The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-08-21

Ae NJ aug. llt~hSu1e'
prevailed here today after Sunday be.
ing marked by the blasting Of the
water main supplying the Southern
railway shops and burning several
box cars in the yards and early morn
ing outbreak of apparently harmless
firing. The lack Of water caused con-
siderably delay in the movement OF
trains.
Spencer, N. c., Aug. 20,-Develop
ments in the railroad shop strike
situation here today included the
blowing up OF the II inch water main
which supplies the Southern railway
shops and the hundreds of locomo-
tives that are used out of Spencer,
the burning of one or more bad order
cars near the yard limits while the
water supply was cut off, and the ar
rival of 20 recruits for the working
force at the shops.
The water main apparently was
blown up by dynamite. The explo-
sion occurred at a point inside the
shop yards, between the fence sur
rounding the property and row OF
box cars and at point about Is
feet from picket stand, The lives
Of several pickets, it is said, were
endangered by the explosion, which
awakened many of the citizens of
Spencer, entirely blew out section
of the pipe and tore a hole in the
ground the size of small house.
A stream of water flooded that Sec
ton of the property until the water
could be cut off.
The cutting off of the water sup
ply resulted in several hours delay to
main line trains between Washington
and atlanta and also to branch line
trains, as engines could not be pro-
vided to take these trains out Of the
terminal here.
Throughout the day Sheriff j. H.
Krider and Southern officials have
made vigorous efforts to fix RESPONSE
bility for the explosion but said early
tonight they had obtained no clue.
No charge has been preferred against
anyone. Strikers are reported to have
told the officials that the work was
done "from the inside" and that none
of their men had anything to do with
it. 4 *
The explosion, which lcccntxed
about rnidnight OF. shortly ~thefe&ffefs
stirred Spencer as no other incident
since the strike began.
Promiscuous firing near; the picket
lines on the East Spencer side just
before daylight startled numbers Of
citizens as far away as Salisbury
and caused nurses at the hospitals
there to make ready to receive in
jured persons, they and others il
Salisbury believing a. riot had &C.
Cured. Authorities have been un-
able to determine who did the shoot
ing.
AS a result of the developments Of
the last "a hours, with the increased
tenseness, it was expected that Colo
mel Don Scott, in command of the 500
national guardsmen encamped three
miles from Spencer, would place
troops on guard duty around the
shops, but this had not been done
early tonight. Master Mechanic Nc
Bride, in charge of the shops, said
carly tonight that while the oc-
currences of the last day and night
would justify him in asking that
troops be placed on guard duty the
matter would be determined by sub
sequent developments. Colonel Scott
said that his men were ready for in
slant service when called upon by the
sheriff, Governor Morrison or South
ern railway officials.
No arrests had been made early to-
night.
Salisbury, N. c., Aug. 20.-The
blowing up of section of the IL inch
main which supplied water to the
Southern railway shops at Spencer
and the living quarters Of the new
workers employed to take the strik-
ers' places, combined with the very
tense general situation, led Col.
Don Scott, in command of the eight
companies of the national guardsmen
encamped near here, to consider to-
day the advisability Of placing troops
on guard duty at the shops and else
where at strategic points. Late this
afternoon, however, it was understood
that this action would not be taken
tonight until there was an outbreak,
actual or imminent. Meanwhile the
500 troops are kept in readiness for
instant action, with transportation ia
cilities ready to move them without
delay.
Salisbury people were excited about
a o'clock this morning when reports
of many shots were heard from the
direction of Spencer, and this is be-
lieved to have given origin to reports
widely circulated during the day that