The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1877-07-26
The Eastern Riots.

For some days past, a large portion of the East
has been the scene of fearful riots More than
week ago, strike commenced among the en-
ployees of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, on
account of a proposed reduction of wages IL
soon assumed alarming proportions, and the Gov
ernor of West Virginia was unable to suppress 1t
with the militia. He called upon the President
of the United States for assistance, and all the
troops within reach were sent along the road
All business was stopped, and the strike has not
vet been suppressed. In Baltimore bloody scenes
occurred. and a number of persons wore killed.
But little destruction of property has resulted.
The strike rapidly spread over the country,
embracing Pennsylvania, Western New York, a
large portion of Ohio, reaching to st. Lous, and
even including the Union Pacific Road. But the
most fearful doings were at Pittsburg. The en-
ployees of the Pennsylvania Road struck, and
soon the entire working population of that busy
hive, embracing miners, iron-workers, and the
hands from all the shops, turned out to aid them.
The militia were called out, but were powerless
to restore order. They fired upon the crowds,
killing many, which only served to enrage the
mob. In turn the soldiers were pursued, and
many Of them killed Their commander was
dangerously wounded, and the Sheriff of Ale
ghany County killed, The city was at the mer-
cy of the mob. The railroad strikers showed no
disposition to destroy property, but the worst
elements of society embraced the opportunity to
plunder. Stores were broken open, and freight
cars were entered, and their contents carried
away by men, women and children. The fine
Union Depot and Hotel st Pittsburg was burned;
the round house, with one hundred and twenty
Eve locomotives, was destroyed; and hundreds
of freight cars with their contents, were burned.
Bridges in various parts of the State have been
burned, and the railroad company alone has lost
several millions of dollars worth of property.
An immense amount of private property has also
been destroyed. The riot is subsidiug, and order
being restored, but still general blockade
tinues.
In New York, Ohio, and other places, the
strikes were serious, bat nowhere SO Obstructive
as at Pittsburg. But most of the railroad busi-
ness is suspended. Outside of Pittsburg, the
worst condition of things existed at Newark,
Ohio, where a dreadful riot was imminent.
noticeable feature in these troubles has
been, that the citizens generally sympathized
with the strikers; and the MALTA, in most plac-
es, fraternized with the strikers, and refused to
fire upon them. Some of tho railroads suppress
ed the strike by resembling the orders for reduc-
tion of wages but the Pennsylvania Company
say they are determined to maintain the stand
they have taken.
These strikes and riots have meaning, which
it were well to heed in time Labor has rights
which capital and monopolies must respect. A
majority of men wish to live honestly, and cor
porations must allow them to do it. Govern
ment must protect the rights of the poor as we'll
as of the rich. For years, legislation has been
principally in the interest of Corporations and
Capital. 1t is time something were being done
for Labor.