The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-08-01


dodge. which the good jsdement aud
discretion OF the comnsnding officers
oely rendered unava1iag. They goI
three cars on the tracks OF the Ale
gheny Valley Railroad, which runin
front Of the depot ofIices and round
houses. Onc OF these cars was load
ed With grain. one with whisky and
tie third with oil. II was the inten.
tion to set fire to thess cars and run
them down in front Of the quarters
to which they would undoubtedly
set Gre. The first cor that came
down. propelled by il own weight,
on descending grade, was full ol
grain. 1t was in 6apes, and looked
ominous as itrolled toward It's desti.
nation. Opening the yard gates. 10
compliance with an ofder from Gen.
Brinton. who saw thH prompt action
was necessary to ssJe them from
great danger. some of the soldiers
leaped out 10 the fsces of the rioters
and threw pieces eflumber on the
rails tor the purpose of hurIing the
cars from the track. Singular as it
may seem the car broke the lumber
and passed on. Then the soldiers
rolled several car wheels out aud
laid them on the track The next
that came sailing down was q burn
ing car of whisky. cit struck the
wheels and was buried over into the
street directly in freat Of the mob.
But both this and tho grain car weps
still burning. 1t Fas absolutely
necessary to extingulth them, or the
rioters would have accomplished
their object. Getting . line of hose
the militiamen attach "a it to q plug
in one of the building and soon bad
. stream OF walefIplaying on the
ears. They extipgslbhed the fire in
q few minutes, grest to the disssp-
pointment of those vi 10 bad arranged
this scheme, who conld do nothing
but curse, which they did freely.
The handling Of thi hose and the
placing OF cbstructiops of the track
was attended with great danger.
The outsiders kept peppering away
at the soldiers. bat none of the latter
were hit. There must have been
more poor marksmshship displayed
at this place on Satupday night, and
more ammunition wested, than was
ever before done in thc same space
of time.
But the greatest danger Of all was
yet TO come, and that was the fam
ing car Of petroleum. Had the riot
ers succeeded in getting IL where
they did the others, water would
have been Of no account in quench-
ing l.. II has often been demonstrate
ed in this city in an oil confagration
of any extent but little reliance can
be placed upon water. The soldiers
saw the car approaching !; bu, oh,
thanks to kind fate, is jumped the
track before it bad gotten close
enoughto endangerthe safsty of the
quarters. General Brinton
didn't apprebend particle of trou-
BILE from anything else than Ere. He
knew that be could bold the round
house against any unorganized force
that could be brought against him.
He was also well aware of the fact
that nothing but flame could dislodge
him. Ills fears of fire were well
f.r when he finally retreat
ed from the enter depot it was only
when compelled to do so by the in
siderable heat.
The burning car ruse was followed
about two O'Clock in the morning by
an attemp. to lombard the round
house. The rioters had obtained a
cannon some place, it is supposed
from Knspp's Battery, and stationed
it on Liberty street so as to sweep
the head quarters and one of the
round houses. IL was loaded with
spikes and coupling irons,
and had it ever been discharged
would have had an effect terrible to
contemplate. General Briuton could
see commotion 10 the crowd, but
was unable at first to ascertain what
it was about Finally the rioters
parted. and looking from among them
be saw the yawning mouth OF can.
non. This was an enemy be had hard
ly thought OF. 1t was an emergency
where the loss Of moment might
aave brought down great de-
upon their heads. The mob
was within speaking distance. Step
ng to . window be hailed the crowd
this is the generals own story) and
laid that ne would shoot the 6rst man
hat attempted to fire it, He warned
hem away, and told them he was 10
1t was case OF either
leath to them, or deathto him and
lis men. Srationing twenty men a,
. window be gave them orders to
hoot at the first attempt to fire that
.annon. He told them to aim low
In1 well, and to waste no ammuni-
ion. The Generals orders were dis
e egarded. A crowd Of rioters step
,ed up to discharge the weapon, and
be soldiers fred. They had obeyed
u ders and aimed low. Several of
be mob were killed and number
The rioters fell back out |
f sight ut this display Of determin..
ion on the part Of the military, but in
few minutes . man stepped forward /
nd asked permission to rem We their
cad.
General Briuton consented, but in
ranting permission repeated his
,srning that the Grst man that at-
emp,ed to discharged the cannon
Ioafd be shot. A few Of the killed
,ers carried away, after which, with
desperation aud bravery unsurpas 3
d, another dive was made toward
be gun with the intention Of sending
. contents into the round house, but
gain the troops fred, and the riot
rs, appslled at the slaughter Of their
Jmrsdes. fell back without having
ccomplisbed their purpose IL was
OF long until q third effort was
lade, but il too failed and then the
o.ers let the guns severely aIone
ersons Who heard the musketry Gr-
q between two and three O'Clock
esterday morning will now under