The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-07-26
RIOTS AT PITTSBURG.

) unueI the command OF General Brlnton, are
expected to arrive this morning. The rail-
; road officials hope by thronging the tracks
) with military to awe the strikers and open
the blockade without conflict.
At twenty minutes to four o'clock the
Phlladelphia troops left the Union Depot
for the scene of the disturbances at the
IWenty-eighth Street crossing, marching out
along the track, and preceded by the Sheriff
| and his posse. Expecting to fail in an
effort to disperse the strikers, the Sheriff
would endeavor to make arrests and then
call upon the military for assistance. This
was understood to be the plan of action de-
termlned upon, and a conflict was expected.
They arrived at Twenty-eighth Street shortly
before five o'clock, the railroad tracks at
that point being completely blocked with
strikers.
The Black Hussars, of Philadelphia, were
ordered to clear the railroad crossing, but
not being able to do so, another company
was ordered to their assistance. The mill
tary advanced with fixed bayonets, but were
met with showers of stones and missil
from the the crowd. They opened fire on
the crowd indiscriminately and in very
rapid succession, the crowd retreating to-
ward East Liberty. A number of men and
several women and children were killed and
wounded. Seven dead bodies have been
taken from the scene, and it is not known
how many are yet to be gathered up. The
firing was done by the Philadelphia militia.
oiIC VI tHCII OWL IltH anu one Ol The I1ItS-
burg soldiers are killed. The bystanders
all say the firing was unproyOked.
Every few minutes the crowd would be-
come panic striken and stampede would
take place. The terrible results of the vol
ley has caused intense excitement through
out the city, and it is feared that another
attack will be made on the military as soon
as the mob can be reorganiZed and provided
with ammunition.
The excitement is tremendous. A large
body of men left for the Allegheny Arsenal
few moments ago with the avowed purpose
of seizing the arms stored there, to be used
in repelling the militia.
At this hour-9p. m.-the excitement is
raging all over the city, which is virtually in
the hands of an armed mob, composed of
laborers and iron workers, coal miners,
stevedores, and others, who are in full
sympathy with the strikers. A large mob
surged along the streets, seizing gun,stores,
and finally besieged the Philadelphia
militia at the round-house.
The telegraph employees were driven from
their posts at the outer depot by stones and
other missiles as early as eight o'clock
Threats are made by the strikers to destroy
the Union Depot.
The rioters also captured three pieces of
ordnance belonging to Knapp's Battery.
Sheriff Flies dead body has been brought
in from the outer depot, where he was killed
in the melee. Major General Pearson is
badly wounded. A number of citizens went
to the Philadelphia soldiers, who are in
trenched in the Pennsylvania round-house
tonight and begged them to leave the city,
as a general massacre is feared. They were
unable to do so on account of the surround
ing mob.
Three of the soldiers who attempted to
slip out singly were shot and instantly
killed. Two citizens were shot down ON
| Liberty Street a short time ago.
Passenger traffic on the Pennsylvania road
is entirely suspended, and the Union Depot
and adjoining hotel have been abandoned.
PITrsRuna, Jmy oo-. he-orisis Of the
these dispatches, Saturday night, was
reached yesterday afternoon about five
o'clock, when the Philadelphia troops, who
had been sent here to suppress the strikers,
fired upon the crowd. The terrible fatal
effects of the shots fired by the troops, ex-
asperated the citizens as well as strikers,
and, in less than an hour, thousands of
workingmen from the rolling mills, coal
mines and various manufacturing establish
ments, hurried to the scene of the conflict,
determined to have revenge on the troops
and the railroad officials.
S:3Oa. m-The machine shops, Superin-
tendents Office, and upper round-house were
burned at eight O'Clock. The temporary
!; arsenal of the soldiers was in a blaze. Sud
denly, about this time, the military filed out
of the temporary arsenal, and on double
, quick, sped to Allegheny arsenal for refuge.
y: 80 p. m.-Both the round-houses
! burned, and fifty locomotives destroyed.
: The Philadelphia troops escaped to Sharps-
burg-the arsenal having refused to admit
them-and the mob in pursuit There are
threats that they must all be killed. The
=. fire is spreading toward the Union Depot,
and the mob will not allow the engines to go
into service until after the action of the
: citizens meeting, at u: 80, when, if
| o1o toI flo
, their pay, efforts will be made to extinguish
the fires. The churches were dismissed, and
! thousands of people are in the streets of the
city, which is yet in charge of the mob.
4 80 p. m.-The scenes transpiring on
: Liberty Street, along the line of which
5 5 the tracks of the railroad run, simply beggar
i description. While hundreds were engaged
in firing the cars and making certain the
destruction of the valuable buildings at the
It outer depot, thousands of men, women and
: children were engaged in pillaging the cars
e The men, armed with heavy sledges, would
d break open the cars, and then the contents
}. would be thrown out and carried off by
1t those bent on profting by the reign of ter
Is ror existing. The street was almost com
IS pletely blockaded by persons laboring tt
1T carry off the plunder they had gathered to
e gether. In hundreds of instances wagon
1t were pressed into service to enable thieve
rs to get away with their goods. Mayor Nc
lie Carthy, early in the day, endeavored t.
ID stop the pillage, but the handful of mel
Is at his command were unable to control tn
lie crowd, who were desperate in their anxiet
er to secure goods. AT one time the pillag
was checked, but the mob fired the ears
d and then proceeded with the work of de
rs struction. 1t is impossible to form an
tn idea of the amount of goods stolen, bu
d. hundreds of thousands of iollars will no
in cover the loss.
IL LATER FROM ALL POINTS.
~ July 49, 5 a. NAT late hour the stu;
. tion has some features of encouragement
a. The mob which, for twenty-four hours hel
,k possession of the city of Pittsburg, seems
IL have spent its fury and grown more quie
e The forces of law and order have becom
better organized and it is believed they wi
,h' be able to prevent repetition of the terr
ne BILE scenes of yesterday.
~ A significant feature of the news is tn
" decision of the Pittsburg & Fort Wayn
re road to accede to the terms of the striker
ny and restore the wages that were paid pr
e4 s vious to June 10. President Shoempker ais
", publishes an address to the employees of tt
nc c., III. & D. road, assuring them that the r
us duction which was announced to take etfe
to-day will not be made, and that their wag
will hereafter be paid more promptly.
There is report that the Pennsylvan
H1e road will fix up compromise with its mt
Us, to-day, but itlacks definite authority. Pre-:
ne al. dent Jewett announces that under no co
ey The strike on the Pan Handle which
rs, was hoped might be averted, has begun. {
ate the Marietta & Cincinnati a strike has be
voted down almost unanimously by t
hes men. This is the day for paying off t
ur. men on the o. & M. road, and strike
ted looked for in that quarter. In other dir
md tions the status of affairs has not materia
ers. changed, although at all railroad poll
her there is a feverish expectation of trouble.
by At Pittsburg, the loss of the ralro
yet company alone, in depot buildings, gr;
els elevators, engines, cars and freight, "
rik- amount to millions-how many it is imp
ore sible to say. The terrible work of ars
nen and pillage was done mainly by men W
ole were not connected with the strike.
'est killed and wounded in the atirays betw,
the the militia and the mob will amount
of scores-perhaps hundreds when the I
lor- history of the bloody days deed
tba | known