The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-08-03
Ru,,uing The Gauntlet.
now THE SOLDIERS FARED on THE WAY TO
pITTSBURGH--TRAIN WRECKED MEAN
JOHNSTON WN--RELUCTANT ENGlN-
EERs BROUGHT TO TERMS BY
.'MORAI. sUAsION."

.MoRAL sUAsION.
Several train LOADS Of U. S. regulars and
Safe militia, accompanied by Gov Har-
.ranft aud staff, were sent over the Pa X.
r. to Pittsburgh, Oh Friday last, and bad
quite q serious time reaching that city, as
will be seen by the following intere sting
particulars cleaned from Pittsburgh dis
patches to the New York Sunday papers;
Governor Hartranft with his aft arrived
in Pittsburgh at seven O'Clock on Saturday
morning, bringing with them United States
regular troops and militia TO the number of
1000, which now occupy The territory ea-
braccd between the Union depot and Ihir-
ty-third street. Governor Hartranft' S head
quarters are in Il passenger car run out on
IL side track at Thirty-third street. Tie
governor aud troops experienced no little
trouble in reaching Pittsburgh on account
of the difficulty of procuring engineers to
run trains.
They all struck at Blairsville. and would
not board an engine, giving as reason
that they might be shot. Captaio Ryan,
Of the State F6nciJles. scas then detaijod TO
Hunt up creacs. aoltich he procured only after
placing reU0lCerS at their heads and order
ing them under pen0'ty Of deaM TO get on
the I0c0naOtjces. A guard was then placed
on each engine, and with five soldiers on
each tender the trains started for this city.
The troops which came through on the
first trains did not have any serious trouble.
At several points along the road the strikers
we're out in force, but offered no resistance
to the passage of trains. The first train
that arrived presented a formidable ap-
pearance. In front of the two engines was
a gondola car, on which was mounted
Gatling gun defended by detachment of
Staie Fencbles. TIE engineers and fire
men on tie I0cOmOtj0es scere und6F strong
guard, tie s0ldjers haUing orders to shoot
them If there aoas tie slightest hesitation IN
dtScharqjng their duttcs Upon their ar
rival here the soldiers quietly disembarl<ed
and were marched To the West Pennsylva-
MIA hospital grounds where they are now
encamped. Their present position is on
the hill side, and overlooks the ilroad and
Twenty eighth street crossing. the scene
of the encounter of Saturday and Sunday
last.
The second train consisted of eighteen
cars, three of which were stock cars filed
with the horses Of the cavalry company.
The third train had sixteen cars. three of
which were filed with GIiffn's battery,
from Chester county forty of the old
City Troop, of Philadelphia, and rein
for cement, for the First division. In the
fourth train, with five cars, was Gen. Gal
lagher's division.
After leaving Blairsville the traius ran
very slowly and not a light was to be seen
on any one of them. Each bridge WAS
carefully examined before Il train crossed,
and as they approached deep cuts OF curves
the train was slackened up and troops were
deployed up the road skirmishers. -
Headlights on the locomotives were put out
50 that strikers should not see the guns on
the first car, and it was extremely difficult
to see many distractions placed on the
track.
Attacks we're made on the trains at va
rious points, the worst at Johustown. As
the second section of the train passed .he
depot at that place it was attacked by a
great mob armed with stones and pieces of
metal, which were thrown at the windows
of the cars with telling effect. Noley after
vo!ley was poured in5o the train. crushing g
J the windows and injuring a number of the
soldiers. As the train moved on several
/ different attacks were made. the last aud
most serious after the train had passed be-
! yond the depot some distance. At this
point the patience of the commanding of
ficer Col. Hamilton, gave way. and reach
ing up he pulled the bell-rope TO stop the
! train. The engineer and fireman were
under a strong guard of soldiers. and they
] at once reversed the engine. In all pruba-
, bIlIty this saved the lives of half the per
( sons ON board the train, for the mob had
forced open switch at what is known as
. Cambria siding, aud with hellish Ingenuity
had so twisted the switch bar as to Indicate
that the track WAS all right. they then
( run a car laden with bricks on the siding.
/ The engineer Of the second train had not
discovered the plot, but at the signal oi
the commander Of the troops had slowed
up his train, but not sufficient to avert AN
I accident entirely The engine. tender
and five cars, three baggage and two pas
sengeI, left the track at the switch. aud.
coming in contact with the brick car, were
jerked and twisted from side to side, tear
/ ing up both ties ana rails. The five cars
were piled up in mass of ruins, the bot
tom of one car resting on the roof of aBoth.
! er and three were thrown cOmpletely
/ around. aud lay crOsswise on the track,
with the car of blick, crushed and splin.
! tered, topping all.
Col. John Hamilton, of the First United
States Artillery, was severely injured in
the side. and several soldiers were badly
bruised by the coucussion. The soldiers
/ of the wrecked train remained al the sid
! ing until II o'clock Saturday morning
/ The third section of he train was detained
above the depot by the wreck, and was
several times attacked by the mub The
soldiers of the wrecked train threw out a
/ picket line and succeeded in arrestiup
/ about one hundred of the rioters OF this
number seventy-fve or more were taken
( to Pittsburgh, with the military, in the
evening.
| THE SITUATION ON SUNDAY
After an interview with Attorney Gener-
al Lear, it was decided that the prisoners
taken at Johnstown could not be held in
Pittsburgh The crime, if any, was COM
mit1ed in Cambria, there being no United
States laws on the subject Theref fore,
4 when Hon. Daniel ! Morrell, superintcnd
! ent of the Cambria works, came To town
! TO intercede for their release, General Lear
drove with him to the arsenal and went
through the form of legal examination
to test the participation Of these men in
the work of the rioters and incendiaries.
or course out of the whole sixty that were
examined, not one had thrown a stone, nor
turned switch, nor knew of ANYTHING.
having simply been brought to the spot by
curiosity to see the wreck. These were al