Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1877-08-01
Railway Strikes.


son. The latter will learn that the
can gain nothing by lawless an
riotous demonstrations, but, on tn
contrary, will be the losers, an
the capitalists will learn the fact {
their dependence on the laborer an
allow them just compensation 70
labor performed. Both parties ar
equally dependent on each other
The laborer has right to ask wa
ges sufficient to keep himself ant
family comfortably, but he has NJ
right to use force or intimidation
to get wages that his employer j:
unable to pay, neither has he g
right to prevent men who are will.
ing to work, from doing so. II
will also teach a useful lesson in
dealing with lawless mobs. They
must be crushed with strong hand,
and the laboring man is as much
interested in the preservation of
law and order, as the capitalist.
The present stike was OCCASION
ed by the railroad officials, of a
number of the leading lines, be-
ing forced to reduce the wages of
their employees ten per cent, owing
to the decreased traffic and gener-
al depression of the business in the
country. The reduction went into
effect July LIST, 1877.
The first strike occurred on the
Baltimore & Ohio, followed shortly
after by the Pennsylvania, Erie,
Lake Shore & Michigan Southern,
Canada Southern, Michigan Gen.
trail, Great Western, New York |
Central, and large number of the
railway lines of Maryland, Penn
sylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, and
various lines in Illinois, Missouri,
Kentucky, Texas and other States.
Strikes also took place on the Pa
ciiic roads.
The strikers got possession of
most of the roads and refused to
allow trains to be run or men to
work. Application was then made {
to the State authorities for help,
and the State troops of New York, :
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Mary ,
land, Ohio and few other States,
were ordered out and stationed at :
various points along the disturbed r
railway lines. The help of the u. Il
s. troops was demanded of the 81
Federal government, and the Pres "
ident Immediately placed all the p,
available national troops and sail G.
ors at the disposal of the Govern a
ors of the disturbed States. 4
Mobs composed of roughs took Il
advantage of the anarchy and, in 4
many of the cities, forced manufac- II
.ories to shut down and the en- n,
ployes to quit work. AS usual 70
with strikes, riots took place and M
he consequences were several con- tr
licts between the rioters and the n,
roops and police. In Baltimore, III
July 20, 9 persons are known to in
ave been killed and 90 wounded M
IN the 22nd, lawless mob, sew m,
raj thousand strong, drove out the M
state troops who were stationed at bu
and got possession of III
he city. A terrible scene of de- m,
truction and robbery ensued, in i'm
'hich at least S5,000,000 worth OF wi
was consumed by fire. tn,
he rioters broke into the gun bu
hops and armories and took such On,
uns as they could find, and also ma,
OF possession of three cannon vol
t last the citizens organized and cer
ne riot was put down. Considerable of
the stolen property was recap to
lred and the riot leaders arrested. =
n the 23rd a conflict took place the
Reading, Pa, resulting in the snit
IS of Z persons killed and % bn,
bundled. Several severe encount- too
took place in Chicago between so
e police and roughs, resulting in is
heavy loss of lives. Conflicts ind,
tween the roughs and authorities nav
We occurred in San Francisco. wbe
Louis and other cities. In San bur,
lncisco the trouble was about thin
Chinese-the rioters under rails,
ing to clear them out, but were larr
vented by the citizens and the of Il
ce. In Chicago the object of had
mob was plumber. bala,
dvices received up to July 2S, up
that the strike is practically payn
, the employees going to work, expe
ost cases. at the terms set by get
ailroads' and in Others COM They
use has been effected. The know
. on the Erie ended July 26tb. ever