Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-08-19
POLICE HELPLESS
To Handle tho Strikers at
New Bedford, Mass.
Mob Charge Officers, Who f|fe
Shots In the Al.
Situation Serious and 10 Relief Of
Present In Sight.

fiict between some of the 1000 striking
building laborers and the local police
was barely averted today Shots were
fired in the air by the officers who had
drawn their revolvers under command
of Chief Mason when crowd of more
than 200 persons sought to attack the
officers. The crowd was dispersed with
out injury. ,tf fts}.
This drawing of revolvers by the DO
lice evoked a protest late in the day
from Felice D'Allesandro, the strike
leader. He told Chief Mason that he
thought the police are discriminating
against the strikers. Shortly after the
chief received word from a meeting of
the principal building contractors that
the latter had agreed that they thought
the police protection afforded the men
at work is inadequate. Chief Mason's
position is that of being between "The
| devil and the deep sea- The fact that
\ both sides are protesting is sufficient
! assurance to him, he says, that the
police are properly performing their
duty.
at the meeting of the contractirs,
| held In the Board of Tradeq rooms 1t
| was voted to ask both Mayor Ashley
and Chief Mason to a conference with
| the contractors tomorrow. The con-
! tractors voted again not to grant the
advance In wages asked by the Build
ing Laborers' Union. After the meeting
/ they declared their intention of import
| ing no more strike breakers saying
| they had enough men willing to work
| If they could get sufficient police pro-
lection.
| The strikers late this afternoon also
held a mass meeting. the largest they
| have held thus far. and Labor temple,
where it was held. was packed General
Organizer DAilesandro and Organiser
Henry Silva addressed the men and
the meeting placed itself on record as
continuing its demand for increased
wages and recognition of the union.
Aside from the early trouble at the
Sharp mill in which the officers drew
their revolvers and fired, there was but
one disturbance during the day that
called for police interference. This was
ia place on Coggeshall street. where
several strikers were endeavoring Fore
ibiy to prevent laborers from working.
When the police appeared the strikers
disappeared. sF
New Bedford. Mass, Aug. 1S.-The
strike of 1000 or more building labor
ers in this city reached an exciting
stage today when detail Of Is police
men. under command of Chief Mason,
were forced to draw their revolvers
and fire several shots into the air in
order to intimidate the strikers The
police were guarding a gang of strike
breakers engaged in excavation work
on the new Sharp mill, when a crowd
of more than 200 strikers and strike
sympathizers attempted to rush the
, officers. The officers drew their re-
volvers, banded together and prepared
to resist the attack. For moment
the strikers wavered and Chief Mason
ordered his men to fire into the air.
Several shots were fred by the 'oflicers.
but none was aimed at the strikers.
Soon afterwards the crowd dispersed.
Some excitement was caused q little
later when a crowd Of Is or 100 strtk-
ers appeared suddenly at the corner of
Union and Sixth streets, In the heart
of the city, where a. construction Job
is in progress. The strikers endeavor-
ed to take some teamsters over the
work done on the site OF the old Elkins
building and We're making fair prog
ress, when detail OF police which had
been summoned. appeared. The strik-
ers had begun to unharness the horses
from the wagons in which the bricks
for the work were being carted, when
the police arrived, but at the sight Of
the officers they promptly disappeared.
The great area Of building opera
TORS and the distances between points
where trouble crops out has been the
greatest handicap the police have met
in dealing with the situation Some Of
the construction jobs In the center of
the city are easily protected by the Of
ficers, but the big operations on the
new mills in the extreme North and
South ends Of the city make thorough
protection nearly impossible. Some Of
the new mills are located near the
Dartmouth line, another Is on Clarks
Point while others are five or six miles
distant in the extreme northerly Sec
ton. Herdly has a demonstration been
guelled at one point when word IL re-
ceived of threatening situation at
some other section and the police have
to be hurried thitner. Besides the work
at the North and South sections and
the work in the center Of the city, there
is large construction job in the West
end. where a new building Is being
erected for the ST. Mary's Home, q
Continued on Page Twelve.)