River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-10-30
THE INDIANA RAILROAD WAR.

IbIbT toUlllyt lhu'g w N'ii ~ WV Cii
ted States Circnit Court, have decided
that the Michigan Central Railroad
should allow the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad tocross its track near the Lake
Station, still that company refuses to
abide by the decisions of the Courts,
and bids defiance to it's mandates and
officers. To prevent the Baltimore and
Ohio from crossing its track, it has
taken the law in ~ own hands, and
placed all kinds of distractions in the
way, and stationed there an army of
men to watch day and night that no
coup d'etat is attempted by the Balti-
more aud Ohio. The latter road has
thus far acted entirely on the defensive,
believing that after the decisions Of the
courts were given the opposition to
their crossing would cease.
After the last decision by Judge
Drummond, the solicitor of the Balti-
more aud Ohio requested Mr.. Gardner,
the chief engineer Of the Michigan
Central, to name the time and day when
il would be most convenient to his road
for the crossings to be made. The an
swer was that they should prevent the
crossings by force, and in no event per
nit it. Therefore the officers of the
Baltimore and Ohio, having arrived ut
that point where patience ceases TO be
virtue, call, q upon the sheriff Of Porter
county, Indiana. 10 aid them in making
the crossing. Early one morning about
6 o'clock the attorneys for the Balti-
more and Ohio, Judge Cowan, of Balti-
more, Judge Anthony and Ex-Governor
Baker, of Valparaiso, and Mr.. Jones,
of Valparaiso, James Hamshire, James
l.. Randolph, Chief Engineer James
Walsh, General Agent, and construc-
ton corps of about fifty men, together
with Robert b. Jones, Sheriff Of Porter
county, Harvey Patrick, Deputy, and a
posse of twenty citizens, went to the
place where the crossing is to be made.
On arriving there they found upon
the ground force of about 300 men
placed there by the Michigan Central, to
oppose the crossing 10y the Baltimore and
Ohio. There were also standing upon
the main track of the Michigan Central,
just across the right of way, three c)n-
struction trains. To allow the regular
trains to pass, side-track ON the north
side Of the main track had been CON
structed. Barricades of tics, rails, and
wood had been placed on each side of
the crossing between the main track
Il. l.
manned bv number Of men ready to
aunihilate any one who should touch the
pile. As mn additional precaution ON
either side had also been dug deep
bitches, and inside the bitches camp
/ fires were brightly burning, with mum
bers of men around them.
Judge Cowan. the Solicitor of the
Baltimore and Ohio, asked the men
under whose orders they We're acting,
and they answered under the orders Of
I Chief Engineer Gardner. Not finding
Mr. Gardner on the ground, the Of
/ ticers of the Baltimore and Ohio. in the
presence Of the Sheriff and his posse of
citizens of the county, climbed the
/ fence, anl endeavored to storm the
/ barricadrs. But in moMcnt the army
of the Michigan Central was upon them,
and the attacking party was compelled
\ Ia fall back considerably demoralized,
without having obtained possession of
the track. This attempt to take possess
ION of decreasing was not made until the
solicitor of the Baltimore and Ohio had
publicly announced that they came in
the name of the Company, and after the
Court had decided they should cross
Ii was also announced that the Sheriff
was present to put the Company IN
possession under a writ issued by the
Circuit Court of Foster County. The
writ was read to the crowd and atten-
lively listened Ia, and then explained 10y
the Solicitor, who stated that to resist
the writ was a criminal oilense, and
punishable 10y a fine of -, 900 and six
months in the penitcntiarv.
The sheriff aud his posse then en-
dcavorcd totake possession Of the cross
ing, but they were also routed, and
forced Ia precipitnte retreat The
Solicitor again begged the men To
disperse and allow the law Ia take its
course, unless they would be prosecuted
for riot, rout, forcible dctainer, ohstruct
ing legal process, and other oilenses
Horrible and long Ms this list of crimes
~, the men did not care snap for the
penalties, not budgng an inch from
their position, claiming that they had
been placed there 10y their superiors,
and all they hadt do was to obey. The
Sheriff then attempted to arrest the
leaders of the army of occupation, and
take them before the nearest Justice, To
he dealt with according 30 law, but he
was not allowed to lay hands upon any
Of them.
4 The next step was the procurement
7 of warrants for number of the men.
and nfterward an attempt was made to
serve them, but this WIS again prevent
ed 10y force, and legal process ohstruct-
ed. While the warrants were being
read. the crowd hootod and yelled. the
engines whistled, and snuflcd, and
shrieked, creating such an uproar rs to
drown the words Of the person reading
the writs The assistant rondmaster
Watts, Of the Michigan Central, then
mounted one of the barbados and pub
licly proclaimed that he'd be id if a
single man should be- arrested from