Page 8 - The 1923 Strike in Steel and the Miners' Sympathy Strike

ISSUE : Issue 22

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1979/6/1

dock. Minister of Labour,'*informs an a- stonished people he has not the slightest doubt but that the forwarding of the troops to Cape Breton was to say the least premature, and he would do every? thing in his power to have the soldiers removed with all possible despatch." Emmerson Campbell; And the provincial po- lice came down from Halifax. They were drunk all the time. They had 15 horses when they left Halifax and they put them in the boxcar and when they got in Sydney they were all dead. Smothered. Then they had to go and get some of the coal-haulers' horses here. But they were drunk all the time they were here. I guess to get the job you had to be a drunk. They had batons about k feet long, made right here in the steel plant. Strapped on their wrists just like a wrist watch. And they were swinging them. Good hardwood in them. They were made right down here in the plant in the carpenter shop. I knew a fellow right down here was making them. He didn't know what the hell he was making or who he was mak? ing them for, Doane Curtis; After they took over coal- haulers' horses, the first raid the pro? vincial police made was on the city warehouse where they kept the stuff to cheer us. And after that they went up to the city hall and were told by Col. MacDonald he was go? ing to "put on a show" that evening. (That the strikers were to be delibe- rat ely "aggravat ed," and that MacDonald was then going to have the provincial po? lice "put on a show" was sworn to before a Royal Commission by a sergeant of the Syd? ney city police force.) They galloped down to Whitney Pier, past k gate and on the main street of Whitney Pier with their gallant army and their well-lit army, be? cause that's what they were. With four- foot batons. And they went up and down the street hitting people on the sidewalk. Some of them were coming from church. They even hit a man was just out of the hospital and crippled with his wife leading him around the streets. Hit him on the head, split his head open. Then they went to the At? lantic House (a hotel), and passing the Atlantic House, a fellow jumped up there and the proprietor sitting on the verandah who was an invalid • they jammed him up a- gainst the building, hit his brother-in- law over the head. And the marks of the horses' shoes was on that verandah for years. Bernie Galloway. Sr.; After we were mar? ried • we were married one day and the strike came off the next • we stayed at my mother-in-law's a week or so. And Simday evening (July 1) we went to church • the Polish church. And after we came out of church, we came down Victoria Road and when we got down where we lived • we lived right by the subway that used to separate this side from the Pier (the overpass to? day) • when we got there we decided to just keep on walking. So when we got by the railroad we saw this bunch of horses com? ing. Men on horseback • provincial police • with sticks, something like a baseball bat, I don't know how many there were. They lined up, they were coming down Vic? toria Road going towards the Pier. They were this side of the Pier. They got past us and her brother and his wife were be? hind us. And when we turned around to look, they were jumping over the fence. Mrs. Galloway; Those thugs were swinging those billies, you know, hitting the peo? ple. Beautiful Sunday evening after church and crowds of people walking, as we were doing. Beautiful Sunday simmer's evening. Bernie; They were coming down in forma- CHALET fried 4 outlets to serve'you- Bloweis St, North Sydney 794-3S34 Sydney Sliopjiing Centve, Prince SI Steifing Road, Glace Bay CB. SlMppiRf Plaia, %dney RiMr Qualified Dispensers Always in Attendance OWL DRUG STORE D? I? MacDonald, Prop* Your Northside DOROTHY GRAY DISTRIBUTOR Convalescent an

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