The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-06-07
Employees of Boston Street
Railway Company Go Out.
Trouble Opens With Smashing
of Early Morning Cars.
RECOGNITION OF THE union
Is Denied by the PrOprietOrs of
the System.
Lines Are Being Operated on
About Half Schedule.

Boston, June 7.-Violence marked the
| beginning of a strike of town employees
of the Boston Elevated railway at day
light. Those who refused to work de-
! manded recognition by the company OF
a recently formed union. The company
refused to deal with them other than
individually.
The street railway service and the
elevated road were being operated on
about half time. Five arrests have
been made for assaults on motormen.
Although the strike had been threat
ened for a week or more it came short
ly after a.. with suddenness and
a clash that surprised not only the
company officials but the police of Bos-
ton, Brookline, Cambridge, Somerville'
Everett, Chelsea, Medford and Maiden.
The men had been discussing the
matter nearly all night at a mass meet
ing and as daylight was breaking it
was decided to take vote. AS soon as
it was seen those in favor of goinG
out were in the majority the gathering
of nearly 1000 men began cheering,
and a rush was made for the hrst
early morning cars. The first one was
met on fremont street near the hall.
The car was stopped, the trolley yank-
ed from the wire, the windows smash
ed and the motorman and conductor
badly beaten.
Several passengers were rushed out of
the car although none was injured. AS
the clash was proceeding a mail car
suddenly came into sight and recogniz-
ing the authority of the government,
those who had stopped the first car
suddenly ceased their activity and per-
mitted both cars to resume their way.
Passengers Injured.
A few minutes later word of the
strike had reached the vicinity of the
North station and there two other cars
were stopped, windows smashed, some
of the gearing disabled and several
passengers were slightly injured by
flying glass.
Several arrests were made at this
point. A crowd coming from the di-
rection of strike headquarters encir-
cled several cars on Adams square
about o'clock and more violence en-
sued Two arrests were made here.
One of those taken into. custody was
charged with assault on a policeman
and the other was charged with in
citing a riot.
A dozen men rushed down into the
Cambridge subway as the first car was
about to start and tried to persuade
the train hands to join them They
were unsuccessful, but held up the
starting of the trains for nearly half
an hour. About the same time four
of the new Semiconvertible Vfaduct
cars were so badly smashed that the
traffic between Cambridge and Boston
was completely blocked for several
hours. The outbreak in Charlestown
was almost as severe, while similar
currences took place in Everett and
Chelsea
1t was announced that the actual
vote in favor of a strike was 1889 to S.
The strike committee claims up to
the time of calling the strike today
0on noen had signed the union paper
and paid initiation fees. At the same
time, the company issued a statement
that $500 employees were still loyal and
that every effort would be made tc
keep the car system in operation.
Four hours after the strike began
cars were running on nearly all lines
but with about half the usual fire.
Quency.