Smyrna times., 1910-03-02

Service Demoralized.
Philadelphia, Feb. 28.-The strike
against the Philadelphia Rapid Tran
sit company has spread to all labor
unions in the city. The Central Labor
union, with hardly a dissenting voice,
voted for a general strike to go into
effect next Saturday.
The decision of the union bosses
followed a day of almost continuous
rioting, in which a man and boy
were killed and sixty persons were
hurt. The trouble spread over the en-
tire southeastern section Of the city
and hared up generally wherever po-
lice protection was inadequate. 1t was
one of the worst days Philadelphia has
suffered since the carmen walked out.
The order for a general sympathetic
strike was determined on as the only
means to force the Rauid Transit COM
pany to arbitrate with it's men. The
action of the Central Labor union puts
it up to the individual unions to vote
whether they want to strike. AS a mat
ter of fact, most of them have voted
already to go out.
The danger lies in this, that the
striking carmen will have the active
helr of perhaps 10000 idle men, n
restless, dissatisfied force, that may
produce far more disorder than the
city has yet seen. The resumption of
riOting was caused largely by the GER
tsinty that a general strike order
would be the result of the labor meet
ing.
The first serious fighting was in
Manayunk, along Main street. A crowd
of 1000 men and boys stoned a car.
driving the motorman and conductor
before them. The few policemen who
were in the neighborhood were help
less. They were curfed and beaten and
ridiculed. Car after car was attacked,
its windows smashed with stones and
the passengers forced to run for their
own safety. Fifty policemen responded
TO the first riot call, but there were
not enogh of them to handle t. mob.
Another squad of fifty came up and
for fifteen minutes there was a hand
to-hand battle. Thomas Wagner, six
~teen-year-old boy, was shot in the left
breast and was taken to hospital in
a dying condition. Another boy was
shot in the hand Sergeant Frank
Zimm, Of the police, was knocked
senseless with brick. The doctors re-
ported that he had a fractured skull.
Policeman Thomas Ray was struck
with a brick, which broke his jaw
Ray was guarding a car at Tenth and
South streets. He started to shoot into
a crowd which had surrounded a cal
and bombarded it, but before he could
get his revolver pumping brick had
knocked him senseless.
A number of persons were hurt in /,
fight between the police and a crowt
at Girard avenue and Fourth streets
The trouble was started by boys. II
less than ten minutes four policemen
were backed up against a wall dodgin,
bricks. They shot into the mob ant
finally brought down Thomas Ker
shaw, one of the rioters, with bulle
in his neck. When reinforcements al
rived the police charged into the mol
and clubbed savagely. Half a dozel
persons went to the hospital out o
this fight.
Rioting Was Widespread.
The lower southeast was ablaze wit
trouble all day. Since the coming Q
the state constables the discontente
and disorderly had been overawet
was to be called gave the brick throw
ers nerve enough to start bombardn
the cars again.
Along Fifth and Sixth streets thol
sands of people lined the sidewalk
hooting the nOn-union motormen an
conductors and occasionally THROWN
a stone. Sometimes the troopers ha
to be summoned to free cars that ha
been held up. But the troopers coul
not be every place at once. They wei
patrolling a wide stretch of territor
and the mObs took advantage of the
difficulties.
Towards evening the peril of ru
ming cars in Fifth street was so gre
that motormen in passing JacksC
street, where the crowds were mass,
thickest, gave their cars full spe,
and went tipping through a lane
yelling strike sympathizers. II
gauntlet began at Dickinson street al
ran as far as Jackson street. Hardly
car came out without smashed wi
fows. The passengers were forced
throw themselves fat on the 40,
Several were cut by glass that d,
from the broken windows.
A southbound car turned east
Jackson street, and the conductor "
in such hurry TO dodge bricks Il
he failed to throw back the swift
After the car had gone on some {
placed a piece of wood in the switch
hold II open.
There we're three passengers on
car following. 1t was attacked
viciously at Dickinson street that II
threw themselves on their faces u,
the floor. Stones and bricks crasl
through the windows. A policeman
the front platform, struck with
brick. fred into the crowd. but hit
bodv The motornan twisted his {