The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-07-25
Phe Great Strike At
Pittsburgh.
RIOT, MURDER and ARSON.
The City IN the Hands Of an
Infatuated Mob
CowardIy Conduct
of Pittsburgh
Soldiers,
&c.
loss ESTIMATED At 900.

About mi O'Clock the first section
of the military train from Philadel
phia arrived at the Union Depot, ane
about two O'Clock another train ar
rived, bringing in a force Of aboul
six hundred men in addition to the
Pittsburgh troops already quartered
at the outer depot. The news Of
their arrival, and the intelligence thai
they would be used in forcing the
strikers TO abandon the track and
property Of the company, caused an
intense increase of excitement
Crowds of people took their way to
the scene of action, thousands with
the intention of witnessing the scene
from the heights above, and many
doubtless with the hope of aiding
and abetting in any outbreak which
might result. 1t was the general
hope, however, that the military force
would prove sufficient to overcome
the strikers and prevent any serious
trouble.
On Saturday afternoon Judge
Ewing issued a number CT warrants
for the arrest of some of the leading
strikers, which were placed in the
hands of Sheriff Fife, who swore in
seventeen deputies and started with
his force at the head of the military
forces to dispense the mob and arrest
the ringleaders at the outer depot.
After consultation between the rail-
way officials and officers in command
of the military, it was decided to use
the Philadelphia troops in clearing
the track while the Fourteenth and
Nineteenth regiments were to be
drawn up in support. 1t was doubt
ed whether the Pittsburgh troops
could be brought TO FIRE on their
friends and relatives in the crowd,
should an emergency arise in which
that measure should be called for,
and at all events it was decided not
to submit them to that terrible ordeal.
About five o'clock the Philadelphia
troops formed in line with the two
wings fused thus forming three sides
of a hollow square. In this form the
three companies above named moved
forward with fixed bayonets, slowly
and steadily driving back the crowd
from the tracks up toward the cross
ing of Twenty-eighth street. This
move added fuel to the fame of ex-
element which dashed the crowd in-
to fury, but steadily the troops work
ed them back until, as MODS generally
begin, some one in the real COM
menced throwing stones. Some ac-
counts also state that a shot was fred
from the mob into the troops, but
this is contradicted by the statement
that this was not done until after the
troops had fired. Statements also
conflict as to whether any order was
given to FIRE or not, it is certain that
at this juncture the troops commenced
firing. The first shots went up the
hill and took effect among the spec
tators and on the Pittsburgh troops
drawn up in line on the ground above.
Other shots were fired into the crowd
in front and others to the left down
Twenty-eigbth street.
The easulties caused by the firing
at this point. swells up into q large
list. About twenty people were
killed and thirty wounded among the
crowd on the hill. along the railway
tracks and on Twenty-eighth street.
The firing produced an immed late
panic among the crowd, and it scat
tered in all directions. The scene at
this juncture was fearful. Wounded
men, women and children were picked
up and taken away, people ran to
and fro inquiring for lost relatives
and friends, and the crowd, yowing
vengeance, started in various direc-
tons to beat up recruits, obtain arms
and return for the revenge which
they subsequently took.
A short but comprehensive story of
the fight was given to q representa-
tive of the Commercial Gazette by
Major Lazarus, of Gen. Brin,on's
staff, as follows:
The Wacaco Legion, Washington
Greys and keystone Battery were
ordered up to clear the track at the
Twenty-eighth street crossing. They
were directed to use their bayonets,
not with the points hut the flats. so
as TO work the crowd back without
iDiuring them. While this was be-
ing done, whether according to orders
or not | cannot be sure. a cry was
raised in the crowd that some one
had been wounded by a bayonet
the cry almost instantane-
ously. came a shower of stones from
The direction of the hillside by which
of the troops were stunned.
As soon as the men who we're struck
by the stones recovered from the
shock thew commenced firing with
out orders in self defense. and the
irst shots went up the hillside for the
reason that the stones came from
hat direction, and the firing was
continued until the order came to
stop it. The rest o! the troops then
,ame up to the support of the three
advanced companies and the crossing
vas held until evening when the
,roops took up their position in the