The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-08-08
While fifty thousand people thronged the hill

sand five hundred cars were destroyed, the
value Of which, with their contents, is estimated
at between fotir and eight million dollars. The
flfet1en OF Pittsburgh were not allowed by the
mob to turn Q drop Of water on the burning
railroad property, and directed all their ener-
gies toward saving other Of the burning build
ings. Among the buildings burned were the
Union Depot Hotel, the Pan Handle railroad
building, Union transfer depot and offices,
freight depot of Adams Express Company
and several other buildings devoted to railroad
purposes. At one time the whole territory be-
tween Seventh avenue and Mill Vale Station, o
distance Of three miles, MAS a mass Of flames.
Over two hundred lives we're lost, but it will be
impossible for q long time to get at the exact
number OF dead and wounded. The strike
movement which ended 80 lamentably in Balti-
more and Pittsburgh spread all over the coun-
try. Further rioting took place in Baltimore,
where nine cars filled with oil were set on fire.
Two hundred of the rioters were arrested, but
there were no further deaths. Four hundred
regular troops from Fort Columbus, New York,
md Fortress Monroe were quartered in the city
under command OF Gen. Hancock. At Hor-
nellsville, n. y, o train having on board a
squad Of forty soldiers WAS stopped by five
hundred strikers, who had soaped the track
and placed torpedocs on the rails. The train
was boarded by q swarm Of strikers, the pal. III
EClo hCAO oAl allo tAS Spko ! oC-
ablsd. Then the train WAS sent back to the
depot in q disabled condition. v other trains
which attempted to leave were disabled. Gov.
Robinson issued q proclamation calling upon
the strikers to desist from deeds Of violence
and declaring he would invoke the whole mill
tary aid of the State if necessary to maintain
order. At Fort Wayne, Ind, switches were
spiked and freight trains were prevented from
moving. IN Philadelphia tho strike on the
Dapnsvluan1a railroad xyqa haO11D hv the ON.
ployees abandoning their places and forbidding
the moving OF trains above Callowhill street.
At Reading, Pc, cars were burned, tracks we're
torn up, and the Lebanon Valley bridge, q
magnificent structure across the Schuylkil,
which cost over $50, coo, vas destroyed, the
evident intention being to prevent, by it's de-
struction, the passage Of troops to Harrisburg
and other points on the Pennsylvania railroad.
Similar demonstrations and expressions Of dis
satisfaction by railroad employees took place at
Bethlehem, Easton and Pottsville, all in Penn
s~ylvania ; at Cleveland, Ohio, Buffalo, N. y,
and Vincennes, Ind, where about one hundred
strikers prevented a locomotive from taking
q freight train out Of the depot.
On Monday after the riot in Pittsburgh TIE
city was comparatively quiet. At the Union
depot all was desolation. The ruins Of the
railroad buildings were covered with men and
nSulcl WIZ nelo uISkhlS auo eonlS1IAS vi
articles of value. A tobacco store near the
scene Of the riot was broken into by mob in
tent on pillage, but q force Of police charged
upon them and dubbed them away. A body
OF miners who were on their way to the city
we:e met by the mayor and a force of several
hundred citizen volunteers, armed with re-
volvers and base ball bats. Tue miners stated
they had no intention Of joining the. rioters,
but had come to offer their assistance to pro-
tect citizens and private property, and they dis
banded when they learned that quiet once
moro prevailed in the city. Strikes occurred
on the following named roads: Baltimore and
Ohio, Pennsylvania Central, Erie, Lake Shore
and Michigan Southern, Pittsburgh, Fort
Wayne and Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati
and st. Louis, Vandalia, Ohio and mississippi,
Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indian
apolis, Philadelphia and Reading, Phila-
delphia and Erie, Erie and Pittsburgh,
Chicago, Alton and st. Louis, Canada South
ern, and some minor roads. At Harrisburg,
State arsenal. A detachment Of eighteen
soldiers belonging to tho Philadelphia regi-
msnts that had participated in the Pittsburgh
ARRAY were captured in Harrisburg by the mob
and their arms taken away, but otherwise they
were not molested. Later on another body Of
troops were captured and similarly treated. A
gun store was also broken into and a quantity
of firearms seized. At Reading, Pa, another
terrible story Of slaughter was added to the
record Of Baltimore and Pittsburgh. crowd
numbering several thousand persons had as
semblod along the Reading railroad in the
afternoon and commenced stopping coal,
freight and passenger trains, only permitting
mail trains to proceed. At eight p. II. seven
companies of militia arrived in the town.
