The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-07-24
Troublesome Rail-ROad Strikes.
THE MILITARY CALLED OUT
FIGHTING IN BALTIMORE |
Many Lives Lost In PIttsburp.


new men were engaged to take their
place. The old hands threatened them
with violence, and finally gathered in
great force at Martinsburg and allowed
no transportation trains to move. On
Tuesday the military were called out
and Colonel Faulkner, with his seventy
five men, took charge of the train to
move it west, the strikers and their
friends had gathered in strong force, not
less than 1000 of them being on the
scene. They were armed with every
conceivable weapon, and as the train
was about to start they rushed upon it
and cut the couplings of the cars. Col.
Faulkner called on them to disperse and
ordered them back, but these orders were
met with jeers and threats.
The colonel then threatened that he
would order the soldiers to fire on them
If they did not Immediately desist.-
Scarcely had the words fallen from his
lips when fusilade of small arms was
opened on the soldiers by the rioters.-
One of the soldiers was wounded by
pistol-shot, and the commanding officer
Immediately gave the order to his men
TO return the fire.
The soldiers, acting like veterans,
obeyed orders, and the fire was returned
and one of the rioters killed outright
Others are supposed to be wounded, as
several were seen to be carried Off the
ground by their comrades. This firing
caused scene of the widest confusion,
and several times the mob charged on
the train, but the military had reloaded
and stood firm, and the rioters were re-
pulsed.
From Martinsburg the strike extended
West to Wheeling, on the main stem,
and also on the Parkersburg branch,
numbering n total of 500 men. At
Wheeling about twenty struck. At
Grafton violence was attempted, but was
promptly checked by the civil authori-
ties. At Keyser new men were forced
from the trains by the strikers, who
threatened to shoot any one attempting
to move them. At Martinsburg seventy
trains, consisting of about 200 freight
cars, loaded and empty, two-thirds
bound east and one-third west, are held
| by the strikers. Between five and six
hundred head of cattle were on the east
ward bound trains, % larger portion of
| which have been turned into the stock
yards or adjacent pastures.
| On Wednesday the strike assumed
such proportions that the Governor of
West Va, called upon the President for
U. S. troops. The President issued a
proclamation and sent about 400 soldiers
fully equipped under command of Col.
| French. On their arrival at Martins
burg, they succeeded in getting some
trains in motion from that point, but the
strikers then gave trouble at other
places. On Thursday the strike had
reached the Ohio division and at New
ark trains were stopped. The governor
of Ohio was appealed to for aid in quell-
ing the trouble, but up to the time this
was written had made no call for the
militia.
Later in the week the freight hands at
Pittsburgh employed by the p. r.. II. co.,
struck and refused to allow freight trains
to move. The Sheriff of Allegheny
county was called upon for assistance
and finding he could not manage the
mob, he asked for military aid.
The Governor issued his proclamation
and troops were ordered out. On Fri
day night and Saturday morning sever
al companies passed over the road from
Philadelphia on their way to the West
ern division, to which part of the road
the trouble is yet confined.
The strike has also extended to some
of the Western roads, and fears are en-
tertained of general strike if vigorous
means are not at once taken.
LATER.