw bricks at passing motormen and
co luctors.
For the first time since the strike
was begun a number of the employees
of the elevated road Joined the str1k-
ers. The surface cars ran at irregular
ietervals until nightfall, after which
no attempt was made to continue the
service.
influential politicians today took
steps to end the struggle Senator MS
Nichol recognized Republican leader,
and Senator Ware, who control the
downtown section, announcer that they
sympathize with the men and were try
ing to bring the strike to an end. NC
Nichol presented the demands of the
men to the company. twenty-five
cents an hour instead Of Twenty-Five
cents, originally asked by the men, is
said to be the new proposition.
Saloons Close Early
Mayor Reyburn said this afternoon
that developments were expected that
might end the street car strike at any
minute. 1t was believed arbitration was
in sight as Senator McMichael, the Re-
publican leader of Philadelphia, has
taken an active part In the consulta-
tions today between city officials and
representatives of the transit com
pany, and it is believed the political
heads are fearful their cause will be
| injured by a prolonged struggle.
| All the saloons of the city were or
dered closed at o'clock tonight.
| There was much disorder today in
the districts that saw the rioting last
night. When the streets filled with
people in the business section at noon
crowd surrounded car one Dlock
from the postoffice. The motorman and
| conductor were dragged off and beaten
| and for a while the air was filled with
| missiles. The car windows and the
windows and showcases of a drug store
were smashed. A policeman was hit or
the head by brick and seriously hurt
Policemen scattered the crowd an6
made several arrests.
Strike Spreads to Subway
At 10 o'clock this morning the ele-
waited and subway system of the Phil
adelphia Rapid Transit company, which
had been a bulwark of strength of the
company since the strike began, be-
came tied up by a partial strike of its
employees.
| The trouble started when west
bound train reached the F'orty-sixth
street station. Here the crew deserted
| Subsequently other crews deserted
their trains. The company's officials
would not discuss the situation, but the
| ticket windows were closed and the
crowds on the platforms took to the
streets.
At IL o'clock c. o. Pratt, the strike
leader, announced he had called out the
elevated and subway men and that 81
per cent of the service on that system
was tied up. The company claims there
is no strike; that two crews quit and
their places were filled. 1t is under
| stood that some of the men who
stopped work this morning returned tc
their trains when assured of protection
Ample police protection now accom-
panies each train.
All of those injured in last nghtt
rioting will recover. About one hundred
are under treatment in hospitals. The
station houses were filled to overflow
| ing with persons arrested for rioting.
III Feeling Engendered
AS an illustration of the ugly feeling
| engendered by last nights rioting there
were more minor disturbances today
probably, than at any time since the
strike began. The strike sympathizers
devoted their energies to the harrass-
ment of the strike breakers and others
who are running the few cars that are
on the street. Each car carries one OF
more policemen, but few other persons
i a id In
ride.
Four hundred additional sub-police-
men were sworn in this morning. Tim
othy O'Leary, assistant superintendent
of police, said today that If necessary
to preserve order 10000 extra men would
be enrolled for police duty.
At noon subway and elevated trains
were running twenty minutes apart
The usual schedule is four to five min
utes. Benjamin Rice, the first motor
man to abandon his train, said his wife
found note on the porch OF his little
home this morning reading:
"If you go to work we will blow
your house up"
| This unnerved him. When the train
was abandoned the passengers sent UP
loud cheer and this influenced the
crew to quit also.
This afternoon the mayor ordered the
| suspension of Captains DUNCAN and
Thompson, veterans in the city's police
force. 1t is presumed they are charged
with failure to vigorously push the or
ders against rioting.
The report that the strike probably
would be settled within twenty-four
hours spread quickly but not before
rioters in the Kensington district had
started on their errand of destruction.
A mob of nearly 1000 persons formed
early tonight on Kensington avenue
and started for the main barn of the
company, intending to demolish it. BY
the time the barn was reached there
was nearly 1000 in the mob. 1t was
met by 500 policemen at the barn. This
had a quieting effect and only few
stones were thrown.
Demonstrations were made in other
portions of the city. Cars were
wrecked and motormen, conductors
and policemen attacked Several per-
sons were injured.
If the men agree to accept counter
proposition made by the transit Of
fiicials they will return to work late
tomorrow.