Seattle: 1900-1920 -From Boomtown, Through Urban Turbulence ...

28 Part OneThat a strike quickly followed on 25 March should not be surprising. That it was lost sixdays later, however, might be a surprise, but as we read on it should be less so.All this inspired Jacob Furth of the Seattle Electric Company to form the Citizens’Alliance with the Seattle Manufacturers’ Association in 1904 to “oppose the spread of theunion shop, boycotts, and picketing.” As to the Seattle Electric Company, it had “insidemen” to inform on union activity. The SEC reported to the Boston office in April 1904 that“Scott of Trainmen’s Union No. 1” had complained of the pressure he was under for nottaking in new members. The Seattle office then reported: “I told him not to worry about thisas the course he was pursuing was to my mind the only proper one at this time. He had anucleus of an organization and immediately on trouble showing up it would be a very easymatter to get to work and forestall it.”The Seattle Electric Company was furthered in its cause by Mayor Richard A.Ballinger. The SEC reported to the Boston office that Ballinger was willing to “create anemergency force which could be called upon in time of strikes, riots, or other disturbances.. . . The mayor expressed himself willing to appoint as special policemen without pay suchmen as I might recommend among our employees, who would serve in that capacity on andabout the premises of the company. . . . I agreed that this was right.”Surrounded by strikers and crowded by a team and wagon, a southbound Seattle Electric trolley is stopped onSecond Avenue in front of the Bon Marché in a scene from the 1903 trolley strike. The view looks north from nearUnion Street.