Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1877-07-07
THE BOATMEN's STRIKE.

Gardner from "making a clean breast
of it." IL
THE BOATMEN's STRIKE.
The blockade of boats belonging to
the striking canalmefs has put stop to
all travel on the Chesapeake and Ohio
canal! There is squadron of about
forty boats used for blockading purpos-
es, and so effectually do they choke up
the canal that no boats can pass. Sat-
urday the fotilla was about thirty-fve
miles this side of Cumberland and NOV
ing slowly towards that point. There
are about two hundred boats in the
wake of the blockade waiting to pass up
the canal. The boatmen still hold out
for 81 per ton freight. They claim
that they are not Intentionally blockad-
ing the canal but are slowly moving
along and disbanding, as many of them
have to 60 home to look after the crops.
1t is understood that the president of
the canal company will take legal ac-
ton against the strikers if they con-
tinue to obstruct travel on the canal.
A special to the Baltimore Sun says:
The blockade OF the Chesapeake and
Ohio canal assumed such proportions
that on Saturday the sheriff of Wash
ington county, States attorney and Mr..
Lewis Stanhope started from Hagers-
town for Hancock to break it up. 1t
is stated that the string of canal boats
extends at interval from Williamsport
to within thirty or forty miles of Cum
berland. The advance guard comprise
thirty to forty canal boats. These con-
s:itute the so called "blockading" squad
ron, and move abreast, preventing any
boats from passing. About 200 boats
are represented TO be near the blockad-
ing squadron. The names of a num-
Der OF the leaders in the movement have
been obtained and forwarded to Mr..
German, president of the canal, who
has gone to the scene of the trouble.
The scene of the blockade on Friday
and Saturday last was between the IA
mile level and dam No. 4, forty miles
below Cumberland. The blockade is to
prevent boats working for less that 81
ton for carrying coal. A letter re-
ceived at Cumberland from a beatman
on Friday night says: "When we left
the Point of Rocks there were upwards
of IT'S empty boats to move. They
made bargain not to pass one another
all the way to Sir Johns. AS they
came to their homes they dropped off
till there were 81 boats when they ar
rived at Sir Johns, where they will re-
main till somebody will give them 81
per ton freights. The front boats are
blamed with the blockade, but it is not
so. They all say they have got enough
of the present freights, and all say stop,
except few steamboats,, who want to
go on to Cumberland"
A passage through the blockade was
cleared yesterday by the sheriff of
Washington county. A few boats went
through both ways. Some crews were
threatened against going back to their
boats at less than one dollar. The
opinion among coal men is that the
blockade is not yet entirely broken.
HAGERsTowN, July 2, 1S77.-Sheliff
Mayberry, of Washington county, who
went to Hancock, Nd, to break the
blockade of the canal, reached his des-
tination at 6 A. M. on Sunday. He
summoned posse comitatis of about
dozen men aud proceeded six miles
above Hancock, opposite Sir Johns
run, where the trouble was greatest
They found some seventy five or eighty
boats strung along the canal and all
tied up, those in front having been al
lowed to swing around cross-ways so as
to prevent any others passing.
Many of those stopping there were
willing and anxious to go on, but were
prevented by those in front holding the
way. The sheriff and his party were
surrounded by the boatmen and con-
ference was held. He informed them
that there was no intention of using
arbitrary measures; that they were at
perfect liberty to refuse to run their
boats and tie up, but they could not
blockade the way and prevent boats
from passing and repassing, whose own
ers were willing to continue to run.
After much talking the men finally con-
scented to open the blockade and allow
the passage of boats. but some of them
swore that though they would not at
tempt to stop other boats from running,
they would not leave their positions,
and would not run until they got what
they demanded, 81 per ton for freight.
One of the captains told the sheriff
that while he was perfectly willing that
the others should get the 81, yet even
if they secured that rate, it would do
him no good as he had entered into
written contract for the season 10 carry
coal at 80 cents per ton, thus showing
how the matter is complicated.
The sheriff and his party remained at
the scene of the blockade until late in
the afternoon, and when they left II or
Is boats had started through and gone
OIL up the canal. There were also 10
or II loaded boats above the lock, and
although the blockade was raised it is
said they were afraid to come on down
the canal as they were in danger of be-
ing stoned by those in sympathy with
the strikers and the strikers themselves.
This can be done with little danger of
the perpetrators being detected unless
all the places along the canal where it
runs a. the foot of high bluffs were
picketed with guards day and night.