Daily Kennebec journal., 1877-07-25

ing dragged Off The FIRE in the round-house had
gained rapid hesdway, and il was soon enveloped
in flames. The fire alarm sounded, and all the
FIRE apparatus in the city came 10 the neighbor-
hood, but the rioters would not permit a hand TO
be raised to stay the destruction extinguish the
flames. The crowds Of spectators must have num-
bered 20 600. They had collected on the LOFTY
hills that overhang the railroad track, where they
swarmed like ants, in black lines two miles long.
They could watch all the movements OF the troops
and the mob, aud were in large part made up OF
persons who denounce the outrages OF the last tw
days when they can safely do so, but who could
not resist the feeling OF curiosity 10 look upon the
shameful and inexcusabe ruin that the mob were
working.
The troops were refused admission, so it is said,
at the arsenal, and kept on toward Sharpsburg,
where they rested. Once they turned upon the
mob in their retreat and fred upon them with the
Gsthng gun, but the result of the discharge could
not be sscertained. although one OF the crowd,
who was present. told me he thought 20 persons
were killed. The troops marched through lhlrteth
street with rifles at half cock. and they kept a
sharp watch on their followers. AT one time the
mob broke out of bounds aRd fired into the rear
of the line, when young man IN the rear fle was
shot in the back and fell. lie was with difficulty
removed from the street by kind person, who
carried him into q house near by, changed his uni
form for plain suit, aud assured the crowd gath
cred at the door that the wounded soldier had es-
capped. They were incredulous, but were finally
induced TO leave. II is reported that three sol
diers were killed before the arsenal was reached,
and their bodies left in the street, but could not
verify the report.
The soldiers having gone, the mob returned
with flesh vIgor TO the round d-hosse. There they
found that the building, which contained about
~ locomotives. had been entirely consumed, and
II presented tearfully melancholy spectacle,
standing amid n wide field of ruins. Three hum
drti freight cars, the shops, and round-house had
been reduced to ashes, and S2,000,0O of capital
,xept away. Tne transfer depot was burned next
Aud While Il blARed the freight cars within aquar-
,cr of . uie Of the Union Depot were rled. Men
6e rsicy hrke the locks OF the doors with bars
81 lraR The hoNes were tossed out IN stack up
- ,ae ground. sud then flock OF greedy cormo-
-SE.s p0uaCrd upon them. They were women,
ss Nts a. men, in the crowd, blacks and
Aises \ow BOX OF cahcoes wouId be scrum-
e'xi Far: next hams would be distributed; then
2.Arellx> warns. lemons. sewing machines, Hour
: >Artvl. rger beer 10 kegs. whlskey, boots and
saoss. druggists materials, and even stationery,
woaid be scattered around in the most wanton
pr5susion. Women went and came again, aud
carried OF armsfuIl OF dry goods and groceries.
Men were seen in the streets carrying great rolls
OF leather. psC Ssges OF shovels, boxes Of fine
shoes and other valuablos. Any body who needed
a new hat could get Que, and many who did not
care for beer evidently could not bear to see 1t
pouring unresirsned from free bung hole with
out drinking il, and they. broke open drug gists
packages TO obtain driuking vessels. The mob
was a COW srdly one, although II was large and
rough. Some one whispered that there was gun
powder in one Of the burning near by, when
there was stampede of 5000 thieves many OF
the careless ones falling on the tracks To be tram
Piled upon by the rushing throng. One man, who
found a box of shirts, deliberately put on dozen
one over the other, and another wrecker cast oil
his old clothes TO don an entire new suit which he
had obtained. The police came along about noon
but they did not attempt TO stop the breaking open
of the OF interfere with the strikers