San Francisco Streetcar Strike of 1907
Encyclopedia
The San Francisco Streetcar Strike of 1907 was among the most violent of the streetcar strikes in the United States
between 1895 and 1929. Before the end of the strike, thirty-one people had been killed and about 1100 injured.
Like the St. Louis Streetcar Strike of 1900
, the events were associated with progressive civic reform
. As the strike loomed, one of the prominent officials of San Francisco's United Railroad, Patrick Calhoun, contracted with the nationally known "King of the Strikebreakers" James A. Farley, for four hundred replacement workers waiting on board ship. The streetcar Carmen's Union struck on May 5, 1907, for an 8-hour day and $3 per day. Farley's armed workers took control of the entire system. The violence started two days later, Bloody Tuesday, when a shootout on Turk Street left 2 dead and about 20 injured.
On May 25, both the pro-labor Mayor Eugene Schmitz
and Calhoun were indicted on corruption charges, and on June 13 Schmitz was found guilty of extortion, to be replaced by Edward Robeson Taylor
. This development seriously undermined labor's political position, and the Daily News was the only one of the city's newspapers to support the strikers. The action effectively collapsed in November, and officially abandoned in mid-February with the dissolution of Carmen's Union Local 205.
Of the 31 deaths from shootings and streetcar accidents, 25 were passengers; 900 of the estimated 1100 injuries were passengers. In 1916 San Francisco labor leader Thomas Mooney
would attempt to re-organize the Carmen's Union in San Francisco, a prelude to his notorious trial later that year.
Streetcar strikes in the United States
Between the years 1895 and 1929, streetcar strikes in the United States affected almost every major city in the country. Sometimes lasting only a few days, more often these strikes were "marked by almost continuous and often spectacular violent conflict," at times amounting to prolonged riots...
between 1895 and 1929. Before the end of the strike, thirty-one people had been killed and about 1100 injured.
Like the St. Louis Streetcar Strike of 1900
St. Louis Streetcar Strike of 1900
The St. Louis Streetcar Strike of 1900 was a labor action, and resulting civil disruption, against the St. Louis Transit Company by a group of three thousand workers unionized by the Amalgamated Street Railway Employees of America....
, the events were associated with progressive civic reform
Progressivism in the United States
Progressivism in the United States is a broadly based reform movement that reached its height early in the 20th century and is generally considered to be middle class and reformist in nature. It arose as a response to the vast changes brought by modernization, such as the growth of large...
. As the strike loomed, one of the prominent officials of San Francisco's United Railroad, Patrick Calhoun, contracted with the nationally known "King of the Strikebreakers" James A. Farley, for four hundred replacement workers waiting on board ship. The streetcar Carmen's Union struck on May 5, 1907, for an 8-hour day and $3 per day. Farley's armed workers took control of the entire system. The violence started two days later, Bloody Tuesday, when a shootout on Turk Street left 2 dead and about 20 injured.
On May 25, both the pro-labor Mayor Eugene Schmitz
Eugene Schmitz
Eugene Edward Schmitz was an American politician and the 26th mayor of San Francisco, who became notorious for his conviction by a jury on charges of corruption.-Life and career:...
and Calhoun were indicted on corruption charges, and on June 13 Schmitz was found guilty of extortion, to be replaced by Edward Robeson Taylor
Edward Robeson Taylor
Edward Robeson Taylor was the 28th Mayor of San Francisco serving from July 16, 1907 to January 7, 1910....
. This development seriously undermined labor's political position, and the Daily News was the only one of the city's newspapers to support the strikers. The action effectively collapsed in November, and officially abandoned in mid-February with the dissolution of Carmen's Union Local 205.
Of the 31 deaths from shootings and streetcar accidents, 25 were passengers; 900 of the estimated 1100 injuries were passengers. In 1916 San Francisco labor leader Thomas Mooney
Thomas Mooney
Thomas Joseph "Tom" Mooney was an American political activist and labor leader, who was convicted with Warren K. Billings of the San Francisco Preparedness Day Bombing of 1916...
would attempt to re-organize the Carmen's Union in San Francisco, a prelude to his notorious trial later that year.