How real is realism? Can fictional characters represented in historical events be considered accurate? Does Theodore Dreiser illustrate a unique perspective of the Brooklyn Trolley Strike of 1895 in Sister Carrie, or does he embellish contemporary events to complement the novels plot? These questions are good examples of a historian’s ultimate goal: to separate fact from fiction. Every single document ever produced contains biases that must be recognized, analyzed, and conquered in order to create an objectionable truth. This division, however, does not need to be mutual exclusive. Fictional novels can enhance non-fictional sources. By comparing the experiences of George Hurstwood, in Dreiser’s work Sister Carrie, with articles from the period, a better understanding of the Brooklyn Trolley Strike can be obtained. Although Dreiser avoided aspects of the strike not relevant to the characters situation, he provided an inside glimpse at what it might have been like to be a scab during this time period.
Dreiser only provided information that was appropriate to the circumstances of his character George Hurstwood; as a result the novel lacked significant background information about the strike. Contemporary newspapers, however, have the desirable contextual data. On January 15th, 1895, a New York Times headline proclaimed, “Trolley Strike Is On.” The paper estimated over five thousand laborers were ordered to go on strike by Martin J. Connelly, the local leader of the Knights of Labor. The protestors consisted of motormen, conductors, electricians, and their sympathizers. The majority of the strikers were from the Brooklyn City Railroad, followed by the Atlantic Avenue Railroad, the De Kalb Avenue Railroad, and The Broadway Railroad. The employees demanded an increase in wages from two dollars a day to two dollars and twenty-five cents. The main justification for this raise was the increased amount of trips during the day, and the legal responsibility entailed by an employee involved in an accident. The strikers also sought to reduce the amount of “trippers” employed, and demanded a minimum wage for this position of one dollar and fifty cents a day. These conditions were originally proposed, and rejected, during annual labor contract negotiations. The company owners, Daniel F. Lewis, Benjamin Norton, and their associates, continually refused these proposals and later compromises throughout the duration of the strike.
Newspapers covering the events of the trolley strike were very critical about the timing of this endeavor. The depression of the 1890’s was in full affect when the strike began. This resulted in a large labor pool from the massive amounts of unemployment. Two weeks into the strike one reporter commented, “The motormen come nearer being skilled laborers than drivers of horses, but their craft requires only a little practice, and their places can be easily filled.” The major railroad companies involved immediately began hiring and training replacements or “scabs” when the strike commenced. Near the end of Theodore Dreiser’s novel, George Hurstwood became a scab. The experiences of this fictional character brought to light an up close and personal view of the trolley strike. Desperate for work, Hurstwood noticed an ad in the paper from the Atlantic Avenue Railroad. This historical based fictional advertisement stated that motormen and conductors had abruptly left their jobs, and if they did not return the vacancies would be filled. After weighing the pros and cons, Hurstwood decides that he has nothing to lose but an opportunity for profit. Feeling the oppressive effects of the depression many unemployed individuals probably felt the way Hurstwood did. They were desperate to avoid humiliating starvation for both themselves and their family, and this lead them to seek employment has hated scabs.
At the bottom of the ad that Hurstwood read there was a disconcerting statement, “Protection Guaranteed.” The trolley strike had been notoriously violent since day one, and seemed to escalate as time went on. The police were very punctual, and organized the same morning that the strike was declared. The New York Times reported that, “Besides every trolley station house was protected by a squad of from five to twenty-five reserves, and there were two bluecoats on every car.” In addition the militia was called out to help contain mobs throughout the city. Dreiser denoted the increasing violence of this strike throughout Hurstwood’s brief experience as a motorman. Initially only verbal insults and various shouts demanding Hurstwood to leave his new job occurred. As he moved along his route trouble grew. A mob consisting of strikers and sympathizers placed stones on the track forcing the car to stop. Hurstwood, along with the conductor, had to deal with this obstacle while the two police officers controlled the protestors. “Now the stones were off, and Hurstwood took his place again amid the continued chorus of epithets. Both officers got up beside him and the conductor range the bell, when, bang! bang! through the window and door came rocks and stones.” Later on an even more violent mob confronted Hurstwood. During the ensuing brawl he was cut on the chin and shot at. After he regained his senses he decided to leave this line of work for good. On his way home, a little girl recognized him and stated, “You’d better sneak.”
Dreiser presented the actions of the strikers, as they would have appeared in contemporary newspapers. He illustrated that usually the mobs goal was to prevent the trolley cars from running, and discourage any scabs from taking their jobs. Stories of this nature can be found throughout the press coverage of the strike. One article explained that, “The cars, which were guarded only by police and specials, were blocked at noon by a large rock on the tracks. Four motormen and two conductors were roughly handled. One of the men had his head cut open with a piece of lead pipe.” In addition to the crowds’ motive, Dreiser indicated that the feelings of the strikers were mutual amongst the community. Besides the little girl that warns Hurstwood, boys and other non-union sympathizers verbally and physically assaulted him. Accounts similar to those described by Dreiser, could be found in newspapers. “A young woman named Clara McDonald rushed through the crowd and hurled a large stone at the men on the front platform…[t]he mob hooted, and more stones were thrown.” As indicated by the cotemporary sources above, Dreiser successfully portrayed a realistic fictional character in a historically accurate setting.
When Hurstwood ended his attempts at becoming a scab, the relevancy of the trolley strike to the novel ceases to exist. Dreiser does not describe the ultimate failure of the strike, and how many of the laborers took back their job at wages they originally walked out on. He did, however, denote the hopelessness of the strike and the depression through Hurstwood. After he first read about the strike he immediately concluded that big business would win. “He didn’t sympathize with the corporations, but strength was with them.” Later, while waiting to be trained as a motorman, Hurstwood overheard people talking about current events. They both agreed that the strikers had good reasons for their protest, but their particular situation made them feel like they had no other choice. One of the men summarized their predicament, “A poor man ain’t nowhere. You could starve, by God, right in the streets, and there ain’t most no one would help you.” Through this simple dialog, Dreiser denoted a personal human side to the trolley strike that was often absent from newspaper articles.
Contemporary journalists did not highlight the blight of the poor protestors. The papers often sided with the corporation, and provided a number of critiques to the method of the strikers. As mentioned above, it was unintelligent for the laborers to go on strike during a depression when a large unemployment rate existed. The railroad industries were able to hire enough scabs to keep the cars operating despite the best efforts of the strikers. In addition, the protestors failed to address the public whose rights were violated when the trolley strike began. “It is not alone the companies and their employees that are concerned. The public convenience is greatly affected, and the men and the organizations to which they belong appear to have paid no heed to that.” The most outrageous infliction against the public good was the interruption of mail trains. This affected the property of every class, and according to the newspapers would not be tolerated by the people. By following these traits, that were very similar to other strikes, the Brooklyn Trolley Strike was considered doomed to failure.
Newspapers of the 1890’s rarely illustrated the experiences of a single insignificant man. As a result, they tended to overlook the small picture, and focus on corporations, government policy, and other large organizations. Theodore Dreiser’s novel, along with similar publications of this time period, has the opposite effect of the newspaper. By describing the experiences of a fictional individual in a historical accurate setting, the author was able to express human thoughts and feelings that were probably widely felt throughout this era. Together, the newspaper and the novel, fact and historically accurate fiction, produced a more précised outlook of the Brooklyn Trolley Strike of 1895.
Bibliography
Dreiser, Theodore. Sister Carrie. Columbus, Ohio: Charles E. Merrill Publishing, 1969.
New York Times, 1895.
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