Water Main to Spencer Shop Dynamited; Several Box Cars Burned, Aug. 21, 1922

Explosion at Spencer Shop. . . Water Supply at Shops Thus Cut Off. . . Soldiers Sent There. . . Governor Mobilizes 700 Members of National Guard for Emergency Service—Cars Burned and Shots Fired

Spencer, Aug. 20—With 500 members of the North Carolina National Guard, ordered here by Governor Morrison for emergency service, establishing their camp three miles from the Southern railway shops, Spencer people are experiencing a number of sensations, one of the most notable having been the explosion of a 12-inch main feeding water to the Spencer shops.

The explosion occurred shortly after midnight, cutting off the water supply of the shops. It was followed by promiscuous shooting and the burning of several box cars in the yards. The arrival of 25 more new Southern employes added to the tenseness of the situation in the strike area.

Early this morning—a little past midnight—Spencer and the surrounding section was rocked by an explosion that sent hundreds of people scurrying from their beds. It was a terrific blast, causing much anxiety among the people. One negro man was painfully injured when he was struck by flying debris from the scene of the explosion. The big main feeds waster into the shops direct from the Yadkin river and normal city pressure was being maintained at the time of the explosion. A large section of the pipe was blown out and the immediate vicinity was flooded several hours before the supply was cut off at its source.

It is believed that a large quantity of dynamite had been placed under the main, causing the explosion. Southern railway officials, Sheriff J.H. Krider and his deputies are trying to place the blame for the explosion. Striking shopmen said they thought it was an “inside job” and that their men had nothing to do with it. The blasting of the water main shut off the water supply for locomotives and all purposes in the shops causing delay of trains during the day because of inability to fill water tanks pending repairs.

Col. Don E. Scott of Graham is in command of the nine companies of soldiers. The guardsmen were ordered out from Burlington, Durham, Concord, Charlotte, Winston-Salem, Mt. Gilead, Lincolnton, Hickory and Graham. Governor Morrison sent the soldiers to the strike zone following urgent request from H.H. Miller, vice-president of the Southern railway.

From the front page of The Greensboro Patriot, Aug. 21, 1922