The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-07-27
MiAhleburp Rtgister
FRIDAY, JULY 27, 1877.
The Railroad Riots.

week continue to be the most exciting
theme of comment, and demand most of
the public attention. AT some of the
points they were the most serious and
most destructive of life and property of
anything Of the kind happening in this
country for many years. The Baltimore
and Ohio railroad strikers took possess
sion Of the road and have prevented the
movement Of all freight trains for about
a week, and put n partial stop to passen-
ger travel. On Friday there was an
outbreak at Baltimore, which resulted
in serious loss of life. Nine were killed
instantly, and two have since died. The
number of wounded is about twenty
five. These are mostly of the mob,
though several policemen and one or
two soldiers are among the victims. A
great number Of arrests have been made,
and the city of Baltimore is now and
has been pretty well in the control of
the authorities since Sunday, though
there is great disorder and confusion
and the rioters give frequent demonstra-
lions of their desire to proceed with
their lawless work of destruction. Gen.
Hancock was sent by the government
to take command of the Federal troops
in person.
The Pittsburgh, Pa, troubles were
even more serious and destructive of
life and property than the Baltimore
riots. The riot broke out Saturday
evening. Some militia companies from
Philadelphia, sent there to protect the
property of the railroad company, were
attacked with stones, and they injudi-
ciously fired into the crowd killing eight
persons and wounding sixteen others.
This event created the widest excite
ment throughout the city of Pittsburgh.
The workmen from rolling mills, coal
mines, and manufacturing establish
ments hurried to the scene OF conflict
determined to have revenge on the
troops and the railway officials. The
mob moved about the city sacking
stores to secure arms. breaking into ar
mories and doing other lawless acts.
Then they began to apply the torch to
cars and railroad property generally.
The military found 1t necessary to look
out for themselves and went into one of
the round houses for protection. A
mob Of ten thousand rioters congregat-
ed about the house and attempted to
rush into the building. The military
fired and the crowd in a panic ran.
They rallied however, and resolved to
burn them out. There were q large
number Of cars near by, some of them
loaded with coke and oil. The oil cars
were set on fire, and rolled up to the
building and other buildings in the
vicinity were set on fire. Three of the
soldiers, fearful of being roasted alive
attempted to escape, and were shot by
the mob. AT length, for some unex-
planned cause the mob left, and the mil
itia escaped. The fire spread in the
city, and it was not until late Sunday
night that the reports were sent out
that the fire was under control and the
city quiet.
At Martinsburgh, Newark and Column
bus, Ohio, Cumberland, Harrisburg,
and other places violence was resorted
to by the strikers, but nothing serious
occurred.
Monday evening the strikers of the
Erie and Lake Shore roads assembled
at Buffalo and were reinforced by large
numbers, and they made an attack upon
the Lake Shore round house in which
were about two hundred soldiers, who
left the building in their hands. An
attempt to retake the building by Col.
Flack of the 65th regiment failed, and
the colonel was wounded.
At Reading, Pa, it is reported that
four men were killed and several more
wounded.
The strike seems to gain in extent but
to lose in fury. The riots, it is thought,
are substantially ended.
Whatever may be said of the causes
Of the strike, or in justification Of those
who engage in them, there can now be
no question as to where the blame of
the riots rests, or as to the duty of every
good citizen with reference to them. If
the workmen have grievances against
the capitalists, or wish to make better
terms Of labor they may, perhaps, in
peaceable manner properly seek to car
ny their points. But resort to violence
is throwing away what claim they had
to the sympathy Of the people. The
cause against them becomes the cause
of the whole people who are interested
in the prevention of the destruction of
property, and the preservation of peace
and quiet. The Boston Globe we'll
says In regard to this matter that "there
are considerations which should be kept
in mind in Judging of the conduct of
men driven to desperation by what they
deemed 10 be their wrongs. II Is prob
ably true that the condition of business
compelled the railroad companies to re-
duce their expenses Or prepare for a
collapse which would be as disastrous
to workingmen as to capitalists. The
wages of labor could not be exempt
from the effects of depression, and were
among the expenses that must be cut
down. 1t is hard case for men with
families to support to be forced to work
for dollar day. They call it starya-
ton, but II certainly does not mean
quite that. 1t means hardship and pow
erty such as no man is willing to face,
and 1t is not to be wondered at that II is
resisted. Perhaps there is no way of
avoiding II, but we fear that the corpor.