The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-07-25

out. 1t was so also at j. II. John
ston's, on Smithfield street, and II
Schultz's establishment on Liberty
street was as thoroughly swept out o
goods as though there had neve
been q store there. Adding TO theI
arms thus obtained the store Of re
volvers obtained at half a dozen
p~swn-broker shops, the rioters COM
menced to move in irregular parties
toward the outer depot. They were
reinforced early in the evening by q
detachment of about five hundred
men from the South Side, who had
made haste to join their cause to that
of the rioters for the purpose Of aveng-
ing real or fancied grievances of their
men, upon society.
Up to this time the prosecution sof
vigorous measures by the authorizes
at the outer depot would have result
ted in clearing the streets and restor.
ing quiet. The mob was wholly dis.
organized, easily panic struck and
likely TO break into confusion and seek
shelter on the most trivial causes.
Half a dozen times in the course of a
single hour, the appearance of a SOL
der at the window of the railway
buildings, the breaking down of a
feLce or the firing Of a pistol shot
would cause a stampede, which show
ed how easily a determined sortie on
the part of the troops would have
cleared the streets and preserved or
der. ln5
After eleven o'clock, however, a
sort of irregular organization was es-
tablished by the rioters. The gangs
which had procured arms in different
portions of the city, began to arrive
and were posted for action. The
entire district from Twentieth to
Thirtieth streets was placed under
patrol, and armed parties were pos.
ted at different points for attack on
the position of the troops.
From this time out desultory at
tacks were made upou the railway
shops by firing from the streets, call
ing out an occasional response from
the besieged troops. Late in the
night O cannon was brought up and
opened fire on the lower round house,
causing a breach of the walls. A
volley from the troops stampeded
che rioters ana caused the desertion
of the cannon, but the military did
not take advantage of this retreat,
and the mob returned to the cannon
and resumed fire.
As the work of dislodging the
tro ops did not progress fast enough
the rioters turned to the use of the ell
emeat to which mobs are most prone
and which is most devastating in its
effects-fire. A train of loaded oil
cars was found standing on the track
near Thirty-tbird street. To set fire
to the cars and send them down in
to the yard and against the railway
building blazing most 6ercely and
scattering the widest destruction
was but the work of q short time.
From this time the work of whole
sale arson and devastation cemmen-
ced, the PARTICULARS of which as well
as the account of the dislodging of
the troops from the round-house will
be found 10 full hereafter.
At eleven o'clock Saturday night
the mob resorted to incendiaryism,
which, in point of malicious and wan
ton destruction of property, has new
er been equaled in the United States,
or perhaps in any other country. In
order to dislodge the troops who had
taken refuge in the "old round house."
a car was switched on to the track
running past the building, filed with
combustible material, and the match
applied. The flames shot up with a
lurid glare, lighting up the yards and
streets for several squares. When
the fire in the car was well under
way it vas started down the track
for the purpose, doubtless, of setting
fire to fine building in which the
troops were, apparently secure from
any attack that could be made upon
them by the mob. The scheme. al
though apparently well planned, failed
for the reason that the burning car
obtained too great a momentum and
ran past the building 5 % rapidly that
the flames did not communicate to
the latter. Not dishearted at the first
failure, a second effort was made
which was more successful. Anoth-
er car was switched to the same track
and the match applied to il, when it
was started slowly on its mission of
destruction. Standing between the
track and the new round houseo
a small brick building used as a
sand house." and when directly Cd.
this the burning car stopped,
whether for want of sufficient momen-
tum to carry it past the spot or wheth-
er an obstruction had been placed
there for the purpose could not be as
certained, and in q few minutes the
building as well as the cal were
wrapped in flames, and were rapidly
devoured by the fiery iend. An a.
larm of Ere was sounded, and the fire
department responded promptly, but
were prevented by the mob from 60
into service further than to pro.
lect private property. A piece of ar
which had been taken from the
by the rioters, was loaded aud
.rained on the engine. and the fore
nan was informed that IL q drop OF
water was thrown on the burning
property Of the Pennsylvania railroad
.ompany or any effort made BY them
o save it, they, the rioters. would
ire into them. /,
The lanes soon connected with the
House, 10 which there were
hundred and City of the compa-
ly's locomotives which were totally ],
destroyed.
The mob. encouraged by the auc-
'ess Of their efforts, add many
# them having become maddened by /,
liquor, and others bent on pillsge
md plumber, were melted to other
md greater acts Of inceadiaryism.
From the time the torch was ap. =,
lied to the irst car, at eleven o'clock
saturday night. all night long and