While in a deep cut extending along two
blocks the troops were assailed with stones and
commenced firing in every direction. Several
persons were killed and q number wounded,
some MORALLY. among the wounded were
several members of the police, who were sta
toned along the railroad tracks to preserve
order and received the full fire of the military.
The crowd were nearly frenzied by the sight Of
the dead and wounded, and bitter imprecations
on every side were heard against the soldiers.
Later on o mob broke into the armory Of the
Reading Rifles and captured all their guns.
At Hornel!sville, n. Y, the strikers sent o
committee 10 confer with the railroad officials,
but after listening to them the officials posi-
lively refused to accede to their demands.
About twelve hundred militia were quartered
in the town. The Twenty-third regiment OF
ing Hornellsyille, and the train was boarded by
a body Of sAakers, about q mile from the town,
and a rail- WAS torn up but the Fifty-fourth
regiment of Rochester came to the relief on the
double quick, the displaced rail was relaid
and the train entered the town. At Buffalo,
N. Y, q mob compelled employees Of the New
York Central road to quit work and all railroad
traffic was at a stand still. A body of two
hundred soldiers guarding the round house of
the Lake Shore road were assaulted by 1000
rioters Gnd compelled to leave the building,
which was then barricaded by the mob.
Colonel Flach, of the Sixty-ffth regiment, pro-
ceeded to the round house with thirty men AND
three officers, for the purpose OF retaklng 1t:
He was received with q shower Of stones, and
the command had to retreat through the en-
ragged masses of strikers on a run, several OF
the soldiers received wounds from knives and
missiles. The colonel was badly dubbed and
knocked down twice, and barely escaped with
his life. In Philadelphia oil oil train was set
ment prevailed throughout the city. A large
force Of police and iremen were held in readi-
ness to march to any threatening point at q
moments notice. At st. Louis, Chicago, Fort
Wayne, Ind, Detroit, Mich, Erie, Pa, and
other points, trains were more or less inter
fered with and the strikers were masters Of the
situation. Three cabinet meetings we're held IN
Washington inside OF twenty-four hours and the
situation in all its aspects was discussed. In
response to the application OF Gov: Hartranft
of PENNSYLVANIA for aid the President issued
a proclamation calling upon the rioters in that
State to disperse or suffer the consequences.
On the fourth day after the beginning Of the
labor riots the strike Of railroad employees all
over the country WAS still extending, although
the scenes of bloodshed and violence were not
10 great III on the previous days. Passenger
and freight traffic wGs almost wholly suspended
from the Atlantic seaboard to the Mississippi
river. and from the Eorrlers Of Canada to the
Virginia line and Ohio river. In New York
State the employees of the New York Central
railroad Mt West Albany. who had hitherto
kept at their work, Welded to the striking spirit
at noon. Tie shops OF the company were
visited by large gangs and the men induced to
ouit work. East Albany was visited by the strik-
ers and freight tracks there were torn up. The
Ninth regiment OF New York city WAS scnt TO
the scene and arrived in Albany without mis-
hap, although the train containing tho soldiers
was stoned on the way. At Syracuse, N. Y ,
the railroad employees and machinists struck
and xix hundred freight cars, seventy engines
and forty trains Of freight we're embargoed,
while the strikers detailed some of their OWL
men to guard the property. At Buffalo, N. Y,
a train Of empty grain cars was fired by a mob,
and another large crowd gathered in front OF
the East Buffalo depot with the evident intention
of burning that handsome building. One hun.
l-ol ,>,Eaoo,o,, b,rr;od ~ tbo grain COR frc oDI