Middletown transcript., 1877-07-28
Riot at PittSburg +!
BATTLE IN THE STREETS.
Pillaging and Burning of Cars !
Immense Destruction Of
r. 2. Property I
Military Driven from the CityI
THE CITY IN THE HANDS OF
THE MOB
THE SHERIFF KILLED
A Number Killed and Wounded
The MOE ARMED!

THE MOB ARMED
Scarcely had the excitement created by the
report of the riot in Baltimore subsidized when
The peoples breath was almost taken away
from them by the uews-fashed over the tel
egraph wires-of more deadly and terrible
struggle in Pittsburg The bad feeling en-
gendered by the arrival Of the Philadelphia
militia in Piusburg had become intensified 10
such degree that ii resembled a shoulder
ing magazine, from which the FIRE was kept
by the slightest covering This feeling reached
eliminating point on Saturday evening,
when the troops marched from their head
quarters at the railroad depot to assist the
Sheriff in the arrest of some of the ringleaders
of the strikers, and in clearing the railroad of
the blockade made by the strikers. On arri-
wing at Twenty-eighth street crossing, where
large crowd of the strikers and their friends
had assembled, the Sheriff read the riot act,
and attempted TO arrest the leaders This was
the signal for the commencement ofthe affray
and terrible storm Of bricks aud stones was
hurled upon the troops by the mob Gen.
Brnton then gave lhe order to fire. The
word ran along the line and the troops COM
menced a
PRoMIsoUoUs FIRING UPON THE CROWD.
This was repeated several times and many
persons, mostly spectators, or persons en-
gagged in innocent pursuits, were killed and
wounded By the bullets. The crowd scatter
ed and fed in dismay. The reckless firing Of
H. Itt,,
ment throughout the city shops and manu-
factories were every where deserted, and the
employees rushed 10 the aid of the railroad
strikers with bitter denunciations of the Phil
adelphians aud declaring their intention TO
drive them from the city. Gun stores and
the armories of the local military companies
were broken open and the arms distributed
among the rioters. Upwards of 5000 men
were thus well armed and having captured
three guns belonging to Knapp's battery and
one gun from Hutchinson battery, they fol-
lowed the Philadelphia troops, who hSd re-
treated to the round house Of the Pennsylva-
MIA railroad in which they took up their posi-
ton Here they were surrounded and be-
sieged by the mob The captured cannon
were planted and a cannonade opened upon
the round house. A breach was soon made
in the walls and part of the mob undertook
to effect an entrance by storm but were driven
back by the well directed FIRE of the soldiers
Within At length it was determined to burn
them out and several coal oil cars.were set on
fire and pushed down the track toward the
position Of the soldiers. The roof Of the bSild-
ing was soon on fire and the situation of the
troops became perilous in the extreme. The
torch having been once appiesthe crowd be-
came furious in the extreme During the
blockade, which had now lasted two days,
upwards of a thousand freight cars had gath
cred upon the track. reaching a distance of
three miles These the mob broke open, pill
laged and set on fire, and for a time the streets
were filed with men, women and children,
fastening from the wreck Of the trains with
their arms laden with the spoils.
RETREAT OF fHE SOLDIERS.
Indhe meantime the beseiged troops had
taken advantage of the lull in the seige, caused
by the saeking Of The cars, TO make their es-
cape from the burning building and at once
began their retreat from the scene. Their
movements were seen and the attack upon
them was renewed by the mob with increased
fury. The troops retreaied up the street to
the 0. S, arsenal, where they expected 10 re-
ceiYe shelter, but they were refused admit
tauee by the eommandant who feared the
vengeance of the mob. He did consent to
take the wounded, and the troops continued
their retreat, fighting constantly with the
mob, who rained u continuous fire upon them
through the whole route, until they reached
Claremont, hill ten miles from the city, and
on the north side Of Allegheny river. In the
meantime anarchy reigned supreme in the
city.
DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY.
The work of saeking and burning the freight4
cars having been completed the torch was APP
piled tn the freight depots, the Grand Union
Depot-a splendid bui.ding-and all other
buildings belonging TO the various railroads
eonverging in the city Three miles of pro-
perty were thus on fire at once, and with The |
frenzied mob, bowling, yelling and dancing /
like hends, the scene presented was one Of tue |
most intense herror, aptly described by an
eye witness as a picture or 'Hell with the top |
torn off, Besides the buildings and cars de- |
stroyed, l25 6rst-class locomotives were either 1
broken to pieces or burned, entailing a loss |
upon the railroad companies of from s., O00,- |
eco 10 SC, coo, 600. The mob persistendy re-
fused 10 allow the fremeu TO extinguish the
flames, but declared their intention 10 not in
iuTe private property, and once when some
lumber belonging to private citizen acci-
dentally caught fire the rioters themselves ex-
tinguished the flames and removed ii to a
place of safety.
THE KILLED AND WOUNDED.
The number Of persons killed and wounded
during the riot cannot yet be accurately as
certained, but it is estimated that about TWEEN
ty-fiVe or thirty of the soldiers and upwards
of one hundred of the people were killed or
injured. Among the number were Sheriff
Fife, killed outright, and General Pearson
badly wounded.
The Philadelphia troops having been driven
out of The city, and the railroad property all
destroyed, the mob, having apparently moth
ing more to do, dispersed and retired to their
homes and quiet was restored throughout the
city Order and peace have since assumed
their wonted sway and nothing now remains
to tell Of the terrible conflict but the blacken-
ed ruins Of the property of the railroad com
panies.
+This has since been denied.
STRIKES AND RIOTS IN OTHER