Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-02-26
City Official !li!'ill| Says Phi|a-
doiphia Strike Is Over.
Organizer Pratt Says General
Strike Is Inevitable.
Several Riots Reporied-.-W Warrant
Out for q Labor Leader.

president of the Central Labor Union,
that "a general strike should be call
ed Immediately. think it is inevitable.
There are men in the Northeast who
can shoot as straight as any trooper
who ever drew BREATH" a warrant
was issued tonight for the labor lead
er, charging him with melting to riot.
The remarks on which the warrant
for Murphy's arrest were based were
said 20 have been made by him after
the announcement that at special
meeting Of the board Of directors Of
the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Co. the
request for arbitration submitted by
the committee Of prominent clergy
men had been declined.
Riots in West Philadelphia and in
the southern section of the city fol-
lowed the running of cars after lark
tonight in those localities. Three cars
westhound on South street were held
up by an obstruction at the east end
of the drawbridge over the Sclluylkill
river. A crowd of men and boys show
cred bricks, stones and pieces of wood
at the motorman, conductors and po-
licemcn who were guarding the cars.
A policeman on guard at a nearby
powerhouse, however. came 10 the
rescue and with drawn revolver forced
issway through the crowd and sue
ceeded in dragging the injured men
to the powers house When 80 blue
coats reached the scene the crowd
had dispersed, leaving the cars bad
ly wrecked.
Other riots were reported at 9Th and
Market streets and in several other
nf Dhi1adrlpbia
Director of Public Safety Clay said
in an interview that the strike is now
merely a memory. He also issued or
ders forbidding the use of wagons
which have been doing a thriving bus
mess hauling to and from work, per-
sons who would not risk themselves
to ride on the cars while the temper
OF the strike sympathizers was at fe
yer heat.
At the meeting of the board of d.
rectors Of the Philadelphia Rapid Tran
sit Co. today, it was decided that any
striker whose previous record was
good. would be taken back by the com
pany provided he applied for his posi-
ton before March 1. A reply was
made to the committee of clergymen
politely. but firmly refusing to. sub
nit to the proposed arbitration. This
attitude of the company caused re-
newal of the plans for a sympathetic
&. o. Pratt, the organizer of the car
men, who has been opposing this plan
said: "A general strike will positively
be declared unless the company comes
to terms We are prepared to fight
for weeks or months. We are not
whipped and the company will have to
treat with u.s."
F. f.. Greenwalt. president of the
pennsylvania State Federation of
Labor. said: THE street car strike has
ceased to become local issue. 1t is
now national. The State and the
American Federation stand by to give
Whatever support is deemed necessary
The strike will be won"
The Cigar Makers Union TODAY
adopted resolutions OF sympathy with
the street carmen and pledged moral
and financial support.
A meeting of the Central Labor
Union of Philadelphia which is COM
posed of delegates from the various
trade unions of the city will be held on
Sunday at which the questions of call
Ing general sympathetic strike will
be discussed John j. Murphy. president
of the Central Labor Union. said This
AFTERNOON that a general strike will be
called - VIZ ="
"a general strike" he declared sic
"eV''aoie. l would call it now if il
WI. "ic hot 10 De reared that complica-
, '""s 'hleht ensue. At present l have
ie''ers from union leaders who repre-
sent $4,000 workers. They declare their
readiness and desire to strike at a mo-
ment's notice.
iou can depend upon 1t that at Sum
"ays meeting a general strike will be
.a"eo. II one man is shot in Keninr-
'oh' 0he mill district, there will follow
carnival of riot and bloodshed which
WI. startle the entire country. The
state police would be- helpless. / want
understood that there are men in
'he northeast who can shoot as straight
as any trooper who ever drew n
breath" viz"
seventeen OF the local unions of tho
brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiner.
vi fhifadeiphia and Camden. N. T. dis
trict voted unanimously last npbt IN
strike at a moments notice in SYM
pathy with the carmen. The unions
represent about 5000 men. This wac
announced at the headquarters of tho
carpenters today
At meeting Of the deposed otf;corr
or the local Street Car Mems Union
who were forced from their offices af'
ter q fractional quarrel several montbs
ago, resolutions were adopted condem-
ing the leadership of Pratt. The reso-
luton advice the strikers to return to
their cars ard say the deposed union
officials realize the futility of opposing
the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Co.
A jury in the criminal court here to-
day refused to, convict an alleged riot
er. although he admitted throwing
stones Judge Davis declared that the
jury's action was a voluntary mis-
carriage of Justice" He discharged
the Jurors from service.
c. o. Pratt, leader of the striking
carmen. late today sent to Bishop l.,
b. Wilson and Rev. T.. B. Hager, presi-
dent and secretary, respectively, of the
COMMITTEES OK fclefgymen. who have
been trying to bring about arbitration
between the Rapid Transit Co. and its