Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-07-25

the rioters, some Of whom rushed madly
about with flaming torches iu their
bands applying them to the cara indis-
crilnirateiy.
An slarm was sounded and the de-
partment promptly responded, but the
rioters, who had complete CONTROL Of
the city, refused to permit them to
make any effort to ext,pguish the flames.
They said they were determined to de-
stroy the rsiiroad company's property,
but no injury to that belonging to pri-
vate citiisns. They kept their word
too, and when lumber pile be longing
to citizen teok FIRE the rioters them
l'selves turned and helped to extinguish
the flames and remove the lumber to
safe plsce.
Train after train was fred by the in
furiated crowd, but the cars were SO
far distant from the round house thst
the heat did not seriously affect the
military, although b their position was
one of peril. Finally large party of
strikers captured car filled with coke
which they ran from the Allegheny
Va ley road track to siding connect
Ing with tue Pennsy lvauia road They
then procured large Quantities Of petro
leum and pouring it over the coke, ig
nited the materials, and in very few
minutes the car was a mass Of FIRE and
it was then pushed along the tracks
and forced against the round house
The building was soon ignited, and the
soldiers were now compelled to prepare
to feht their way out through the fren-
zied mass Of humanity clamoring for
their blood
The building did not burn As rapidly
as was desired and the mob bent OF
revenge rushed out on the road and
sent burning trains toward the doom
building.
From midnight until 5 o'clock in tie
morning the main efforts of the crowds
were directed TO firing the buildings
and cars, but about half an hour later
the mob which had been besieging the
military, left for some unexplained rea-
son. This afforded the troops who we're
in actual danger of being roasted alive
an opportunity to emerge from the
building. and they succeeded in reach
ing Liberty street IN a very few mo-
ments. They quickly formed in line
and marched up to Thirty third street
and thence TO Penn avenue and Butler
street. Their objective point was the
United States Arsenal on Butler street,
where they expected to obtain shelter.
While turning into Butler street,
however, the leaders had discovered
their retreat and fully 1000 men
armed and supplied with ammunition,
followed in pursuit. Some of the
troops fired at citizens either acci-
dentally or Intentionally as they were
going along, and this added fury to
the cry for revenge. When they
reached the arsenal the commandant
F, refused to admit them. He said he
ha1 but ten men and would be power
less to hold the place if the mob
should attack it. He consented to
take care of the wounded and they
We're accordingly carried into the
hospital. The main body of the
troops continued their march out
Butler street, a frisilade being kept
on them by the mob as they moved
forward. The shot fired killed one
of the soldiers before they reached
the arsenal, and nearly opposite the
cemetery gate, fully a mile above the
arsenal, two others were killed and
were left lying on the sidewalk They
continued their flight and crossed
over to the north side of the Ale
gheny river on the Sharpsburg bridge,
the mob following them as rapidly as
possible. After reaching the north
side the troops scattered, and in this
way the mob was divided into very
small bodies.
In the meantime the city was in a
state of anarchy. Thousands who
had not joined In the pursuit of the
fleeing troops gathered about the
burning buildings and trains and as
sisted in spreading the flames where
ever they had not been applied.
In the round house were l25 first
class locomotives which had been hous
ed in consequence Of the strike. These
were totally destroyed, but even the
laao ,.k.nh ~-,Il
in this Item, it is but a trife IN the ag-
create damage done. The scenes trans
pliing on Liberty street, along the line
OF which the tracks OF the railroad run,
simply beggar description. While
hundreds were engaged in firing the cars
aud making certain of the destruction
of the valuable buildings at the outer
depot, thousands of men women and
children were engaged In pillagiDg the
cars. Men armed with heavy sedges
would break open the cars and then
the contents weuld be thrown out and
carried of by those bent on profting by
the reign of terror reiguing.
The street was almost completely
blockaded by persons laborirg to carry
off the plunder they had gathered to
getber. In hundreds of instances
wagons we're pressed into service 10
enatle the thieves to get away with
their goods. Mayor Mccarthy early
in the day endeavored to stop the p,l-
lage but the handful Of men a, his com
mand was unable to control the crowd,
who were desperate in their anxiety to
to secure tie goods. The pillage was
checked, but tue mob fred the cars and
then proceeded with the work of de-
struction.
1t is impossible to form any idea of
the amount of goods stolen, but hun
drejs of thousands of dollars will not
cover the loss. Some of the scenes,
notwithstanding the terror which seem
ed to paralyzs peaceable and orderly
citizens, we're ludicrous in the highest