Raritan River Railroad Riot

Raritan River Railroad tracks at Whitehead Avenue, looking northeast, toward the Raritan River and into Sayreville.  Herrman, Aukam & Co. and RRRR Station in center.

 RRRR Passenger Station (in GREEN) at Whitehead Ave.

Only 3 weeks after the Herrmann, Aukam "strike riot" a seemingly unrelated event occurred in South River near the site of the shootings.  On July 2, workers waiting for the passenger train of the Raritan River Railroad that took them to work at the DuPont and Union Powder munitions plants in neighboring Sayreville refused to pay the fare which had been doubled (from 5 cents to ten cents, one way).  The Home News account later explained that the round trip fair which had been ten cents was doubled to twenty cents except for those who held commuting tickets, which were increased by only a half cent one way.  Most laborers did not buy commuter’s tickets. The account states the refusal of the men “nearly” resulted in a riot and that fights broke out to prevent anyone from attempting to board the train. Bricks were thrown and the train crew threatened. An article in the Plainfield Courier-News claimed that the "several thousand foreigners" who were protesting the fare increase had attempted to burn down the station.  A letter to the editor several days after the event, "Says Foreigners Should All Be Subject to Draft",  noted that train car windows were smashed and trolleys and buses were also prevented from running as the protesters "mob(bed) those who go on the train".

The munitions workers declared they would rather "walk the streets of South River" than pay the increase and voted not to go to work. The powder plants were short 1,000-1,500 workers. (Because of the war, employment at DuPont had gone from 200 in 1914 to 5,500.)

This time, the entire 200 man force of the New Brunswick Home Guard ("headed by Robert Johnson of Johnson & Johnson") was called out.  The Home Guard was “…organized and equipped by the Home Defense League to take care of any uprising in this city, to assume charge in case of riots or any disturbance growing out of the war.”   The

Thus, the Herrmann, Aukam strike should not be seen as an isolated event caused by the practices of one firm or the militancy of a small group of skilled workers.

Also, it should be remembered that the South River passenger depot of the RRRR was within sight of the Herrmann, Aukam plant and if pickets were at the plant the morning of the price increase, it is likely they played some part in the incident.  Additionally, it can be safely assumed that many Hermann, Aukam employees lived in Sayreville and other towns on the RRRR.  See also The Daily Home News Editorial "ANARCHY AT OUR DOORS".

The Raritan River Railroad, which had been on the verge of discontinuing passenger service before the US entry into the World War and the resulted boom in employment at the Sayreville munitions plants dramatically increased it's business, would lower the fare to seven cents for a one way ticket, after the incident, for an increase of 2 cents.

Passenger Station of Raritan River Railroad at Whitehead Ave., next to Herrmann, Aukam & Co.