INCIDENTS OF THE STRUGGLE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11589, 21 May 1903, Page 5

INCIDENTS OF THE STRUGGLE.

SOME REMARKABLE SCENES. The Melbourne paper, to hand "last night contain pages about the occurrences during the first three days of tho railway strike. The history of the struggle has already been given in the very full cable messages we published from day to day. The following are some of the most remarkable incident- recorded in connection therewith in the columns of tho "Argus" and tho "Ago": — THE MIDNIGHT STOP. At the Port Melbourne sheds, the depot, which feeds most of the southern and eastern suburban line-, a large crowd assembled towards midnight, on Friday, May Btui. As engine after engine was run in the excitement increased, but each driver, as he dismounted, steadfastly refused to say anything. It was noticeable, however, that the younger drivers assumed an air of swaggering bravado, whilst the elder men passed out of the gate, held open by eager hands, with serious faces. At the Graham street crossing a steadily-increas-ing crowd gathered up till midnight, and earnestly discussed tho situation. The driver' of each train passing through was greeted with cheers, and responded by waving his liands. As the clock struck twelve the last passenger train pulled up sharply opposite the Port Melbourne signal box, and the driver and fireman immediately left the footplate, leaving tho engine on the line. Some of the drivers laid their engines up in the sheds _i the ordinary way, but the majority left them on the lines with the Ughus burning, aud by 12.30 all the lines from Graham street to Port Melbourne were covered with'iron leviathans, puffing out their last breaths regretfully. In tiie engine sheds the drivers and firemen gathered together, discussing events by the light of a dim gas jet. If a stranger approached the conversation was immediately changed. Shortly before one o'clockthe gates swung back to allow an engine through, whoso driver and fireman preferred to disobey the "-topi at 12 o'clock" order rather thnn walk 'homo. The .majority of the men remained about all night, waiting developments in tiie morning. A sensation was created when the last train from Camberwell steamed into the station. It wanted a good live or six minutes to ntidnight, when the drivers might be expected to obey their union. Instead, however, of taking advantage of this five minutes to run the engine into the yard, tha driver put his engine half way across the points, stopped, and calmly began to shovel out the fires and shut oil steam! A thrill of horrified disgust passed, through the watching crowd on perceiving what was happening. Somebody, however, intervened, and the engine was ehunted a few yards along—clear of the points — where it was left.

The last train having gone at 11.45 p.m. amid loud cheers, attention was concentrated upon speculation whether the KoruTiiburra train—already thr-eo hours overdue—would bo allowed to come into the station. Several ladies, unattended, were known to be aboard, and their gentlemen friends waiting at Princes bridge were driven, to distraction by visions of their charges being suddenly dumped down at wayside <stat.ions. Midnight passed, end no news could be obtained! A quarter of an hour later, however, the station master was able to say that the tra.m had been traced, and the drivers would bring her on to the station. At 12.30 a.m., to an accompaniment of mingled hoots and dicers, the train steamed into Princes bridge, to the. joy and relief of all concerned. Wild threat* were hurled by drunken strike sympathisers at the driver and fireman, but they good humourediy did their duty and made the best of their way home. By 1 a.m. the .station was in darkness and the crowd dispersed.