The Hickman courier., 1877-07-27
r. r. RIOTERS.
THE LABOR WAR
U. 5. Troops ana state Militia.
And Many Killed and wound
ed
WAR.

The strike which was inaugurated at
Martinsburg, West Virginia, on Monday
week last, did not disappear within TWEEN
ty-four hours, as was predicted by care
less observers.
The strike at Martinsburg originated in
an order reducing the wages of firemen
and brakemen 10 per cent or from 81 10
and 81 90 to 81 5S and 81 80 per day.
The employees of the road declare that
they can not live on such wages. They
go so far as to demand an increase to -
a day. This demand was perhaps made
with view to final compromise, and
they would, no doubt, be willing to go to
work at the rates paid before the recent
reduction.
The Governors of West Virginia. Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Maryland, aud New Jer-
sey, called out the Militia, and the Gov
ernors of Maryland and West Virginia
called upon President Hayes for United
States troops.
The small beginning at Martinsburg
spread like wildh fire, and the strikers
swept like an organized hurricane over
six States, or along the great railway in
those States From the beginning to the
ending from ) to 10 million dollars worth
of worth of property was destroyed, and
the number of killed and wounded will
reach into the hundreds. At Pittsburgh,
Pennsy lvania, the most terrific scenes oc-
Cured, the "striSers-' having complete
possession of the city for some 48 hours,
having driven the Militia and Federal
troops from the field, and compelled them
to seek protection in the Arsenal and
store houses. Wherever a sol liers heaa
was TO be seen, it served as target for
the strikers shot guns. The reign of
the French commune in Paris was only q
parallel The war extended all along the
lines of these great railways leading into
Baltimore aud Pittsburgh, and at every
important station the rioters held sway,
not only stopping trains, but burning and
killing wherever resistance was offered g.
The President 5 proclamation-the procla-
nations of the five Governors was laugh
ed to scorn, aud the terrible scenes of
blood, fire and destruction ruled the hour
in every direction.
There are many symptoms of more Sc
rious trouble than this OF any other
country has ever known from labor COM
binations. Among these may be noted
the facts that the people along the lines
of roads involved in the trouble sympa-
thize with and encouraged the strikers ;
that many unemployed meu-men who
have no special interest in the rate of
wages paid railroad men-have Joined
the striking forces; that tramps trav-
elcd from all parts of the country to tn {
seat of war; that tue militia in some
Stttes fraternize wi aad refused to fl
upon the strikers, and that the labor or
ganizations in all parts of the country
are known to symrathizc with the move
ment, which threatened to become general.
The additional facts that the strikers did
not permit saloons TO sell liquor, and that
they conducted the campaign with
the determination to avoid blood shed,
ii possible, indicated determinatio on to
accomplish something III the way Ut ectuai
relief from the low rate of wages which
has been determined upon by the roads.
In West Virginia and Pennsylvania the
strikers declare that they viii not resist
Federal troops. Ii they are outnumoered 4
and dispersed they will, they declare,
take refuge in the mountains and operate
against the roads after the manner oi
guerrillas. If they are determined to
pursue this course there are not Fedora
troops enough in the country to keep the
roads in running order. One hundred
determined men could, if driven to des-
perGtion, do more damage to railrold 4
running through a mountainous region
than could be repaired in month. And
it would be utterly impossible for any
number of troops to capture the strikers
or prevent damage u the TO IL.