The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-07-23

were crowded with freight cars filled
with grain, produce and merchandise o.
all kinds, besides which number o,
loaded oil, coke and coal cars we're pilet
up in the mass. While a portion Of III,
mob surrounded the building In which
the military had taken refuge, larRt
bodies proceeded to set Gre to the oil cars
and in a moment the huge volume Of
black smoke which rolled upward, fol-
lowed by lurid flames reaching out il
every direction, told that the work O.
destruction had begun. The sight Of thI
flames seemed TO literally craze tho mob
some OF whom rushed wildly about with
flaming torches in their hands applying
them 10 the cars unfortunately. An
alarm was sounded and the department
promptly responded, but the rioters whc
had complete control Of the city refused
to permit them 10 make any effort to ex-
iinguiah the flames. They said they were
determined to destroy the railroad com.
pany's property but would DO no injury
to that belonging to private citizens,
They kept their word, too, and when a
lumber pile, belonging to Atchison, took
FIRE the rioters Themselves turned in
and helped to extinguish the flames and
remove the lumber therein to u safe
place. Train after train was fired by the
infuriated crowd, but the cars were 80 far
distant from the Round House that the
heat did not seriously effect the military
although their position was one Of peril,
Finally large party Of strikers cartur.
ed a car filed with coke, which they ran
from the Allegheny Valley railroad track
to a siding connecting with the Pennsyl-
vauia railroad. They then procured
large quantities Of petroleum oil and
pouring it over the coke ignited the ma.
terials. In very few moments the Car
was a mass Of fire and it was then pushed
along the tracks and forced against
the round house. The building was
soon ignited and the soldiers were now
compelled to prepare to fight their way
out through the frensied mass Of human.
ity clamoring for their blood. The build.
ing did not burn as fast as was desired,
and the mob, bent on revenge, rushed out
the road and sent burning trains towards
the doomed buildings. From midnight
till b o'clock thiaA A. ~, the maindeiforts
Of the crowd were directed to firing the
buiIdings and cars; but about half an
hour later the mob which had been be.
siegiug the military left, for some unex-
planned reason, and this afforded the
troops,,who were in actual danger of be.
ing roasted alive, a chance to emerge
from the building, and they sue.
ceeded in reaching Liberty street in very
few moments. They quickly formed in
line and marched up to Thir.y.third
street and thence to Penn avenue and
Butler street. Their objective point was
the U. S. Arsenal on Butler street, where
they expected to obtain shelter; while
turning into Butler street, however, the
leaders Of the mob had discovered their
retreat. and fully one thousand men, fully
armed and supplied with ammunition,
started in pursuit. Some Of the troops
tired at the citizens, either accidentally
or Intentionally, as they were moving
along, and this added fury to the cry for
revenge. When they reached the arsenal
the commandant refused to admit them, he
said he had but ten men, and would be
powerless to hold the place il the mob
should attack it. He offered to take care
OF the wounded, and they were accord
ingly carried into the hospitals. The
main body Of the troops continued their
march up Butler street, a fusilade being
kept up on them by the mob as they moved
forward, The shots fred killed one Of
the soldiers before they reached the ar.
senal, two others were killed and left
lying on the sidewalk. They continued
their fight, and crossed over to the north
side OF the Allegheny river on the Sharps.
burg bridge, the mob following them
as fast as possible. After reaching
the north side the troops scattered and in
this way the mob was divided into very
small bodies. In the meantime the city
was in state Of anarchy, thousands who
had not Joined in the pursuit Of the ilee.
ing troops gathered about the burning
buildings and trains aud assisted in
spreading the flames wherever they had
not been applied. By7 o'clock the fire
had extended from AIilivill station to 2OIh
street, and enveloped hundreds OF cars,
the extensive machine shops, two round
houses, the depots and Offices Of the
Union Transfer Company, blacksmith
shops, storehouscs and numerous other
buildings, making up the terminal facil.
tiles OF this mammoth corporation.
In the round houses were l25 first class
locomotives which had been housed in
consequence OF this strike. These were
totally destroyed, but even the immense
loss which will be sustained in this item
alone is but trile in tile aggregate OF
damage done. The scenes tlanspirips
on Liberty street, along the line of, ,a,kSh
the tracks Of the railroad ~, Simply
beggar description. Wi.He hundreds
were engaged firing cars and making
certain the destruction OF the valuable
buildings at the outer depot, thousands
Of men, women and children are engaged
in pillaging tho cars. Men armed with
heavy sledges would break open
the cases aud then their contents would be
thrown out and carried of by those bent
on prodting by the reign Of terror exist.
ing, The street was almost completely
blockaded by persons labOring to carry
Off the plumber they had gathered togeth-
er. In hundreds Of instances wagons
were pressed into service to enable the
thieves to get away with their goods.
Mayor Mccarthy, early in tho day, en-
deavored to stop the pillage, but the hand.
tul Of men al his command were unable
to control the crowd, who were desperate
in their anxiety to secure the goods. At
ono time the pillage was checked,