Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1877-07-21
Unfortunate Labor Troubles on
The II. Il q. Railroad.

carrying companies vi TIC oo"n'is' y"
ing to the universal depression of bust
ness, has felt the necessity of exercising
the most rigid economy in the conduct
of its vast business, and lately has dis
charged large number of its employ
ees, besides reducing the pay of those
that remained in the service ei the com
pany. At recent meeting OF the hoard
of directors a still further reduction of
10 per cent. in the pay of all officers
and employees of the company was de-
termined upon, the order to take effect
on the 10th inst. The reduction was
felt by all the employees OF the conpa-
ny, but more especially by the engineers
and fireUen, to be very grave matter,
but nothing was done and no serious
opposition TO the reduction was apt!ci-
pated until Monday (the day the order
went into effect,) when the firemen OF
the burden trains at Camden junction,
about three miles from Baltimore went
on strike, refusing to take out their
trains at the reduced pay. The Compa-
nv at once filed the places of the strik-
ers with other men, which 1t was not
hard to do, owing to the large number
of people looking for employment.
There was no violence attempted, al
though the police were called upon and
kept in readiness to preserve order. AT
Martinsburg, however, affairs assumed
"A more serious aspect. The tiremen
there no. only refused to do duty them
selves, but endeavored to prevent 9th
ers from filing their places This Of
course provoked conflict, and we re-
greet to say, also bloodshed. The fol-
lowing proceedings were telegraphed to
the Baltimore San, to which paper we
are indebted for the information in ref
erence to the unfortunate AFFAIR."
MARTINSGURG, w. Va, July II, 1877.
This has been day of great excite
ment in Martinsburg,. grown out OF the
strike of the fircmen on freight trains
of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad.
The strike began here yesterday, when
it became apparent that there was q
growing understanding among the
freight firemen to resist the 10 per cent
reduction. 1t was soon learned that all
freight trains going east ard west were
to be stopped, and now IS trains, com
prising 1900 cars, loaded with coal,
grain and other freight, including IS
cattle cars, comprising about 600 head
of stock, are detained here. Large
crowds of people gathered early at the
railroad depot, and the excitement was
at times intense.
On Monday night when it was found
that not less than fourteen trains loaded
with live stock bad been stopped by the
refusal of the stricking firemen to allow
them TO pass, kilograms were sent to
Baltimore giving the railroad companys
officials notification of the situation. As
stated IN the dispatches ofyesterday the
mayor, Mr.. A. Z. Shut, was appealed
20, and lie used every endeavor to quiet
the outbreak and relieve the embargo,
but was overpowered and obliged to
give it up. Gov. Mathews of West
Va, was then appealed 10, and he, at
about midnight Monday sent the neces-
sary orders for the intervention of the
local militia of Martinsburg.
Captain G. J. Faulkner, captain of
the Berkeley Light Infantry, of Martins
burg, had his company in ranks by five
o'clock this morningin obedience TO the
orders of the Governor Of West Nirgi-
MIA, who telegraphed the night before
to render all necessary assistance and
see that the men who were wiling TO
run trains were not intertered with.
In the meantime another attempt had
been made to send out freight train,
but the fireman was taken off by the ri
o,ers and the train halted. As the dis
turbers of the business of the road were
determined to listen to no conciliatory
measure the military company was
marched down to the railroad, in front
Ofthe train.dispatcher Office, to clear
the way for all trains desiring to pass
AS precautionary step, and TO avoid II
possible any collision or serious Difficult
iy, Captain Faulkner made very SYM
pathetic speech to those who were en-
gagged in the unlawful and obstructive
proceedings. He kindly and temperate
" endeavored 10 persuade the disturbers
not to resist longer the passage OF the
trains. To these appeals the crowd turn
ed deaf ear, and then, finding 1t was
useless TO reason with them further,
Capt. Faulkner read to the assem-
blare the Governors orders. AT the
sametime he made statement of his
duty as he understood it, and ordered
the company TO load their pieces and re-
sist any attempt made to stop the
trains.
The military company was deployed
on both sides of train which was
about starting, an engineer and fireman
having volunteered to work. AS the
train reached the switch one OF the strl-
kers, William Vandergritf, sliced the
switch-ball to run the train on the side
track. John Poise& member of The
militia company, jumped from thepilot
of the engine and attempted to replace
the switch so that The train might go
ON. Vandergriff fired two shots at Poi
sal, one causing slight flesh wound
In the side of the head. POisal return