Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1877-07-30
THE GREAT RAILROAD RIOTS.

against the 10 per cent reduction in
their wages, and their first rebellious
acts in stopping the passage of freight
trains at Martinsburg, West Va, the
terminus of the Eastern Division Of the
road, we're chronicled in our last weeks
issue. From that small beginning there
has arisen q vast instruction, spreading
from the Atlantic to the Mississippi
River, and which has thus far been ac-
companied by terrible loss of life and
the wanton destruction of millions of
dollars worth of property. All the
great trunk railroad lines are involved
in the trouble, to greater or less ex-
tent, so that all transcontinental travel
and transportation is for the time block
AIDED. The Militia of Maryland, Vir-
ginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio
and States west are under arms, and
the Federal troops have been called for,
and their aid extended to the States of
Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsyl-
vania. In conflict with mob Bal
timore on Friday evening regiment of
Militia was forced to fire upon its as
sailants, and eight men were killed and
many wounded. A Philadelphia regi-
ment Of Militia, under command Of Gen.
A. l.. Pearson, was attracked in Pitts
burg, Penn, and the men fred upon the
mob, killing over 80 persons and wound
ing larger number. The regiment
was then forced to take shelter in the
nd-house, where they were besieged
by the rioters all night. They were
finally driven out by the firing Of the
building. and in the running fight that
ensued, while the soldiers were seeking
place Of refuge, many citizens and
militiamen were killed. The mob then
set FIRE to the railroad buildings and
rolling stock, and destroyed nearly So
100000 worth of property. Four COM
panies Of militia fred upon a crowd in
Reading, Penn, Monday night, and
killed four people and wounded 20 or
80 others.
The greatest loss Of lives was at Bal
timOre and Pittsburgh, though there
was moro or less firing by the troops in
other cities. Anything like detailed
statement of the trouble in the various
localities would occupy the space of a
dozen newspapers. The news Of the
strike on the Baltimore and Ohio road
was carried by the telegraph and daily
press over the United States in two days
and as suddenly discovered, excitement
strikes and riots commenced in every
section, except New England and the
South. AS soon as possible the STATE
fore the troop could reach the scene o.
danger. they were too late to be Of SER
vice in some instances. The striker
and the rowdy element that united will
them in many instances closed factorie
and workshop, ordering the employer
to abandon work. In some of the Goa
and iron mines the excitement ran higl
and business was suspended.
During the latter part Of thew
order began to reign and a more power
full state Of affairs exists. 1t is utterl
impossible to make any estimate Of tn
damage done to railroad property, bu
it is far up in the millions. Of tn
lives lost, perhaps 125 would be fai
estimate.
The great misfortune Of the whol
matter, is the discovery by the laboreI
and the large number of idle and Law
less men in the country, that they ca
mass together and put in defiance Ii
State, and for the time being the FEEDER;
authorities. Some of this element ma
have temporarily gained something b
plumber and theft and will be all Il
more ready to engage in riots al
strikes hereafter. Unless the severe ar
Of the law is laid on all ring-leade
and active participants in the late &C
of lawlessness there will be great dang
Of repeated outbreaks.
Looked at from any standpoint, this
very serious affair to the whole countr
Business has been greatly injur
and will be for some time to come
the excitement and delay in freig
transportation. 1t will take some til
to get some of the railroads in runni
order.
The strikers in some few instanC
have succeeded in making compromi
with the railroad affairs, and have CT
ried their points in most instances tn
have been unsccessful. The loss
property, great as it is, will in the e
have to be paid for by the working ella
es, and thus while they have sought
to obtain redress for supposed or r
injuries, they have burned their o
houses down over their heads in
vain hope Of obtaining shelter elsewhC
They have fomented a strife that n
be but the beginning of trouble t
will tax the energies of the natior
control.
While it is probably true that
wages Of many railroad employees
other labOrers are very low, and tina