Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-07-23
THE VENGEANCE OF THE AMERICAN
COMMUEE.


Yesterday was a red and bloody day in
our history. Tie long-predicted conflict
between capital and starved labor was
precipitated, resulting in great less Of
life and property at Pittsburg, and OF
some other points. The public mind
stands sgbast at the full realization that
such c~ombustible and infammatOry ele-
ments exist in our midst. The great rail-
road strike, which began at Mariinsburg
and Grafton the middle Of last week, ex
tended east to Baltimore and west TO
Pittsburg, where the laboring classes are
strong and well organized. at first i.
was regarded as an ordinary strike which
would not long trouble the railroad
lines. The places Of the discontinued
engineers, 6remeB, brakemen, watch.
men, ETC., would be easily replaced, aud
all would 20 on as before. The trlnk
lines not long ago met and raised pas
senger and freight tariffs, and as soon as
these vent fairly into effect nearly ell the
same roads made a reduction Of ten per
cent. on the wages Of their employees.
This led ts the strike on the Baltimore
aud Ohio railroad nearly a week ago. 1t
was well recognized by q discriminating
public that the strikers had their griey-
ances. Most of them we're men OF fam
lily, and were already working at almost
starvation wages. Having followed rail
reading for many years and located per-
mAnenily, it was impossible for them TO
move to = new country or find other
employment. The strike at first
had considerable sympathy, and
that may have led to the terrible
excesses o. the last two days. IRE.
~spensible outsiders, who have nothing 10
lose and everything TO gain By eommo-
ton and strife. urged them to extreme
measures. at first the men st Martins
bnrg and Grafton declared their iuten-
ton TO keep within The bounds Of the
Law, to respect the military. permit pas.
senger trains to pass az usual, and only
interfere with freight trains By taking
out she couplings ard keeping the neees
sary force from work. Governor Mat
theWs, Of West Virginia, called upon
such militia as was available, bat this
was Of no service Then be called On
the President for troops. These shen
ssBi forward we're inadequate before the
sullen strikers, who continually increased
in numbers and violence Of spirit. 4
crisis was developed Friday at Bllii
more, when q crowd sympaihizing
with The strikers attacked the Sixth
regiment Of Maryland militia, ca
route to the seem Of disturbance. The
high pitch Of puslie feeling may be IN
de1sbood better when VI recollect that the
Sixth Maryland Is an elite regiment aud
8 f4Torte. even as the Chiekassw Guards
Of Memphis and the Porter Rifles ere in
their respective localities The regiment
returned the FIRE, killing eigh, persons
and woundiug 3 number Of others. This
instead Of quieiiBg tie rioters or inspir-
ing fear only increased the intense feel
ing Of the msddsnei crowd all along The
liae from Baltimore 10 Pittsburg. Dat.
side sympathy certainly increased the
courage aud determination Of the mob.
The strike was taken up out West. and by
Friday no trains we're allowed to psss
Newark, Ohio. Governor Young called
out the militia, and several companies
started to the scene Of trouble.
Saturday the employees Of the Penn
~sylvanis Central railroad at Pitlsburp
were on g strike, and the entire labor
element Of the city was in foil sympathy
The Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and Chicago
railroad employees joined their fellow.
strikers, and the uprising became gene
raj. The Presidents proclamation
fell dead, and the State troops sem
from Philadelphia we're driven before The
mob aud besiged in q railroad building
The sheriff Of the county was killed a
the head Of q powerless posse, and b.
Saturday evening the mob had complet
possession OF the east end Of the city
The Philadelphia troops in attemplip
TO dispense the crowd, Gred on it, KILN
a large number Of men, women, an
even children. The mob visited gur
stores, and armed themselves well an
marched down the principal streets full
three thousand strong, with drums bea
ing and banners flying. A more terribl
outbreak was never witnessed in To
widest days OF the French revolution
II was the American turne
loose, which was master OF the situation
Saturday night the Union depot ha
been burned, with many cars, and a col
siderable portion Of railroad tracks ter
up, and about fifty persons had bee
killed and wounded.
The scenes Of yesterday beggar d
scription, II was not until then that Il
fury OF the mob and the wild work
destruction began to be appreciate
The military company made its escal
during the night with a loss Of sever
men. and was pursued out into tbe cou