Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-23
THREE FATALLY
HURT IN FIERCE
STREET RIOTING
Violence and Bloodshed
Are General in City
of Philadelphia
MILITIA ISPOWERLESS
Strike of Union Labor
Men Is Anticipated
This Morning
Associated Press1

~ nHILADELPH Feb. 22.-Three
boys were shot and probably fa-
Il tally injured and several received
less severe wounds today in riots that
followed the resumption of service by
the Philadelphia Rapid Transit COM
pany. The shooting occurred in attacks
on cars in the northeastern section.
Market street, the principal business
thoroughfare, was the scene of the dis
turbances all day. Cars were stoned
and two policemen were roughly han
died by mob of several thousand
persons.
A dozen arrests were made and the
prisoners were placed in a trolley car.
This was stormed by the mob and two
prisoners escaped. Preparations were
made by the authorities to call upon
the entire force Of the state militia if
the police tomorrow were unable to
cope with the situation.
General Strike Predicted
President Murphy Of the Central La
Dor union still regards a general strike
of all trade unions in the city as inev-
liable, although Organizer Pratt is
said to oppose this move. Pratt was
arrested, charged with melting a riot
but later was released.
Members of the State Fencibles, an
1HQtDeHQtIlL ItltllIcIy OISdIlAdIlOu HOU
strong, were placed on duty today
armed with loaded rifles. They were
detailed in the Kensington mill district
in the northeast a hotbed of union
sympathizers. In their first skirmish
they were badly beaten by mob that
paid no attention to the drawn bay
onets and snatched the rifles from the
hands of the young militiamen.
Members of the Fencibles, according
to Mayor Reyburn, acted as If they
were allowing girls in the mill district
to wear their caps and cut the brass
buttons off their clothing. At one
point a group Of rioters captured, a
member of the Fencibles and carried
him several feet from his post, where
they stripped him of his coat hat and
cartridge belt and gun and threw them
into sewer.
Fifteen policemen quartered in the
barn of the company at Ridge avenue
and York street narrowly escaped
death tonight when the entire north
east corner of the building was blown
away with dynamite. The explosion
occurred just as C. o. Pratt was about
to address a meeting of car men at
Ridge avenue and Dauphin street
How the dynamite was placed in the
car barn is a mystery.
The State Fencibles, after being har-
d.
thousands of strike sympathizers, were
withdrawn at nightfall.
The militia had been powerless
against the mob, but a half-dozen
mounted police had ridden up and
down, driving the rioters before them
in the afternoon.
Only two cars were run on the Le-
high avenue line in the afternoon. Both
were badly shattered by stones. Po-
licemen In this district were fired upon
by strike sympathizer who had con-
cealed himself in ST. Simon's church
This enraged guardians of the peace
and they returned the fire, hitting w.
e. Collins in the groin.
Satisfied with Police
Director of Public Safety Clay said
tonight that should outside assistance
be required he would ask for the state
constabulary before calling for the mil
itia. He expressed himself as satis-
fed with the way the police have han
died the mobs up to date.
Following conference with Gov
ernor Stuart this afternoon, Mayor
Reyburn held a consultation with
heads of the various city departments
and decided to prepare to call on the
governor for the entire state militia
in case the police tomorrow are unable
to cope with the rioters.
The crucial point in the situation
promises to develop tomorrow. The
company, it is understood, will attempt
to start cars on the regular schedule,
and If the police do not give adequate
protection will demand that the mayor
forward to the governor a request for
state troops.
The general strike order by Presi-
dent Murphy today also may material
ize. c. o. Pratt, national organizer
for the street car men, after his re-
lease on bail today held a conference
with President Murphy, at which he
is reported to have urged the mex
pediency of a general strike, but Muir
ply at the close of the conference said
he still believed a general strike in
evitable.
Walkout May Come Today
OF the 100000 or more members of
labor unions in this city, $4,000 already
have voted to go on strike, according
to the secretary of the central labor
union. Whether leaders who, are op-
posing general strike will be able
to defer walkout tomorrow is prob
lematical
Delegations of labor leaders left for
Washington this afternoon to urge
Senator Penrose to use his influence
toward a peaceable settlement.
A nonunion conductor was badly
hurt at Sixth and Market streets late
this afternoon when a crowd attacked
his car after a boy had pulled the
trolley pole from the feed wire. Po-
licemen drove back the crowd with re-
volvers and started the car. 1t had
gone but a short distance when a
heavy iron weight thrown from a win
dow crashed through the roof of the
vehicle Two badly frightened women
in the car were not hurt
Mayor Reyburn stopped his confer
ence with city officials this afternoon
to give little talk on the street.
He said he had not contemplated
closing the saloons Thus far the
drinking places, he said, had given
no trouble. Not one of those arrested
for rioting, he said, was under the In
fluence of liquor
1--WE are prepared for any emer-
eanoy." he said. eff the labor people
Who sympathize with the 5000 strikers
decide to quit work that is their right.
hut whether the public will quietly