The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-01-09


were prepared 20 do IL, | would sup
port them with the whole power ol
the STATE. On Morday morning The
railroad companies and their EN-
ployes resumed business the freight
trains were started, and communi.
cations opened with all parts of the
country.
In the meantime, the disturbances
spread rapidly over the State. In
PhilsdeIphis, by the courage and
activity of the mayor and police.
supported by the great body of the
citizens and the press. and in Harris
burg, through the coolness and
promptness of the sheriff of Dauphin
county and the mayor of the city and
the public spirit of the citizens, who
responded to the call of the authori-
ties. the disturbances we're speedily
quelled before my arrival. 10 Read
ing, the costly railroad bridge over
the Schuylkill was burned on the ev-
ening of the twenty-second and
freight trains stopped The Sheriff
of Berks county. proving unequal to
the situation, General Reeder, with
two hucdred aud fifteen muskets, of
the Fourth infantry, National Guard
Of Pennsylvania. was sent there by
General Bolton, aud 10 severe
street fight, after dark, on the twen-
ty-third, in which many of his COM
msnd we're injured more or less sew
erely with stones, and eleven of the
crowd killed and above fifty wound
ed, the rioters were dispersed. These
troops having been subsequently, de-
morallzed by the action of the Six
teenth regiment, were Withdrawn !;
but the next day, the twenty-fouruh,
upon the arrival of a detachment of
United States troops, under Colonel
Hamilton, the road was re-opened.
la the middle coal field of Luzerne
county, the miners, under the pre-
vailing excitement, struck on the
twenty-ftth of July, aud all trains
were stopped upon the roads running
through that region. At Scranton,
on the first of August, large body
of men, endeavoring to drive the
workmen from the railroad shops ana
factories, We're courageously dispers-
ed by the mayor and his posse, in
which conflict that officer was severe
ly injured and three Of the rioters
killed and q number wounded. AS
the trouble was serious aud threaten
ing, and rapidly growing bey ond
control of the mayor and his small
force, brave and determined as they
were, | directed the First Division,
under General Brinton, to hasten the
proposed movement to that region,
following Immediately with other
forces and on the third of August,
the railroads were once more put in
to regular operation. A body of
troops, regular and militia, were
stationed there until the early part
of November, when all fears Of any
disturbances being removed, they
were Withdrawn. Slight outbreaks
which had occurred in various other
places had been easily suppressed,
either by the local authorities or the
presence Of the United States or
State troops; aud before the middle
of August ali the railroads through
out the State We're running on sched-
ule time, and by the early part of
November, all manifestations of
lawlessness had disappeared. For
full details of the military movements
here outlined, | refer you to the re-
port of the Adju.ant General and ac-
companying documents.
When called upon, the Federal
government promptly responded, and
throughout the troubles the State
was greatly indebted for the coopera-
tion and moral support of the regular
troops. Upon their final withdrawal,
| addressed letters to the President
and General Hancock, (Which will be
found in the Appendix acknowl-
edging our sense of the services Of
the army, and the increased respect
and appreciation of our people for its
admirable conduct in the State.