Strikes

Labor unrest led to trolley strikes in several cities between 1890 and 1920. Strikes sometimes forced postmasters to find alternate ways to move the mail during the strife. Crowds often moved out of the way of the mail trolleys, having no complaint with the Post Office.

During the 1905 teamsters strike in Chicago a trolley car company painted their cars white, hoping that strikers would pause before attacking a car carrying the mail since that would make them liable to federal prosecution. The Post Office Department learned of the plan and put a stop to it.