Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-07-23

powerless to stay the blackened, glaring
wretches who swept, like a wave of fiery
pillows, everything before them.
1t was not until eleven o'clock yester-
day morning that a number of citizens
thought to call a mass meeting to take
some steps toward stopping the wo7k q
destruction. A committee was appoint
ed, consisting mostly of clergymsn, to
see the railroad authorities and confer
With the rioters. They failed TO
find the former, or to induce the
latter to refrain from further destruction
of property. In the afternoon it went
on, aud crowds Of more quiet citizeus
looked on in wonder and terror from q
distance. A section Of railroad track
and buildings on esch side nearly three
miles lcng we're destroyed by the flames.
The vast, grand depot was burned late in
the afternoon and with it the eompauy's
general Offices aud the Keystone Hotel;
also the depot Of the Adams Express
Company. The Ere department was rot
permitted to throw any water or make
any effort 10 save the property Of the
company. Six dwellings and a sash
factory near the round hsuses we're
destroyed. The railroad buildings de-
stfoyed we're as follows: Two ro.nd
houses, one machine shop, the superin
tendent's Office, Car repair shop. black
smith shop, three or four oil houses,
Union transfer depot, Offices OF the Poll
man Car Company, laundry and Offices
Of the dispstchers, Office OF the Powder
House. Union Depot Hotel, Pan Handle
railroad en%gine-hOase, the general Offices
Of The freight depot, and the freight de
pos Of the Adams Express Company
At ) o'clock in the afternoon The FIRE
from the Union depot communicated to
the immense grain elevator, built Of huge
timbers aud containing a large quantity
Of grain. This seemed to satiate the
rioters aud they began to dispense, car
rying with them loads Of plumber when
not too drunk 10 do so.
Plumber and destruction Of railroad
property and Of freight in transitu was
not the only object 0. the mob. Search
was made FOR the general officers Of the
railroad and for General Pearson who
commanded the Philadelphia troops
None Of them were found, or other
crimes would have been added to the
long list II this fearful carnival. Late
10 the day a vigilance committee was
formed and some degree Of order restored,
although Of curse no arrests were made.
The strike is general from St. Louis to
Philadelphia, but as Jet no general viz
lenee has occurred. Troops are held in
re .diness or moving eyerywher both
the regulars and the militia. Il has moi
extended south Of the Ohio river, arr
perhaps viii not.
Ia Baltimore quie, has bsen restored
General Hancock is there in personal
command Of the troops. The excite.
meat Yes deep aud great, but perhaps
viii not break out again. At AItoons
a train Of State troops en- route for Pitts
burg was stopped by toe strikers yester
day morning, and is held there by the
mob. The strikers have the upper hand
at ST. Lsuis, Cincinnati. Vincennes, In
d~ianspolis, Hornsllsville, Harrisburg
Cleveland, Columbia, Reading, Buffalo
PHILADELPHIA and various other places
AS a general rule passenger trains ar,
not interfersd with unless troops ere
aboard. Some roads have acceded to
the adjustment Of wages demanded 81
the employees and thus averted trouble.
The reduction Of ten per cent. was mad,
on the 10Th Of jane, and the men hsyt
been disconnected ever since.
It ia a significant fact tha
while the railroad men organized thl
strike they did not generally lead in ex
ceases and violence. Ia Baltimore
where several hundred arrests have beer
made, not one railroad man is in Jail
Ia Pittsburg the greatest excuses wer
committed by an element from the out
side-a rabble unemployed and mos
i'kely not seeking employment or van;
ing it. Sull the strikers have place.
themselves outside Of the pale Of th
law and OF public sympathy. That pub
lie sentiment condemns such an uprisinI
and that the local aud general govern
meut will bring the leaders to punish
ment will be amply demonstrated. Y,
the loss Of five or six millions OF prov
erty destroyed at Pittsburg is small con
pared with the blow given at lev an
order, and the rupture between labc
and capital, employer and employ,
Thinking men may well ponder and Il
quire where all this is to end and VIII,
will be The effect ultimately On our inst
t%utious. The commerce Of the countr
Is seriously injured. Men OF means wi
hesitate about investing in pubic il
provements or great enterprises whiC
may be swept away in night by Draw
ing,drunken mobs. The American peop