The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-07-23
SUNDAYS DISPATCHES. I
RlIGN OF TERROR IN
PITTSBURGH
125 Locomotives, Freight and
Passenger Depots, Round
Houses, Etc., Destroyed
by Fire!
THE CITY ENTIRELY IN THE
HANDS or THE MOB.
The Militia Driven out of the Cit,

PrTTsBURG. July 2l.-6 P. MA
dreadful riot occurred at the outer depot
OF the Pennsylvania railroad about an hour
ago. A number of men and several women
and children were killed and wounded.
Seven dead have been taken from the
scene. 1t is not known how many are yet
to be gathered up. The firing was done
by the Philadelphia militia. One of their
own men and one of the Pittsburg soldiers
are killed. Bystanders all say the fire was
unprovoked, The excitement is intense.
I A large body Of men left for Allegheny
; arsenal few moments ago with the avowed
purpose OF selzlng the arms stored there, to
be used In repelling the riot. At 4:2O the
; Philadelphia troops left the Union depot
for the disturbance at Twenty. eight street
/ crossing, marching along the track, the
/, sheriff preceding with a posse. The
sheriff intended to make arrests by the
aid of the military, and a conflict was ex-
pected. They arrived about o'clock, and
| the strikers completely blocked the track.
The Black Hussars of Philadelphia. being
unable to clear the track, another company
was ordered to their assistance. The mil
, itary advanced with fixed bayonets, but
were met with a shower of stones and mis-
, siles from the crowd. They opened fire
Unfortunately in rapid succession, the
crowd retreating toward East Liberty
Many were killed and wounded
t At half past five the crossing was in
J possession of the military, Every few
moments the crowd would become panic
stricken, and stampede would take place.
The terrible results of the volley have
caused intense excitement throughout the
= city, and it is feared another attack will
d be made on the military as soon as the
e mob can be reorganized and provided with
/, ammunition
: Another and still larger crowd has just
/ finished the demolition of Browns estab-
hshment on Wood street, which they COM
!. pletely gutted and then marched down
), Fifth avenue with drums beating and flags
/ flying. They number nearly 5000, as yet
Isl they haYe not shown any inclination to
r destroy any thing but railroad property.
4 | 1t is reported that the Allegheny arsenal
is in the hands of the rioters, The Phila.
, delphia militia are besieged in the round
!. house at the outer depot, and their posi-
e, ton is considered very critical The tele
y graph employees were driven from theil
49, posts ct the outer depot by stones anc
other missiles as early as clock. Threats
are made by the strikers to destroy UnioI
le depot. The rioters haye captured three
at pieces of ordinance, belonging to Knapp
o. battery.
At9p. N. excitement is raging all owe
L the city, which is virtually in the hands O
o. an armed mob, composed of laborers, iro
ul workers, coal miners, ,stevedors and others
Ial in full sympathy with the strikers. !
n large mob visited the johnson gun factor
.p- on Smithfeld street about o'clock thi
y. evening, and armed themselves.
mt Sheriff Fife's dead body has just bee
be brought 10 from the outer depot Majc
err Gen. Pearson is badly wounded.
ed A number of citizens went to the Philt
ch delphia soldiers who are entrenched
is; the Pennsylvania round house to -nigt
re- and begged them Ito leave the city, as
ia general massacre is feared. They wei
unable to do so on account of the sur
ice rounding mob. Three Of the soldiers WI
ION attempted to step out single were shot ar
W. 'nu Instantly killed Two citizens were sh
~. M down on Liberty street short time ago.
nP PITTSBURGH, July 22-While porto
rt of the mob surrounded the building
which the military had taken refuge, lars
. bodies proceeded to set fire to the {
cars, and in moment the huge volum
of black smoke which rolled upwards, fC
in lowed by the lurid flames reaching out
de- every direction, told that the work of de
hat truction had commenced. The sight
cat the flames seemed to literally craze Il
nth rioters, some of whom rushed wild
the about with flaming torches in their hand
lse applying them to the cars indiscriminatel
An alarm was sounded and the fire d
. partment promptly responded; but t
rioters, who had complete control OF t
city, refused to permit them to make al
effort to extinguish the flames, They sa
they were determined to destroy the ra
road companys property, but would do
he'd damage to that belonging to private cl
Ian zens. They kept their word, too, a
rom when lumber piles belonging to some
the citizens took fire, the rioters themselv
7ro' turned in and helped to extinguish t
flames and remove the lumber to 81
place. Train after train was fired by {
infuriated crowd but the cars were SO
distant from the round houses, that
heat did not seriously affect the militia
although their position was one OF PEE
Finally large crowd of strikers captur
a car filled with coke, which they run fr
the Allegheny Valley railway track
the siding connecting with the Pennsylva
railway. They then procured la
quantity of petroleum oil, and pouring
OV6E TIC COAC lRul66O IAc kAoSCAAoA'
very vew moments the car was mass
v to fire, and it was then pushed along
elief, track and forced against the round hoU
,nI,c' nmc The building was soon ignitsd and
; and soldiers were now compelled to prepare
:, and fight their way out through the frenz
Skin SKIN, mass of humanity clamoring for bic
aids, But the building did not burn as rapi
- as was desired, and the mob, bent on
- venge, rushed out on the road and s
burning trains towards abe doomed bu
ing.
From midnight until o'clock this mC
ing the main efforts of the crowd were
rected towards firing the buildings
cars, but about half an hour later the l
which had been besieging the militia,
a for some explained reason. This affor
the troops, who we're in actual DANCE
being roasted alive, an opportunity
emerge from the building. and they
ceeded in reaching Liberty street in a
few moments. They quickly forme'
is OF line aud marched up to SD street. I
objective point was the United States
senal, on Butler street, where they
,Oas pected to obtain shelter. tWhile tarl
into Butler street, however, the leader