Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1877-07-26
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The Great Railroad Strike.

DAY. United States troops were
called out to quell the riot which
followed, and order was partially re-
stored. Subsequently the strike
reached Baltimore. and slight col
lision between troops and strikers
took place with slight loss of life.
On Saturday furious mob took
possession Of Pittsburgh. and scene
OF blocd-shed terror rarely exceeded
in this century took place. The tele-
graph gives full reports ana we copy
at length so that full appreciation
OF the event may be HAD by our citi-
zens. A dispatch from Pittsburgh
on Sunday contains the following:
The crisis OF the railway strike in
this city, as indicated in these dis
patches Saturday night, was reached
yesterday afternoon about 5 o'clock,
when the Philadelphia troops, who
had been sent here to suppress the
strikers, fred upon the crowd. The
terribly fatal effects OF the shots fired
by the troops exasperated the citi-
zens as well as strikers, and in less
than an hour thousands OF working
men from the rolling mills, coal mines
and various manufacturing establish
ments hurried to the scene of the
conflict, determined to have revenge
on the troops and railroad officials.
1t was stated that General Pearson,
commander OF the Sixth division OF
the State Guards, had directed the
troops to fire before any resistance
had been made, and the fact that
many OF those killed and wounded
had gathered on the hillside merely
as spectators, seemed to increase the
bitterness Of the crowd. BY o'clock
In the evening mobs were m owing
about the city in various directions,
sacking stores to secure arms, break
ing into the armories of the military
companies, and preparing themselves
to execute the threats, freely ex-
pressed. OF massacreing the entire
Philadelphia command. BY this
time the military had withdrawn
from the railroad crossing. where the
first conflict took place, and where
ordered to one OF the round houses
where they could find better pro-
lection. About 10 O'Clock in the eve.
ming a mob numbering several thou
sand had copyrighted about the
round-house. They had previously
captured the guns belonging to
Hutchinson's battery, local organi-
zation, and planted them so as to
command the round house Several
solid shots were fired at the building,
and bre ach made in the walls, but
when the infurated mob attempted
to rush into the building the military
were ordered to fire. The volley OF
musketry which followed, and the
rumor that the Calling guns OF the
command were being brought into
regulation caused a panic, and the
mob fed precipitately for several
squares. the military meanwhile
keeping up their fire. The rioters,
however, were fiocking to their ass ist-
ance. they returned to the attack.
Finding 1t difficult to dislodge the
military from the building. they
resolved to burn them out. An order
to this effect was issued. and it was
carried into execution with fiendish
alacrity by the rioters. As conse-
quence OF the blockade which had
existed for two days, the sidings in
the outer depot yards, as well as those
extending eastward some three or
four miles, were crowded with freight
cars, filed with grain, products and
merchandise OF all kinds, besides
which a number laden with oil, coke
and coal were piled up Ia the mass Z.
While portion OF the mob surroun-
dug the building in which the mill
tary had taken refnge, large bodies
| proceeded to set fire to the oil cars,
and In moment the huge volumes
of smoke which rolled upwards, fol-
lowed by Iurid flames reaching out
In every direction. told that the work
of destruction had commenced. The
sight OF the flames seemed to literally
craze the rioters, some OF whom
rushed wildly about with flaming
torches In their hands, applying
them to cars Unfortunately. An
alarm was sounded and the depart
ment promptly responded, but the
rioters, who had complete control OF
the city. refused to permit them to
make any effort to extinguish the
1amesl They said they were deter
mined to destroy the railroad
company's property, but would do no
injury to that belonging to private
citizens. fney kept their word, too,
and when lumber pile belonging to
q citizen took fire, the rioters them
selves turned In and helped to ex-
tinguish The flames and remove the
lumber to cafe place. Train after
train was fired by the Infatuated
crowd, but the cars were so far dis
tant from the round-house that the
heat did not seriously affect the mill
tary, although their position was one
OF peril. Finally large party OF
strikers captured a car filed with
coke, which they ran from the Ale
cheney Valley railway track to a
siding connected with the Pennsyl-
vania railroad. They then procured
large quantities Of petroleum oil and
pouring 1t over the coke, ignited the
materials. In very few moments
the car was a mass OF fire, and il was