The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-01-09
MOB OF STRIKERS
SET FIRE TO TOWN
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SET FIRE TO TOWN
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I
mously voted to reject the offer and
to continue the walkout until all de.
mands, including the boost from
1914 to 25 cents an hour, time and a
half for overtime and double pay for
Sunday. are granted.
j. A. Campbell, president of the
! Youngstown Sheet and Tube com
pany, tonight planned to reopen his
plan which employs over 5000 men,
on Monday If protection is afforded
the workers.
"My men are anxious to go to
work." Campbell said tonight. "But
they are intimidated by strikers
pickets. Inadequate police protec-
ton caused us to shut down and pre-
cipitated the riot
If any attempt is made to resume
operations Monday by either plant.
trouble is feared, despite the fact
that 1900 Ohio national guardsmen
are scattered in this vicinity.
East Youngstown was quiet all day
and early this evening. The infuri-
ated mob that demolished two build
ings of the Sheet and Tube company.
when fired upon by the companies
guards. then looted and applied the
torch to the business district, seemed
entirely sobered might. Nine hours
orgy, during which time most of the
liquor in fourteen saloons was con-
sumed by the men, stores ransacked,
set ablaze and shots exchanged with
sheriffs deputies, caused a million
dollars damage. The business dis
trict was a mass of ruins Eighty
buildings and houses were levelled
before the fury Of the men had spent
itself.
The riot started on bridge leading
to the tube company's Offices. Strik-
ers were seen carrying huge wood
en- beam towards the plant Company
guards fired into the men. The re-
port Of the pistols set ablaze the
smoldering anger of the men who had
been picketing the plant all day.
Piles Of paving stones which were to
repair the street. were seized as
weapons. Some Of the strikers had
the company's offices and a store
house was in ruins. Eight strikers
were shot down. Women, carrying
babes who were among their men
folks. scurried to shelter screaming
and a dozen strikers, shot by the
guards, were borne away by their
comrades.
Youngstown heard OF the battle.
Ten thousand came to look on. By
now the mob was beyond all control.
Bmbers from the burning steel
plapt's building ignited shack, then
business building. Then it sped on
to house. Nobody seemed to care
Calls went in for the fire department
For an hour there was no response.
Shots kept whizzing down the stree,.
Men and women poured out of blazing
buildings, some carrying few trim
kets of value, others leading children.
Two hours after the fire started and
the flames had wiped out two blocks
of the hillside town OF ten thousand
population, fire companies began ar
irving. Then they were hampered in
their work by hose being slashed by
drunken men. s. H. Rabinowitz.
clothing store merchant, locked his
shop and fled. But the door was bat
tered down. This case was typical.
Sheriff Umstead and his nifty deputies
were simply overpowered. The ten
policemen rendered aid to the riot
victims. Men arrested by the sheriff's
deputies were hurried to Youngstown
and crammed into the county Jail.
Troops were called for, but did not
arrive until morning. A viligantes
committee Of twenty with sawed-ofr
shot-guns took possession early this
morning after most of the mob had
dispersed. A thirteen year old boy
was shot dead while entering Il
store. Several strikers were wound.
ID, three perhaps fatally.
The Youngstown Sheet and Tube
company paid off eight thousand EN-
ployes today. while troops guarded
the plant. There was no trouble
Merchants who suffered In last
nights looting are preparing to sue
the county. as their insurance poll
cies were invalidated by the mob's
action.
Three probes Of the rioting are
promised to get under way Monday
The state fire marshal has ordered
deputies to investigate the incendiar
ism, the county coroner was open to
inquire into the killing Of an unidenti
fed boy and the state federation of la
Dor plans a probe on its own account.
Second Dead Man.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio, Jan. SIN.
dication that the strike Of the stee,
workers in the Republic Iron and Steel
company and the Youngstown Sheet
and Tube Co, will be prolonged. was
seen here tonight In scores OF meet.
ings held by skilled workers, who
were forced to quit work when the
laborers walked out. These men who
heretofore have never affiliated with
a union, voted unanimously to organ
lie and Join the American Federation
of Labor
Like the other workers, they de-
clared they will demand wage in.
creases. Hundreds OF skilled work