East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-02-21
Three Thousand Extra Police
Called Out to Que|I Rioting
in Streets.
STRIKERS BURN 287 CARS;
MANY ARE IN HOSPITAL
Platform Men OF Rapid Transit Com
pany Walk Out on Refusal OF Com
pany to Reinstate Discharged
Men-Strikebreakers Imported and
Scenes OF Conflict FolIow-Many
Seriously Injured-May Result In
Strike Of all Union Laborers.

Philadelphia, Feb. 21.-Every man
Of the regular police force was called
out for strike duty and an enrolment
or three thousand special policemen
today gave this city the appearance
OF beleagured garrison. Street fight
Ing was resumed at daybreak, follow
ing an attempt of the Philadelphia
Rapid Transit company to operate
cars with non-union platform men:
Scores of workingmen in outlying
districts began attacking the cars as
they left the barns. The police and
specials broke up scores of incipient
Riots. The conflicts are not serious
and the display of force deferred the
crowds from violence.
The company made no attempt to
operate the cars during the night but
confined their efforts to preparing for
service today. Scores of strike
breakers have been brought to the
city and lodged in the various car
barns under the protection of several
police. AS n result OF yesterdays
rioting twenty policemen and thirty
citizens are in hospitals. Hundreds
OF arrests followed. The rioters burn
ed 297 cars.
The crowds are not as large as
those of yesterday when the riotine
resulted in the serious injury to doz-
ems of persons among the police and
mob. In the morning hours, driz-
zling rain was falling, but although
the walking was bad, workingmen re-
fused to ride on the cars.
The enlistment of three thousand
specials was considered by National
Organizer Pratt of the platform men
as an indication of weakness by the
company and a tacit admission that
the company is licked" Notwith-
standing this, leading members Of the
labor council have been considering a
call for a general strike of all union
men in Philadelphia as soon as 1t
may become apparent that the union
carmen would lose. The present
strike OF carmen was called following
the dismissal by the company of sew
eral employees actively engaged in
union organizing. and n refusal to re-
instate the men on demand of union
officials.
MOtOrmcn Nearly Lynched.
An attempt at hanging occurred on
Kensington Avenue where a car con-
tanning four policemen and a plat
form crew was blocked by sympa-
thizers AS soon as the car became
immovable the great crowd. armed
with clubs and stones. surged forward
and swarmed upon the platform. The
police were swept aside and the crew
dragged to the sidewalk. the crowd
kicking and striking them at every
step. Then some one shouted "here's
rope" and a moose was slipped over
the motorman's head. Mounted po-
lice arrived just as the man was be-
ing swung up to a lamp post. The
officers succeeded in getting him into
a cigar store on the corner The mob
tried to break in and get him, but
was beaten back by the police. The
throng finally was dispersed. Follow
ing the riot, the company abandon
ed It's attempt to run cars on this
line.
Another Near Hanging.
bloody affray between the po-
lice and rioters occurred this afternoon
when n mob attempted to lynch
non-union motorman. The motorman
and conductor were rescued by the
police apparently in a dying condition.
The moose was about the carman's
neck. The mob then turned on the
officers. Mounted police arrived and
rode full speed into the rioters, in
juring forty so badly that they were
taken to the hospitals. Twenty ar
rests followed. Nearly every car that
started today was wrecked and the
guards are powerless.