San Francisco Strike: Ironworkers Smash Streetcar

Witness a fiery chapter of San Francisco’s labor wars with this silent footage of an ironworkers’ strike, likely from the early 1900s, rocking the city’s streets. Amid the clash, a streetcar meets its doom—ironworkers, fueled by rage over wages or hours, shatter the symbol of urban order, leaving twisted metal and splintered wood in their wake. Crowds swirl around the chaos, perhaps near Market Street or a carbarn, as the Bay Area’s industrial backbone flexes its might. Filmed in stark black-and-white, this reel captures a raw moment of worker defiance, possibly linked to broader unrest like the 1907 streetcar strike or 1916 labor tensions. A gritty gem for history buffs, labor enthusiasts, and San Francisco heritage fans, it’s a snapshot of a city forged in struggle.