Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1877-07-28
Great Destruction Of Property.
The Com M uniS tS a
Work.
The Government Determined to Pro-
tect Lives and Property and Put
Stop to the Riotous Pro-
ceedings.

The strike of the locomotive fircmen
mentioned in last weeks TRIBUNE has
assumed terrible proportions, sweeping
over the country, carrying destruction
to life and property in numerous places.
1t is no longer confined to the firemen or
railroad men as class, in fact the great
er portion engaged in the riotOus
proceedings are those in nowise connected
with the railroads, but class who have
taken advantage of the strike to attack
and destroy property for the sake of pill
la.e, as was clearly demonstrated ut
PITTSBURG
where the city was comparatively at the
mercy of the most desperate classes OF the
city. While hundreds were engaged in
firing the ears aud making certain of the
destruction of the valuable buildings at
the outer depot. Thousand of men, wom-
ell and children were engaged in pillag-
ing the ears. Men armed with heavy
sledges would break open the cars and
then the contents would be thrown out
and carried off by those bent on profit
ing by the reign OF terror existing. The
street was almost completely blockaded
by persons laboring to carry off the plum
der they had gathered together. In hun
| dreds of instances wagons were pressed
into service to enable the thieves TO get
away with their goods. Here brawny
woman could be seen hurrying away with
pairs OF white kid slippers under her
arms another carrying an infant would
be rolling barrel of flour along the side
walk using her feet as the propelline
power, and here man pushinga wheel.
barrow loaded with white lead. Boys hur-
ried through the crowds with large sized
family Bibles as their share of the plum.
der, while scores of females utilized
aprons and dresses to carry flour, eggs
dry goods, etc. Bundles of umbrellas,
fancy parasols, hams, bacon, leaf lard
calico, blankets, laces and flour were
mixed together in the arms of robust
men, or carried on hastily constructed
handbarrows. Millions of dollars ol
property was burned and destroyed
The militia were beseiged i'm the round.
house and cannon brought to bear upon
it to force them out, failing in this they
set fire to the building and the military
were forced to retreat and, not being in
sufficient force 10 withstand the mob
were compelled to entrench themselves
outside of the city.
AT READING
the scene at Pittsburg was in manner
re-enacted. Shortly after the arrival oil
the passenger train from Philadelphia
about 1000 men followed after the train
from Seventh and Pennsylvania streets
to the new passenger depot. The trains
were prevented from leaying the depot
and several hundred persons commenced
the obstruction of the track of the Leb-
anon Valley railroad leading to Harris
burg. Two caboOses were Set on fire,
and an alarm of fire having been struck
the entire fire department responded
The firemen were prevented, however,by
the crowd from extinguishing the flames
Attention having been diverted TO the
burning cars, the work Of destruction
was continued at other points along the
road, tearing up tracks, turning and
blocking up switches and burning freight
cars. The Lebanon Valley railroad
bridge, a magnificent structure across
the Schuylkill, costing over $l50.000, was
fired at the western end shortly before
midnight and totally destroyed. At 1:35
A. NJ. all the spans had fallen into the
river. The object in destroying the
bridge is believed to have been TO pre-
vent the passage of troops through that
city to Harrisburg and points on the
on the Pennsylvania railroad. The mob
which had been tearing up the track
cine i'm conflict with portion of the
Fourth regiment. The soldiers fired into
the crowd, killing four and woundina
several others.
| ATBUFFALO
the mob, reinforced by large numbers
called at the car shops Of the Lake Shore
and Erie companies and ordered all work
men there to quit, which they did forth
with. An assault was made by nearly 2,
600 rioters on about 200 soldiers who were
guarding the Lake Shore rOund-house
The military were obliged to leave the
building, which was barricaded by the
mob who pushed cars in position as de
fence against attae1. Col. Flock, of the