Daily Kennebec journal., 1877-07-25
The Riot at ritt>burE.


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The eisite1. 4, wt - thr s,glsers Ard .ess than
- hour thc1,sl.i, u WORKING ,ueu fVn the roll
ius-nill,, COS! mines sui various mAnGiscturns
establishment, eur led the scene Of the couHict
determined 10 hsse revenge on the troops and
railway 0ffcial,. Ii Va. stated that Gen. Pear
son. Commander Of the sixth Division OF the
state Cuard, had directed the troops to fire be-
fore suy resistance had been made, aud the fact
that MANY Of those killed snd wounded had gath
cred on the hillside merely spectators served to
increase the bitterness of the crowd. by clock
in the evening mobs were moving about the city
10 various directions, sacking stores TO secure
arms. breaking into the armories of the military
companies and preparing 10 execute the threats
freely expressed of bntchering the entire Pha-
delphia command The gun shops which were
broken open were completely gutted, and the
glass in the Windows was crushed 70 powder by
the thousands OF Iampling feet. The military
Tgentv-eighth street, where the fir.t conflict took
place, and were ordered to one OF the round
houses where they could find better protection
About 10 O'Clock in the evening mob number
ing several thousand had congregaled abeut the
round house. They had previously captured the
guns belonging TO HutchIuson's Bsttery-a local
organization and they planted them so as to COM
msnd the round-house. Several solid shot were
fired at the building, and breach was made in
the walls, but when the infuriated mob attempted
20 rush into the building the military were ordered
to fire. The voley Of musketTy which followed
and tho rumor that the Gatling guns of the com
msnd were being brought into reqnlsltlon, caused
a panic, aud the mob fled precptsely for severa
squares, the military meanwhile keeping up the
fuslade. The rioters, however we've soon reas-
sured, and as thousands hocking to their as
| sistance they returned to the attack, but finding
il difficult to dslodge the military from the build
ing, they resolved TO burn them out. An order to
this effect was issued and IT was carried into exc
cution with alacrity. In consequence of the
blockade which had existed for two days the sid
ings in the outer depot yards, well as those ex-
tending eastward, some three or four miles, were
crowded with freight cars, filled with grain, pro-
duce and merchandise of all kinds, besides which
a number of loaded OIL coke and coal cars were
piled up in mass. While portion of the mob
surrounded the building in which the military had
taken refuge, large bodies proceeded to set fire to
the oil cars, and in moment the huge volumes
of black smoke which rolled upward followed by
Iurld flames reaching out IN every ulfectOn, told
that the work of destruction had begun. The
sight OF the flames seemed to craze the rioters,
some of whom with flaming torches IN their hands
were applying them to the cars Unfortunately.
An alarm was sounded aud the Fne Department
promptly responded, but the rioters, who had com
plee control Of the city, refused TO permit them
make any effort to eXtingulsh the hames. They
said they were determined to destroy the railroad
company 5 property, but would do no injury to
that belonging TO private citizens, and they kept
-l1... Ia. kal.
citizen took fire the rioters themselves turned in
| and helped 10 extinguish the flames and remove
the lumber to q safe place. Train after train was
fired by the nfuriated crowd, but the cars were SO
far distant from the round house that the heat did
not seriously affect the military although their po
siuon was one OF peril. Finally, large party of
strikers captured car filed with coke, which
they ran from the Allegheny Valley Railway track
to siding connecting with the Pennsy lvania
Railroad. They then procured large quantities
of petroleum, and, pouring 1t over the coke, ig
nited the materials. In very few minutes the
car a mass Of fire, and it was then pushed
along the tracks and forced against the round
house The building was soon Ignited, and the
soldiers were compelled to prepare to fight their
way through the frenzed mass of humanity clam
oring for their blood. The building did not burn
| as rapidly as desired, and the mob rushed up the
road and sent burning trains toward the doomed
buildings and cars.
To-day the business part of the city has been
IL.
around the Union Depot. and near the round
house and arsenal, there was another gathering OF
| the rough classes. 1t may have been a continu-
Gus gathering, for thousands remained about to
watch the Militia imprisoned by the mob in the
round house, and there were great multtudes who
carried on the work begun Yesterday of breaking
| open and pillaging the freight cars which stood
on the tracks, and then running them up where
| they would take fire from those partly consumed.
| The smoke Of the fire rose in dense cloud, OBJ
/ tl.aa and
| the city. At the round-house the Militia
| were hemmed in by angry throng sup
| piled with firearms and ammunition stolen last
night, and desultory firing was kept up on
both sides. About daylight the rioters succeed
ed in getting cannon into position, and after fir
ing one shot from the gun the soldiers opened ire
| fIom the round-bouse and covering the gun OF
the citizens with their musketry, prevented its fur
ther use In the first volley from the soldiers two
men were killed. The wounded weie numerous,
but as there is no police supervision, statistics
| not be obtained. The dead were taken into un-
| dertakers shops aud stables to await idcntlfica-
ton. followed thIong into one of these places
| and found the dead body OF middle-aged man,
poorly clad, grim, and savage even in death. Not
| an hour before he had had his bowels torn out by
| rifle ball The crowd evinced little feeling in
| looking at him. Persons who passed along Penn
| sylyania-avenue were in danger of becoming
marks ior the Militia, and several incautious ones
| were wounded.
| AT 10 the fires had spent their force all the
| sheds and freight cars between Twenty seventh
| and Thirtleth streets having been consumed. The
flames at 6 80 reached the building in which the
| Militia had their quarters the mob greeting the
ignition of the structure with a savage prolonged
yell of exultation. The roof blazed up rapidly
| and the danger brought some of the Militia out
| Of the woOd-house near by. They fired promptly
upon the fierce mob, but were driven back, and
soon the roof of the main Office fell. At 80 the
military again made a sally, this time coming out
IN good order and in solid columns through the
umber-yard. Their Gatlin gun was drawn at the
mead OF the column as they went down Twenty
hith street to Liberty, and turned in the direction
Of the Alleghany Arsenal. As they marched they
we're followed and fired upon, and they fred occa-
sionally in return, several rioters falling and be-