The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-01-15
Great Excitement in Mil Town Where
Workmcn Object to Wage Cut
When Hours Are
Diminished.
MILITIA ORDERED OUT
Small Boys Throw snowbalIs an
Men Tear Down Fence to Sc
cure Plckets as
Clubs.

[ UNITED Press Leased Wire Service.1
LAWRENCE, Mass, Jan 1.-two
of state militia and the To-
cal battery of light field artillery to-
gether with spare guns of the two in
fantry companies were sent on the
double quick to the Pacific Mills to-
day when 5000 angry strikers storm
ed the factory, smashing windows and
tearing down the surrounding fence
to secure the pickets for clubs.
Immediately after they left the arm
ory where they had been held in
readiness, ammunition wagons con.
tanning enough cartridges to furnish
every man with ten rounds, were sent
to the scene.
The strike resulted from general
wage cut following the going into ef-
feet of the new state law which limits
la working week to fifty-four instead
lof sixty hours.
Leaders threaten a general strike
of the 100000 mill operatives in New
England if the local companies do not
restore the old wage scale.
Mayor Scanlon ordered the militia
ito guard duty along Union street from
the Wood and Aver mills across the
Merrimac river bridge to Essex
street, where the strikers gathered in
greatest numbers, and literally over
Awhelmed the police and twenty fire.
men, sworn in as deputies, who had
been on guard since midnight. The ap-
ipearance of the militia, coming at the
double quick, with guns and side
farms, was met with jeers and hos
from the crowds. who offered no vio-
lence as the soldiers were halted and
Ideployed at intervals of several yards
/ between the mills and the strikers. a
score of young hoodlums in the rear
of the crowd sent yolley of snow
balls into the militiamen before they
broke companies, but the police got
back their nerve, and chased them
from the scene.
1 1t was by Scanlon's order that the
militia was called out today. Under
Massachusetts law, the governors ac-
ton is unnecessary, mayors having
authority to act by precept.
4 Scanlon was on the scene and when
the strikers began tearing down the
fences he sent deputy on the run
to Capt Donovan, Company F.. Cap
tain Ranlett, Co. L.; and Captain Cox
of Battery c., ordering them out.
| Forced to charge mob OF strikers
. with fixed bayonets after the rioters
! had beaten back the police and were
sweeping down on the local mills, the
, three companies of state militia hur-
lriedly called for strike duty finally
got control Of the situation after half
: a hundred of the rioters had been
: more or less seriously injured. The
order to the soldiers to charge came
after the police aided by special Of
] ficers from Lynn and Haverhill, had
5 made repeated efforts to get the
strikers. who were jammed in COM
!. pact mass about the mills where the
strike is in progress, to disperse. The
police were stoned and forced to re-
treat to the millyards, and then the sol
diers were called on to disperse the
mob. With bayonets fixed the three
companies swooped down on the
strikers at double quick The workers
stood for a minute but finally broke
and ran. None of those hurt is in g
serious condition.
More than 100 foreigners We're ar
: rested following the riot. Most o.
them were armed with revolvers, dirl1s
! and razors. The police allege thai
), they had been ordered by their lead
ers to gain entrance to the mills ant
= wreck the machinery. That they fail
ed to do SO, was due TO the presence
: Of the militia, according to Mayo
, Scanlon.
!. The real rioting started when Cap
tains Donovan and l.anlett, with de
a tachments from companies r. and l.,
i NJ. V NJ, started TO clear the GROVE
- from the yards OF the Pacific mills
u They we're met with volley of scat
tering shots from revolvers and TIL
order TO charge came. AS the rioter
fled out of the yard gates they wer
attacked by the police with clubs AM
-. hand to hand fight followed il
=, which the strikers and their sympa
= thizers used palings torn from tn
: fences, stones and big clubs Will
:, the police welded their batons wit
II telling effect.