The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-02-23
CARS BLOWN Up.
Dynamite Used by Strikers
In Philadelphia.
MILITIA HELD IN READINESS.
Mayor Reyburn Orders, all Saloons
Closed In Consequence of the
Spread of Rioting-Strike
Leader Arrested.
MILITIA HELD IN READINESS.

Philadelphia. Feb. 22.-Rioting and
acts of violence at many points mark
the trolley strike here, and in spite of
the fact that more than 1900 special
policemen have been sworn in the
force is unable to restore order.
Brigadier General Wendell T. Bow
man has directed his officers to mobi-
lize the national guard regiments of
the First brigade. and the arrival of
three regiments is hourly expected.
The city officials consider the cOndi.
ton to be the most critical of its kind
that has occurred in any city since the
reign of terror at the Pullman works,
Chicago. seventeen years ago.
From many points today reports
came in of cars wrecked. stoned and
shot at. but the worst of the acts Of
violence was the blowing up of two
cars on Lehigh avenue with dynamite.
A mob of strikers and their sympa-
thizers ordered the motOrmen, conduct
orS and passengers off the cars, put
sticks of dynamite under the trucks
completely destroyed.
In the riots one motorman suffered
fractured skull, and it is believed
that he will die.
Inadequate police protection forced
the Rapid Transit company to cut the
number of running cars from 1000 to
200, and as the day advanced scores Of
these were taken into the barns.
Tonight, it is feared. the greatest
riots of the strike will occur. To fore
stall as much trouble as possible Nay
or Reyburn ordered that all saloons be
closed.
In all sections of the city there was
rioting. Mobs threw stones at cars
and in masses rushed the crews. defy
ing police. daring them TO shoot and
Overturning the cars.
A mob of 5000, in which there were
at least 200 women, shrieking like har-
pies, pulled nOnunion motOrman
from the platform of a Frankford car.
Lieutenant Sykes galloped up with a
squad of mounted police and charged
the crowd. The police had their re-
Volvers out. Three Of the mob had
thrown rope around the motorman's
neck. had nOosed il and were prepar-
ing TO swing him up to lamppost
The pistols scared them on and the
policemen rescued the shaking motor
man.
The mob resorted 10 curious devices
TO stop the progress OF the cars. A
crowd laid an American flag over the
rails OF the Kensington avenue tracks
When the mOtorman Of a car ran
straight over the flag they yanked him
off and beat him badly. At another
point they rolled. with much exertion.
pair of enormous beer casks. obtain
ed at brewery, and set them on the
tracks. When the first car came along
the motorman and conductor took one
look and climbed off
Frequently squads Of strikers or
their sympathizers planted themselves
between the rails and dared the mo-
tormen to run over them. IL was
about the most effective barricade they
found. The carmen didn't dare. II
would have meant their death in all
likelihood
Ashes, carloads of dirt, the contents
of all the garbage cans that could be
c'~ected for blocks around, piles of
iron and heaps Of wood were piled on
the trucks, tactics that interfered ma
terially with the attempt OF the transit
company TO keep certain lines in serv-
ice
Clarence o. Pratt, the captain gen
eral of the army OF men who are strik-
ing against the Philadelphia RapId
Transit company, has been arrested
charged with conspiracy and melting
riot. The director Of public safety,
Henry Clay, who bosses under Mayor
Reyburn force Of policemen that has
proved wholly ineffective, called four
plain clothes men into his office and
told them TO get the strike leader
wherever he could be found. They
found Pratt in a restaurant and took
him TO a cell at pklice headquarters.
Now that Pratt has been put behind
the bars, the command of the strikers
devolves upon John J. Murphy. whose
Importance lies in the fact that he has
power TO call out from $4,000 10 1OO.-
600 labor union men and paralyze ev-
cry important industry in the city OF
Philadelphia. Murphy says he is GO
Ing 10 issue the call. He says that
his hand has been forced by the ac-
ton OF the police heads in arrestins
Pratt and that there seems to be moth
ing else left.
Director Claws totally unexpeeted