St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-07-27

But about half an hour later the mob
which had been besieging the military,
left for some unexplained reason. This
afforded the troops, who were in actual
danger of being roasted alive, an oppOr-
tunity to emerge from the building, and
they succeeded in reaching Liberty
street. In a very few moments they
quickly formed in line and marched up
to Thirty third street, and thence to
Pennsylvania avenue and Butler street.
Their objective point was the United
States arsenal on Butler street, where
they expected to obtain shelter.
THE SOLDIERS PURSUED.
While turning into Butler street,
however, the rioters had discovered
their retreat, and over a thousand men,
fully armed and Supplied with amuni-
ton, followed in pursuit. Some of the
troops fred at the citizens, either inten-
tionally or accidentally, as they were
moving along. and this added fury to
their cry for revenge. When they
reached the arsenal the cOmmandant
refused to admit them. He said he had
but ten men, and would be pOwerless
to hold the place if the mob should at
tack it. He consented to take care of
the wounded, who were accordingly
carried into the hospitals.
THREE SOLDIERS KILLED.
The main body of the troops cOntin-
ued their march through Butler street,
the fusilade being kept up Oh them by
the mob as they moved forward. One
of the soldiers was killed before they
hA nj
site the cemetery gate mile above
the arsenal two others were killed and
left lying OH the sidewalk. Meantime
the city was in state of anarchy.
Thousands who had not joined in the
pursuit of the fleeing troops gathered
about the burning buildings and trains,
and assisted in spreading the flames
wherever they had not been applied.
THE FIRE EXTENDING.
BY o'clock the fire had extended
from the Melville Station to Twentieth
street, and enveloped hundreds of cars,
extensive machine shops, to the round
houses at the depOts and Office of the
Union Transfer Company, blacksmith
shops, stOrehouses and numerous other
buildings, making up terminal facilities
of this mammoth corporation.
In the round houses there were 125
first class locomotives housed, in con-
sequence of the strike. These were
totally destroyed, but even the i'm
mense loss sustained in this item is but
a trifie in the damage done.
PILLAGE AND PLUMBER.
The scenes transporting on Liberty
street, along the line of which the tracks
of the railroad run, simply beggar de-
scriptiOn. While hundreds were en-
gagged in firing the cars and making Ger
tain the destruction of valuable build
ings at the outer depot, thousands of
men, women and children were engage
ed in pillaging the cars. Men armed
with heavy sledges would break open
the cars and their contents would he
thrown out and carried off by those
bent on protiting by the reign of terror
existing. The streets are almost com
pletely blocked by persons laboring to
carry off the plumber that they had
gathered together. In hundreds of in
wagons were pressed into ser
vice to enable the thieves to get away
with their goods.
INEFFECTUAL EFFORTS TO STOP THE
OUTRAGES.
Mayor Mccarthy early in the day en-
deavOred to stop the pillage, but the
handful of men at his command were
unable to control the crowd, who were
desperate i'll anxiety to secure the goods.
The pillage was checked, but the mob
fired the cars and then proceeded with
the work of destruction. 1t is impOssi-
BILE to form any idea of the amount of
goods stolen, but hundreds of thous-
ands will not cover the loss.
A DETERMINED EFFORT ON THE PART
OF THE CITIZENS.
AT ii o'clock in the morning it be-
came evident that something must be
done to check the mob, and number
of citizens hurriedly prepared notices
calling mass meeting of citizens at
the old City Hall to take measures to
prevent the further destruction of
property. A meeting was held at noon
and Il large number of leading citizens
to the call. 1t was decided
to appoint a committee consisting of
the Bishop of the Catholic Church, |
James Harke, Jr., DR.. E. Donnelly, !
James l. Bennett, and DR.. S. F. Scovel, |
pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, |
to have Conference with the rioters,
while another committee has been ap-
pointed to wait on the railroad author
tiles to ascertain what course they in
tended to pursue or suggest compro-
mise that would put an end to the dis
order which existed. The committee
then adjourned to 4 o'clock p. m. The |
to wait Oh the rioters failed
to induce them to refrain from further
destruction of property, and the rail
road authorities could not be found.
From the time the military fled un-
til B o'clock p. m. no effort has been
made to check the riot other than the
meeting of citizens.
THE CHARACTER OF THE MOB.
The mob worked very quietly, and
few of the railrGaI employees were en-
gagged in the Aor'; of destruction.
Here and there u n who had been
was seen leading the crowd,
but generally the ringleaders were men
never before employed on any rail
road. Many half grown boys were
foremost in the work of destruction.
and We'd with the older ones in their
efforts. The operations were carried
on very quietly, and the multitude of
men. women and children who filed
the streets and occupied positions on
the hillside south OF the railroad, lcok-
ed on with establishment while the des-
tructiOn of property continued.
THE FREIGHT DEPOT PILLAcED AND
BURNED.
AT $3.50 o'clock a burning car was
run down on the grade under the sheds
the Union depot. Up to
4, . :, Al. Il