The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1910-02-25
Calls for Policemen Averaged
One Every 4 Minutes.
ESTIMATE 100 ARE INJURED
Cured in Which Over a Thou
sand Persons Took Part
Large Property Loss.

The hospitals in Philadelphia are
crowded with persons who were
shot or beaten in the car strike
riots that spread vicously all over SUI
burban Philadelphia. At least 100 got
in the way of bullets or bricks or paw
ing stones, and half of these were hurt
seriously. The outlook was so alarm
ing late Sunday afternoon that the
PHILADELPHIA Rapid Transit company
Withdrew every one of it's cars from
service and sent them to the ba rs,
and Mayor Reyburn authorized Henry
Clay the director of public safety. to
recruit 1000 extra policemen by today
if possible. The regular force of $500
are utterly unable to cope with the
situation.
C.. o. Pratt, the national organizer
who is in charge of the strike in per-
son, said that meeting of the Central
Labor unions executive committee had
been he in the home of President j.
J. Murphy, and that the committee,
with Murphy's approval, had decided
to call a general strike if the Rapid
Transit company presevered in trying
to run cars with non-union men. Mur-
ply, who is thoroughly in sympathy
with the striking conductors and mo-
tormen, confirmed Pratt's statement.
Murphy says he has the power to call
out 100000 men which would tie up Or
cripple every industrial establishment
in the city practically.
How frequent and generally distrub-
ed was the rioting may be judged
when it is known that there was call
for policemen every four minutes from
early Sunday morning until late in the
night.
Thea rea of rioting was so immense
that the police had a desperately diff
cult problem on their hands. Several
times during the day there were fights
in which more than a thousand per-
sons were taking part, occurring SIM
ultaneously in a dozen far separated
localities.
The outcome of the fighting and dis
order was that four persons were in
jured fatally in all likelihood, about
100 were sent to the hospitals, and
297 cars were more or less damaged
and three cars were burned. Accord
ing to the companys reports 2,6OS
windows were broken.
There were more than $50 arrests
made. The maximum number of cars
that the company had in service al
any time was 702.
20 hn union fhof thnre
are from $500 to 1000 men on strike
and that the company has not single
old employee left on the job. The com
pany states that it does not intend tt
hire strike-breakers.
With the prospect of a strike of 100,
900 union workers in the city, the pc
lice force was augmented by. the
swearing in of the State Fencibles
200 strong, armed with rifles and bay
onets, and the car strike situation be
came tenser than ever. The Philadel
phia military companies, cavalry anG
infantry, have been ordered to be
ready for duty at any moment.
Labor organizations in genera
throughout the city are indignant al
the arrest, on charge of melting riot
of Clarence o. Pratt, national organi
ger OF the Amalgamated Association Of
Street and Electric Railway Employees
Nothing can stop a general strike
now. l can't stop it, although the
working people OF the city have placed
their fate in my hands," said John
Murphy, president of the Central Lab
or Union.
1t was reported that warrants haG
been issued for the arrest of Murphy
Peter Driscoll. head of the local car
mems union, and other labor leaders.
Later in the day President Murphy
called strike of all the labor men il
sympathy with the striking street Cal
men. Between $4,000 and 100000 mer
are expected to respond to the call
This will tie up the city completely.