The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-15
Two Companies of Massachu-
sets State Troops Out To-day
TO AID LAWRENCE POLICE
Thousands of Strikers Stormed Gates of
Big Mills To-day and Caused Shut
down at 0clock--Many Peo-
pie Have Been injured.

Lawrence, Mass, Jan. l5.-Pursuant
to orders issued last night, two COM
panies of militia were called out this
morning to quell rioting in connection
with the strike in the mills here, the
companies being first held in the arm
orv. But the disorders before the gates
of the great mills became so frequent
that the militia were called from the
armory to assist the police in controlling
the turbulent mobs of foreign operatives.
The mills opened at the usual time,
but the uproar at their gates was so
great at o'clock that the big plants
shut down.
During the disturbance, several shots
were fired into the air by the police,
and number of arrests were made. Ad-
ditional police were requested from Bos
ton, Lowell, Haverhill, Salem and else
where, the total number asked being
about three hundred These police were
reported to be on their way here by 10
o'clock. In the raids on the mills,
dozen or more operatives were injured,
but none seriously
1t was estimated this morning that
nearly 10000 hands were idle, half of
whom were actually on strike and the
Others forced out by the stoppage of
the machinery The outbreaks, which
have occurred since last Friday, are due
10 general reduction in wages neces-
STATED, the manufacturers say, by the
cut in working time from SO to "a hours
a week by the new state law.
The trouble at the lower Pacific mills
resulted in asking the militia for as
sistance. Company +. Sth Regiment
took up its station at one entrance there
Company T. Sth Regiment lined up on
the north bank OF the canal, where
thousands of people were congregated.
Once Company L charged the crowd.
which refused to obey the command
to disperse, with set bavonets The men
were then ordered back.
35 Arrests Up to Noon.
Calls were sent to several cities for
militiamen and policemen and com
pany of the eighth regiment at Haver
hill was summoned at II o'clock. Ad- !
jutant General Pearson also ordered
three companies in Lowell TO leave for
Lawrence Immediately. The militia is
armed with musketss and equipped with !
ballshot, while the artillerymen only |
carried side arms. Thirty-fve arrests |
had been made up to noon and more
than dozen persons had been injured, |
two by bullets and two by bayonet |
wounds.
The most serious trouble occurred at !
the lower Pacific mills, where a great |
mob attacked the property. Windows |
were smashed and infantrymen and bat |
tery had to be summoned. The police |
fred several shots skywards and the |
mob, in return, fired upon the officers
and overseers. Two mill employees, while
directing the hose onto the crowd, were
shot in the hand. but the bullets mere
" grazed the skin. At noon the situa-
ton was temporarily, at least, much bet
ter
The strikers applied for the use of
The city hall at noon, but were refused
permission to hold a meeting this aft
crnoon. The attitude of the strikers to-
day is much fiercer than previously, re-
yolvers and other weapons being car
ried by many. Mayor Scanlon said he
expected to be able to bring about
conference with the representatives Of
the strikers some time this afternoon
The noon hour developed no further
trouble.
Strike Meetings Yesterday.
Meetings We're held all over the city
by strikers yesterday. The most inn
portant meeting was that at Franco
Belgian hall, attended by over 1000 per-
sons, including Poles, Syrians, Belgians,
Lithuanians and Italians. Local leaders
addressed them and then gave way to
two national organizers of the Indus
trial Workers of the World, the textile
workers organization, which has as
sumed the official direction of the strike
Their remarks urging the continuance of
the strike were received with wild APP
pause.
The management of the Everett mills,
employing $500 operatives, has an
nounced an indefinite shutdown on ac-
count of the strike, and other mill agents
are said to be considering the idea of
following that example, and making the
i