New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-24
Mining District an Armed
Camp Because 335 Men
Refuse to Work.
WOMEN STONE
STRIKE BREAKERS
Blockade on Five Weeks-TWo
Troops of State Police Called
to Quell Riots.
By JOHN J. LEARY. JR.

Wilkes Barre, Nov. 23.-Because the
Wilkes Barre Railway Company insists
that contract is a contract and the
local officers Of the Alamgamated Asso-
citation of Street Railway employees re.
fuse TO recognize it as more than
scrap Of paper business in this section
Of the Wyoming Valley is largely ct
standstill. Not a trolley ear moves by
night. Four hundred strike breakers are
housed in barracks and two troops OF
state constabulary are on duty.
During the daytime strectears run
through this and the neighboring
towns, but none except a few women
dare ride in them, while shoals OF jlt-
neys move the few who do come into
town to shop or work here. Not day has
passed in more than a month that
streetcars have not been stoned. On
Sunday 1000 men. women and children
mobbed a car in Plymouth. earlier in
the contest a mob took possession OF
Public Square and to-day Frank
Walker, a local character. was held
in $4,000 bail charged with arson in
attempting to burn q railroad bridge.
Guards Patrol Tracks.
Because of threats 10 use dynamite
armed guards are tonight patrolling
the company's tracks and guarding Its
bridges and power houses, while at
centrally located barracks are high
powered motors TO rush additional men
10 the scene OF any outbreaks. In adai-
ton. there are scores Of Secret Service
mon here working under cover. Inc
work Of these detectives is expected 10
result in more than score OF arrests
on charges varying from simple assault
"a assault with intent TO kill, and con-
spiracy to destroy property.
This condition has existed Tor hve
weeks. but little % it has been al
lowed to reach the outside world, for'
az Mayor Kosek declared to-day
Wilkes-Barre wants nothing in out
side papers about this"
Meantime the Chamber OF Commerce
is seeking to end the deadlock that has
existed since October IA, but so far
with no result. The attitude OF the
union leaders as expressed by. 7. j.
Shay Of the executive board OF the
Amalpamated Association. is that
the company must agree to arbitrate
the question, whether or not the ar
bitrators 10 whom the wage dispute
vas referred rendered correct aecis-
ion. before any Of the $50 men now
ont on strike can go back to work.
The position of the company is that 1t
will arbitrate with nobody that will not
stand BIZ the result of the arbitration.
Strikers Backed by Unions.
On the strength of organized labor
IN this section the men on strike de-
mend for victory. It is estimated that
92 per cent of the workers in this Sec
ton are unionized, and these unions are
backing the streetear men to the ex-
ten Of fning any of their members
who may ride in the cars $40 for each
offence. Employees in the powerhouses
Of the company. however, have refused
20 strike on the ground that they are
not involved.
Meantime merchants who ind their
trade seriously affected are fearful OF
saving or doing anything that might
offend this union sentiment. Mayor
John B. Kosek threw up his hands to-
dav when asked him something about
the situation.
"Use my office. use my telephone, use
nv directory" he declared, "but don't
ask me TO talk. We don't want any
thing about this in outside papers
The trouble had its inception last
fall. when the old contract under which
the motormen and conductors were
paid "a cents an hour was about to ex
pire. At that time the company offered
70 sign a contract TO pav 26 cents an
fo,t;nued on unCe 4. column