The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-07-26

rail ROAD REVOLUTION!
A REIGN OF TERROR, BLOOD
AND PLUMBER
MANY LIVES LOST AND MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS WORTH OF PROPERTY
DESTROYED.
The demonstration made last Tuesday al
Martinsb,lrg, ". Va, by the disseminated
fireman OK Tie baltimore & Ohio r. r., in
a,lgurated the most terrible, destructive and
widespread riot ever known in the history OF
America, il not of the world.
After the United States troops had reach
cd Martinsburg and comparative quiet was
restored, an immense force of rioters gath
es6a at Cumberland, and Gov. Carroll OF
Maryland ordered out the State militia. As
the 5th regiment was leaving their armory
in Baltimore, and indeed whilst it was yet
in the building, it was attacked by madden.
ed mob composed OF railroad men and the
working classes generally.
Stones, bricks, iron bars, and every availa-
BILE missile was brought into requisition,
and when the military moved down the
,e,,ot +l,o ,,,<j, oova want IN itc f,,rv in
oaths, Kisses, and volleys of stones and pis-
toll balls, overpowering the police and wound
ing several officers and soldiers. The mill
tary returned the fire. killing number Of
the rioters and spectators. Camden Station
was fired. and the tiremen assaulted and
hose cut, when an attempt was made to ex-
tinguish it. The platform and sheds were
burned before tho flames were gotten under
control, and the ringleaders of the mob ar
rested.
On Saturday last the crisis of tho strike
was reached in Pittsburg. Troops had been
ordered to that point from Philadelphia and
upon confronting the mob they fired upon
them. The terribly fatal effects of the shots
fired by the troops eXasperated citizens as
well as strikers, and in less than an hour
thousands of workingmen from the rolling
mills, coal mines and various manufacturing
establishments hurried to the scene OF the
conflict, determined to have revenge on the
troops and railroad officials. 1t was stated
that General Pearson, Comm ander of the
Sixth division of the State Guards, had direc-
ted the troops to fire before sany resistance
had been made, and the fact that many of
those killed and wounded had gathered on
the hillside merely as spectators served to in
crease the bitterness Of the crowd. BY eight
o'clock in the evening mObs were moving
about the city in various directions, seeking
stores to secure arms, breaking into the ar
mories of the military companies, aud pre-
pairing themselves to execute the threats free
" expressed Of massacreing the entire Phil
adelphia command. By this time the mill
tary had Withdrawn from the railroad cross
ing at Twenty-eighth street, where the first
conflict took place, and were ordered to one
of the round houses, where they would find
better protection. About 10 o'clock in the
evening mob numbering several thousand
had congregated about the round house,
They had previously captured the guns be-
longing to Hutchinson's Battery, q local Or
ganization, and planted them SO as to COM
mand the round house. Several solid shots
were fired at the building, and breach made
in the walls, but when the enfuriated mob
attempted to rush into the building the mil
itary were ordered to fire. The volley Of
musketry which followed, and the rumors
that the Calling guns Of the command were
being brought into requisition, caused pan
ic, and the mob fled preciptately for several
squares, the military meanwhile keeping up
the fusilade. The rioters, however were soon
reassurcd, and as thousands were focking to
their assistance, they returned to the attack.
Finding it 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 tiendish
alacrity by the rioters. In consequence 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
filled with produce and merchandise OF all
kinds, besides which a number of oil-cake
and coal cars were piled up in mass.
While a portion Of the mob surrounded
the building in which the military had taken
refuge large bodies proceeded to set fire to
the oil cars. and in a moment the huge vol
umes OF black smoke which rolled upwards
in every direction told that the work OF de-
struction had commenced. The sight OF the
flames seemed to literally craze the rioters,
some OF whom rushed wildly about with fla
ming torches in their hands applying them
to the cars indscriminately. The fire de-
partme Mt attempted to interfere, but were
not permitted. Train after train vas fired
by the enfuriated mob, but the cars were so
far distant from the round houses that the
heat did not SERIOUSLY affect the military al
though thier position was one of peril. Fl
nally large party OF strikers captured car
filled with coke, which they run from the A.
V. railroad track to siding connecting with
the Pa. road. Then they procured large
quantities OF petroleum oil, and pouring it
over tkecoke ignited the material. In q few
moments the car YVES mass OF fire. and it
was forced along the track and against the
round house. After setting fire to the build
ing, the mob for some unexplained reason
withdre w for short time, and the soldiers
thus escaped being burned to death. They
left the building. ard as they marched up
the street were followed and assailed by the
crowd and would have been tom to pieces
had they not dispersed and escaped.
At $3.50 a burning car was run down the
grade.under the sheds surrounding the Union
Depot. Upto this time it was hoped that
the building would escape, but the mass OF
pine lumber used IN shedding over tracks
were soon sea of fire. While the fire was
raging here the mob pillagel the freight de-
pot of the Pittsburg. Cincinnati and st.
Louis Railroad. which is in close vicinity
After piundcring the Grand Union Depot
the torch was replied to the building and soon
the magnificent cdifice was sea Of flames.
The loss in Pittsburg alone will reach $780,
100000.
BY Monday, the strike had spread over
nearly all the eastern and middle and wes-
tern states, the following special dispatches
to the VTRGTNIAN, which were published In
an extra, describe the situation at that
time.
SPECIALS:
At Baltimore, at A. NJ, there was more
rioting at Camden Station. The crowd was
repulsed, and several hundred arrested.
The preservation Of partial order here is due
alone to the presence Of U. S. regulars.
Hornellsville, N. Y.-The strike on Erie
R. r. at this place assuming formidable
proportions Company failing in every
attempt to run trains. Military arriving
here seem to frate rnize with strikers.
Wheeling, w. ", 2 m.-Intense excite
ment here. Strikers much incensed and are
holding their own. No damage as yet to
r. r.. property beyond stoppage Of all
freights.
Columbus, Ohio.-The strike at this point
begun at $3.50 this p. M, and discomfort
growing hourly, 700 strikers now gathered
ahnut var6e nf oka Shore g. M;ohiro,, p p