RAILROAD STRIKE! 1922

On July 1, 1922 four-hundred-thousand (400,000) members of six Shopcraft Unions walked off the job at 10:00 a.m. shutting down construction, maintenance and repair on rolling stock on virtually every major railroad in the country.

Having 12,200 miles of tracks and employing 55,000 shop-men, the Pennsylvania Railroad was the largest railroad company. By July 2nd, twelve thousand (12,000) deputies and U.S. Marshals had been appointed and the National Guard troops were on duty in 7 states.

 Railroad map 1918

 A group of Logansport Panhandle Shop workers pose for a photo.

The powerful Federal Labor Relations Board was mostly backing the strikers and the Pennsylvania Railroad executives refused to recognize the Labor Relation Board. Logansport attorney Albert Jenkines represented the employees of the Federated Crafts Shop Union in Logansport during the strike. The local shops employed 1221 and were part of the Pennsylvania Railroad system.

 Train engine, in Logansport, 1923.

 Passengers and others wait outside Pennsylvania Depot, before the strike in 1922.

Penn Station aka Pennsylvania Depot circa 1920.

STRIKE TURNS UGLY

The striking employees paraded through the streets. Porches were blown off houses, houses burned and shots were fired. The entire town was in an uproar. The Pennsylvania Railroad Company obtained an injunction from the Federal Court banning the strikers from railroad property.

 Logansport Pharos Tribune, 1922.

Two thousand rioters and sympathizers surrounded the Pennsylvania (aka Panhandle) Shops. Superintendent Judson called Jenkines and advised him of the situation.

Jenkines went down to the area where he saw the crowd and witnessed several officers being threatened. He urged the crowd to go home. Eighty-one of the strikers were cited for the disturbance and contempt of the court order.

Wooden Coaches

Strikers 1922

Bombing incident, August 1922 clipping.

There were 97 railroad guards on duty in Logansport carrying clubs, pistols and shotguns all furnished by the Pennsylvania Railroad.

 "Local policeman William VanMeter, working at the corner of 17th and Erie Avenue, was disarmed of his night stick and revolver in a scuffle with a crowd of men gathered in front of the soft drink parlor at this corner. VanMeter had ordered the group to move on and when he attempted to remove the men a scuffle took place." Logansport Pharos Tribune, 1922

 A large number of men were sworn in to patrol the streets by local Sheriff, John H. Miller. Although a number of shots were fired no one was killed or seriously injured.

Jenkines went to Indianapolis and met with railroad Vice-President Rogers, He then met with the strikers of Logansport and explained the conditions that Rogers had presented. The local strikers were in favor of accepting those conditions.

Jenkines met with Pennsylvania Railroad executives in Chicago who refused to consider ANY deal that didn't have to do with the entire railroad system.

Railroad Vice-President Rogers died suddenly and that ended all negotiations.

US President Warren G. Harding

Ultimately United States President Warren G. Harding stepped in with a Federal Injunction. That effectively ended the strike on September 1, 1922.