Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1877-07-24
THE SITUATION AT MART1NsBuRG {.

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THE SITUATION AT MARTINsBURG.
HARRISBURG, W. Va, July II, 1871
This has been day of great excitement in
Martinsburg, growing out of the strike of
the firemen on freight trains of the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad. The strike began here
Yesterday. when it became apparent that there
was growing understanding anoag the
freight fremen to resist the 10 per cent, re-
duction. It was soon learned that all freight
ERA rs going east and west were to be stopped,
and now IS trains, comprising LOO cars,
loaded with coal, grain and other freight, in
Guiding rs cattle cars. comprising ooO head
of stock, are detained here. a
As stated in the dispatches of yesterday
the mayor, Mr.. A. P. Shut, was appealed to,
and he used overy endeaVor to quiet the out
break and relieve the embargo, but was over
powered aud obliged to give it mp. Gov.
Matthews, of West Va, was then appealed
to, and he, at shout midnight Monday sent
the necessary orders for the Intervention by
the local militia of Martinsburg.
Captain c. J. Faulkner, captain of the
Berkeley Light Infantry, of Martiusbure,
had his company in ranks by five o'clock this
morning in obedience to the orders OF the
Governor of West Virginia, who telegraphed
the night before to render all necessary as
sistance and see that the men who were will
ling to run trains were not interiered with
In the meantime another attempt had been
made to send ont freight train, but the
fireman was taken off by the rioters and the
train halted AS the disturbers of the
business of the road were determined to lis
ten to no couciliatory measures the military
company was marched down to the railroad,
in front of the train dispatcher's Office, to
clear the way for all trains desiring to pass.
As precautionary step, and to avoid if pos
sible any collision or serious difficulty, Caps
tain Faulkner made a very sympathetic
speech to those who were engaged in the I'M
lawful and obstructive proceedings. He
kindly and temporarily endeavored to per-
suade the dsturbers not to resist longer the
passage of the trains To these appeals the
crowd turned deaf ear, and then, finding it
was useless to reason with them further, Capt.
Faulkner read to the assembage the Cow
errors orders. At the same time he made
statement of his duty as he understood 1t,
and ordered the company to load their pieces
and resist any attempt made to stop the trains
The militia company was deployed on both
sides of train which was about starting, an
engineer and fireman having volunteered to
work AS the train reached the switch one
of the strikers, William Faudergrff, seized
the switch ball to run the train on the side
track John Posal, member of the militia
company, jumped from the pilot of the en-
ginc and attempted to replace The switch so
that the train should go on. Vandergrlf
fred two shots at Poisal, one causing slight
flesh wound in the side of tho head. Poisal
returned the fire, shooting VaDdergrif
through the hip. Several other shots were
fred ct VANDERBILT, striking him in the hand
and arm.
When the firing was heard a very large
crowd of railroaders and citizens collected,
and the feeling became intense. The volun>
teering engineer and fireman Of the train
ran off as soon as the shooting began. Capt.
Faulkner then made the statement that he
had performed his duty, and if the trainmen
deserted their posts he could do nothing
more The militia company was therefore
marched to their armory and disbanded.
THE SITUATION ON WEDNESDAY.
The strikers had assumed entire control of
the freight trains of the road. All trains were
stopped at Keyser, Grafton and Wheeling as
we'll as at Martinsburg. At this latter place
the strikers were completely masters OF the
situation. They allowed the cattle and hogs
to be turned out of the cars into the adjoin-
ing pastures but not until some had died of
hunger aud thirst. Some of them were sent
to Philadelphia via the Cumberland Valley
R.,R. Sixteen ar-loads passed through Ha-
gerstown on Wednesday night. military
company of about SO men arrived from
Wheeling.
The officers of the company were" endea>
voriug to effect a compromise, but the strIk-
ers were exceedingly obstinate and would
agree to nothing. They were reinforced by
thirty men from Baltimore.
CALL FOR U. s. TROOPS.
During the day, "Wednesday. the Cover
nor of W. Va, feeling satisfied that he was
unable to suppress the riot before great dams
age had been done to the road, found it nee
essary to invoke the aid of the federal gov
ornment, the President issued his formal
proclamation, and some three hundred men
from tho arsenal at Washington and Fort
McHenry, at Baltimore, were ordered to
Martinsburg.
AT GRAFTON
the strikers were violent. They took men
from the engines, and disabled all the freight
engines there by cutting the hose. Two Of
the ring. leaders were arrested. Stones were
thrown at Gov. Mathews. One come through
the hotel window into his room and fell on
his bed but did not injure him.
He then took another room, and soon after
a messenger came up and Informed him that
the strikers were on their way up to release
the men under arrest. He Immediately re-
paired to the scene, determined to deal kind
" but firmly with them-for he was pretty
we'll prepared to defend himself After
some conversation with the men be got
promise from them that they would make no
further effort to release the prisoners, and
that they would go home and 90 to bed:
And they kept their word up to the hour OF
his dcnnrtnre earlY next morning.