The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1910-02-23
R|0T|NG GROWS
IN INTENSITY
Philadelphia Strikers Causing the
Police to Acknowledge Their
Helplessness.
SOLDIER LOSES HIS GUN;
IS THROWN IN SEWER
Authorities Making Preparations
to Call Out Entire Force of
State Police and Militia
Today.

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 22.-Three
boys were shot and probably fatally
injured and several received less Sc
we're wounds today when in the riots
which followed a resumption of serv-
ice by the Philadelphia Rapid Tran
sit company shooting occurred in at
tacks on cars in the northern section
of Market street, the principal thor
oughfare being the scene of disturb
ances all day. Cars were stoned and
two policemen were roughly handled
by the mob of several thousand per-
sons Dozens of arrests were made
and the prisoners were placed in a
trolley car. This was stormed by the
mob and two prisoners escaped. Prep
arations are being made by the au
thorities to call upon the entire force
of state militia.
Militia Will Be Needed.
The city is unable to cope with the
situation President Murphy of the
Central Labor union still regards a
general strike of all trade-unions in
the city inevitable, although Organizer
Pratt is said to oppose the move.
Members of the state Fencibles, an
Independent military organization,
& ZVU strong, were pldCeu OH uuty tOudy,
armed with loaded rifles. They were
detailed in the Kensington mill dis
triet, the hotbed of sympathizers. In
the first skirmish they were badly
beaten by the mob, that paid no at
tention to drawn bayonets and
snatched the rifles from the hands of
the young militiamen.
Members of the Fencibies, accord
ing to Mayor Rayburn, acted as If
they were allowing girls in the dis
trict to wear their caps and cut brass
buttons from their clothing At one
point group of rioters captured
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 then
threw them into a sewer.
Many Cars Wrecked.
According to a statement issued by
the Transit company tonight, the
damage done today and the number
of assaults were greater than any
previous day of the strike. Two hun
dred and ninety-five cars were
wrecked, making $50 cars put out of
commission since the strike began.
Six hundred and fifty cars were run
today, and it was stated the number
to run tomorrow would be regulated
wholly by the extent of police pro-
lection.
Police Escape Death.
Fifteen policemen narrowly escaped
death in the company's barn at Ridge
avenue and Work street tonight, when
the entire northeast corner of the
building was blown away with dyna-
mite explosion which occurred just as
c. o. Pratt was about to address
meeting of the carmen at Ridge ave-
nue. and Dauphin street.
Only two cars were run on the Lee
high line in the afternoon. Both were
badly shattered by stones. Policemen
in this district were fired on by p
strike sympathizer who concealed
himself in a church. This enraged
the police and they returned the fire,
hitting w e. Collins in the groin.
The crucial point in the strike sit
uation 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 assistance will demand that
the mayor forward to the governor a
request for state troops. general
strike order predicted ny Murphy to-
day may also materialize tomorrow.
National Organizer Pratt, after his re-
lease on bail today. held a conference
with Murphy at which it is said he
urged the inexpediency of general
strike but at the close of the confer
ence Murphy still believed such a
strike inevitable.