The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1877-08-01
The Great Labor Revolt.
GRAPHIC WORD PICTURE OF
THE RIOT IN PITTS
BURG.

/ .
P1TTsBURe, July 22.-8 :05 p. m
The crisis of the railway strike in
this city, as Indicated in these dis
patches Saturday night. was reached
yesterday afternoon about 5 o'clock
when the Philadelphia troops who
had been sent here to suppress the
strikers. fired upon the crowd. The
terribly fatal effects of the shots fired
by the troop: exasperated citizens
as well as the strikers, and in less
than an hour the band of working
men from the rolling mills, coal
mines and various manufacturing es-
Establishments established a scene OF
conflict, determined to have revenge
on the troops and railroad officials.
1t was stated that Gen. Pearson.
commander of the 9th Division of
State Guards. had directed the
troops to fire before any resistance
had been made. and the fact that
many of the killed and wounded had
gathered on the hillside merely as
spectators, served to increase the
bitterness Of the crowd. By eight
o'clock in the evening mobs were
moving about the city in various di-
rections, sacking stores to secure
arms, breaking into the armories of
the various military companies. and
preparing themselves to execute the
threats freely expressed of massa-
ereing the entire Philadelphia COM
mand, By this time the military had
withdrawn from the railroad crossing
at 28th street. where the first conflict
took place, and were ordered to one
of the round-houses where they could
find better protection.
About 10 o'clock in the morning
mob, numbering several thousand.
had congregated about the round
house, They had previously cap
tured the guns belonging 10 Hut
chinson's battery-a local organiza-
tion-and planted them so as to COM
mand the round-house. Several
solid shots were fired at the building
and a breach made in the walls. but
when the infuriated mob attempted
TO rush into the building the military
we're ordered to fire. The volley of
nusketry which followed and the !
'umor that the Gatling guns of the
,were being brought into
'equisition. caused panic. and the |
mob fled precipitately for several
iquares. the military meanwhile
Ieeping up the fusilade. The riot
,rs, however, were soon reassured.
md as thousands were fiocking to
heir assistance, they returned to
he attack. Finding it difficult to
Iislodge the military from the build
ng they resolved to burn them out
I'm order to this effect was issued.
nd it was carried into execution
nth a fiendish alacrity, by the riot
rs. In consequence of the freight
lockade which had existed here for (
wo days. the sidings in the outer .
epot yard. as we'll as those extend +!
1g eastward some three or four
lilies. were crowded with freight cars
lied with grain. produce and mer- /
of all kinds, besides which
number of cars were ladened with {
il-cars, and coal cars were piled up
n the mass. While a portion of the S
lob surrounded the building in /
hich the military had taken refuge {
lrge bodies proceeded to set fire to G
lie oil-cars, and in a moment the e
nge volumes of black smoke which /
olled upwards and out in every di-
.ction, told that the work of de h
had commenced. The Il
ght of the flames seemed to liter C
ly craze the rioters. some Of whom a
Ished wildly about with flaming u
riches in their hands applying them e
the cars iudiscriminatingly An "
arm of fire was sounded and the [
re Department promptly respond "
!. but the rioters, who had complete s.
ntrol Of the city. refused to permit Fl
EN- to 90. or make any effort To d
,tinguish the flames. They said o
ey we're determined to destroy the f.
ilroad companies property, but to IL
no injnry to that belonging to Il
ivate citizens. They kept their a
lrd, too, and when a lumber pile b
longing to citizen took FIRE the
)ters themselves turned in and il
lped to extinguish the flamos and m
move the lumber to a safe place. a
Train after train was fred by the o.
furiafed crowd. but the trains were o.
far distant from the round-honses ~
at they did not seriously affect the ii
litary, although their position was h,
e of peril. %,
Finally large party of strikers to
ptured a car filed with coke. which I'll
ey rnn from the Allegheny VALLEY r.
lilroad to a siding, connecting with fo
E Pennsylvania Railroad. They fe
EN- obtained large quantities of pc M
,leum oil. and pouring it over the ri
1e. ignited the materials. In a ci
ry few moments the car was mass eC
fire. and it was then pushed along al
> tracks and forced against the ul
nd,house. The building was soon OF
lited, and the soldiers were now m
mpelled to prepare to fight their hs
" out through the frenzied mass o,
humanity. clamoring for their W
,od. The building did not bIrn Al
rapidly as was desired. and the w
10. bent on revenge, rushed out ia
. road and sent burning trains to-
rds the doomed buildings. From d,
dnight unit: five o'clock this morn- su
: the main efforts of the crowd To
re directed to firing The buildings b,
4 cars, but about an hour later the an
b. which had been besieging the di
litary. left for some unexplained OF
lson. This afforded the troops nj
o were in actual danger of being br
lsted alive. an opportunity TO r.
erge from the building. and they nj
,ceeded in reaching Liberty street sh
a very few moments, they quickly th
med in line and marched up to
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