Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1912-06-12
GREATER BOSTON
CAR STRIKE
Riots In Progress In CITY and Ad.
jdCent Towns
ELEVATED TRAIN FIRED upon

DOI IlQhiS ~ ONFNSy
Union Official Advises Strong
Arm Methods-StruggIe Has Just
Besun-Many Employees Remain at
Their Posts of Duty
Boston, June 9.-The great street
car strike is on and with the closing
in of night, prudence was considered
the better part of valOr, on the part
of the Boston Elevated. Traffic was
suspended on most of the lines run-
ming through South Boston and Dor
chester, as also in Somerville and
Medford, for lack of police protec-
ton, it was claimed.
The first shot fired in the strike
shattered the glass of an elevated train
window shortly before 9 last night.
Patrolman Frank Fitzpatrick of po-
lice headquarters had a narrow escape
from death as the bullet passed
through the car within a few inches
of his head.
The train was inward bound on the
Washington street elevated between
Eustis and Warren streets, ROXbury.
The character of the hole in the
window indicates the bullet was fired
from a rifle. The shot was probably
fired from the second story of a build
ing in the vicinity. After SCATTERING
the glass the bullet passed out of the
o~o- Window ~ Tho orroci+0 cido. of
the train.
The passengers were frightened.
Many left the train at the Northamp-
ton street station. A squad of po-
lice were hurried to the neighborhood
where the shot was fired, but were
unable to make an arrest.
Riots and disturbances which began
even before the strike of Boston Ele-
waited motormen and conductors was
ordered, continued all over the city
and in the neighboring towns.
Many arrests have been made and
severe prison sentences and fines i'm
posed. Cars have been held and
stoned, windows smashed, wires cut,
trolleys pulled off, crews attacked and
savagely handled and several per-
sonal injuries resulted-and the fight
is hardly started. g.
At the meeting which ordered the
strike International Organizer Fred
Fay presided and only his aggressive
nature and powerful voice held the
gathering in check until the latter part
of the meeting. The hall was in up
roar when the organizer placed the
question: What are you men going to
dO?' Nothing but Strike, strike,
strike" could be heard amid cheers
from the threats of hundreds.
A little delay and conservatism was
%counselled by some of the men, but it
had no weight and this sentiment was
soOn subdued entirely and no voice
was raised against immediate action.
Violence was freely advocated. P.
F. Sheehan of BrOckton, who is vice
president Of the international Or
ganization, told the men plainly that
they could not win this fight by feath-
or-D0Q
A motion was then placed that the
question be decided by secret ballot in
accordance with the rules of the in
ternational organization. 1t took less
than twenty mintes before the ballots
were counted. The vote stood 1889
for a strike and 8 votes against.
Tactics similar to those which were
followed in the recent Lawrence
strike seems to have been adopted
here. A group of employees who are
in the minority has struck, and now
proceeds to threaten the other en-
ployes with harm if they remain al
work. With an early n exciting
start, which calls general attention tc
their conduct, and a full day fol
demonstrations and campaigns to i'm
press their cause upon the workers
who still remain loyal to the com
pany, they hope to muster a force
that will have telling effect on the
; situation today. They will use all the
means at their command to induce
the other men to strike. The police
, also have learned a lesson from Law.
renee, that leniency at the start give.
the riotous element dangerous en-.
: enlargement, and the Boston polio,
e department is equipped for the emer.
gercy.
Along the downtown streets an,
. on the elevated structures and in tn,
subway traffic is kept moving, al
though-there are many delays. Thou
sands of citizens wait for long period
f on orners, many are delayed in get
ting to work, and the steam train
carry their capacity of passenger
from the suburbs.
e In several cases cars have bee.
: stalled after leaving the barns. L
one or two instances the tracks wer
actually blocked by the use of beam
Il and boulders, but most of the tim
O the obstruction was caused by gang