Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-07-18

FOUR HUNDRED STRIKERS I'M
TERCEPE A TRAIN.
THE MILITARY FIRE UPON
THE MOB.
Several Men Killed and Wounded.
The Sttike Confined TO Firemen and
Brakemen.
THE STRIKES MASTERS OF TIE sITUA-
TON.
The Sttike Confined TO Firemen and
Brakemen.

BALTIMORE, July IL. Late last night Vice
President King telegraphed TO Gov Matthews of
West Virginia, at Wheeling, that the trains of the
company were stopped at Martissburg, by fire.
men on strike, who drove from the engines those
who we're willing to work on the company ira ms.
The tremen were taken from the trains by the ri
oters and the trains in both directions held by the
mob, and the town authorities were powerless to
suppress the riot.
King applied for aid to enable the company to
transact business.
Matthews replied
Wheeling, w. Va, 1910, AN.
There are two military companies at Martins
burg, armed and supplied with ammunition [
have telegraphed aid-de.camp Col Faulkner, to
aid the authorities with the companies, to execute
the law and suppress riot. | will do all can to
pseserve peace and secure safety to your trains
and railroad operations,
(Signed) HENRY MATTHEWS.
A special from Martinsburg says Col Faulkner
with seventy-fve of the Berkely Light Infantry
Guards, arrived with loaded muskets and took
charge OF one of the west bound freight trains,
and attempted to move it, when the strikers and
their friends gathered in strong force-not less
than four huRdred-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 desist and Or
dered them back, but his orders met with ieers
and threats The Colonel then threatened he
would order the soldiers to fire if they did not i'm
mediaely desist. Hardly had the words fallen
from his lips, when the rioters fired upon the sol.
diers and wounded one. The commanding officer
immediately gave the command to fire. The SOL
diers, acting like veterans, obeyed orders and the
hfe was returned. One rioter was K ied outright
and others supposed to be wounded, as sever
al were seen to be carried OFT the ground by COM
rades.
No freight trains left Baltimore to-day, and
none will msve until the blockade at Martinsburg
is removed
The strike is said to be confined to the firemen
and prakemen. No engineers, conductors or 9TH
er employees have taken psrt. Dispatches state
that the strikers are in absolute control of every-
thing. The military under Col Faulkner sym
psthizing with the strikers, have been withdi avn
No freight trains are permitted to pass east or
west Passenger trains not molested and are
running on time.
special from Martinsburg dated u 80, SAYS
that the rioters are still firm and determined and
that the presence of military only to further
exasperate them. The town is wild with excite
ment, and the strikers and their friends, number
ing fully one thousand men, are marching about,
bidding defiance to the military and authorities.
Some seventy five or eighty engines are congre-
gated here, and none allowed to depart. A
committee from the striking firemen have notified
the engineers that in case any engineer shall at
tempt TO take train out Of town, he will immedi-
ately be shot.
At noon cattle train bound for Baltimore. at
tempted TO start, whereupon the rioters hocked on
board, and with drawn revolvers at the heads of
the engineer and fireman, compelled them to run
the tam into the stockyards, where the cattle
were unloaded. Passenger trains are nof inter-
Tered with, as the strike is entirely confined to
transportation men.
So far the strikers have everything the r own
way, and the military are passive and awaiting
further orders from the Governor which have NOT
yet come.