The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-11

Of the community Is illustrated somewhat In the
fact that a number of strikers arrested few
days ago by the sheriff. when released on bail,
were sworn in as city policemen and came In
conflict with the State officers represented by
the deputy sheriffs. In this crisis there appears
to have been no alternative than the one resorted
to-that Of ordering the State troops to the
scene. No arrests have occurred since the one
mentioned early this morning, and the streets of
the city, and particularly the railroads, have
been shorn of all the excitement which prevailed
all of yesterday afternoon and night
From personal survey Of the yards, this
morning. in which the incendiary fires Of last
night occurred, the following is summary of
the destruction: In the Cairo Short-lne yards
two empty box-cars of the Burlington road were
burned and one cabocsecar and six box. cars of
the Cairo Short-line road. d.'~The property was
completely destroyed, only the trucks remain
ing. The track scale and scale house Of the
Cairo road was also burned. In the yards Of the
Illinois & st. Louis road, near the rolling-mill,
fourteen box-cars, three of which were loaded
with oak bridge-ties and one with coal, were
completely burned. Some further damage oc-
Cured in the Cairo Short-line yards, further out,
but its exact character has not yet been learned.
1t was the evident intention to destroy the car
repair shops and round-house of the Cairo road,
and the early presence of the troops alone pre-
vented this. Groups OF men stood in the near
vicinity of the fires, but made no effort to sub
due the flames or to save any Of the threatened
property. This all devolved on the sheriff, a
few railroad shopmen, three or four Of whom
tenaciously remained on duty, and the troops.
A detachment of the Dsnville battery arrived
this morning to take charge of Gatling gun
brought from Springfield Company A, Fifth
Infantry, from Virden, arrived at IL A. NJ, max
ing nine companies of infantry and the gun de-
tachment constituting the force on the grounds.
A few of the strikers have approached near
the relay depot in squads, throughout the fore
noon, and watched the movements of the troops.
Some of those known to the railway officials
leaders Of the violent section have been pointed
out and placed under arrest. Seven or eight of
these men are now under an armed guard near
the relay depot Shortly after IL o'clock o
striker named Alexander Sweeney was chal-
lenged by a sentry named Kent private in
Company G, Fifth Infantry To an injunction
to Move on,' he drew revolver, and, remark
ing. "You are too pretty to shoot" turned to
walk away, but, turning abruptly, fred at Kent
The latter simply dubbed his musket knocked
away the revolver, and took the man in charge.
He was placed among the others arrested The
affair created no special excitement, although
the shot was fired directly in the line of the
troona md civilians ahout the danot
A walk through the business and residence
streets gives the impression that the city Is de-
serted and dead, except that now and then clus-
ters of sullen men are to be seen at street inter
sections watching, at distance, the movements
Of the troops. The saloons are closed, and nearly
every store is closed with windows and doors
barred. The troops have now been distributed
in platoons and companies at the principal yards
and shopss and in the vicinity of the large ele-
waters on the levee along the Mississippi river.
report of last nights fires says: The total
number of cars burned at the several yards was
forty-two, representing total loss Of about $32,
600 exclusive of the merchandise of the fourteen
cars on the Illinois and ST. Louis roads. All were
loaded, and their contents were utterly de-
stroyed. Nine coal cars and niue loaded box
cars the Cairo Short-line road, near the river,
were burned, and more than five hundred
cars, by actual count, lined the tracks,
and were indisputably doomed to destruction.
The st. Louis fire department dispatched two
fire steamers to the scene, but watching crowd
cut the hose and warned the chief of the fire
squadron to return to ST. Louis, which injunc-
tion he obeyed In the Louisville e Nashville
yards the condition Of affairs was very similar.
eyard was filed with cars. and imm ediately ad-
joining long row of wooden structures awaited
certain destruction by the spread of the flames.
Four distinct fires were now in progress-at the
Louisville & Nashville yards, on side-track of
the Illinois & st. Louis, and at two points the
Cairo Short-line. The incendiaries who lighted
the fires on the latter road procured from one of
the cars several barrels of OIL which were en-
ployed to commence the blaze among the cars.
The entire work of vandalism indicated know
ledge and premeditation, with no one to lend
staying hand to stop the destruction
until the small detachment of troops put
confined to their comparatively narrow areas.
The work of the soldiers in this respect, at least
proved very effective. A general manager of one
Of the roads, who witnessed the scenes of last
night, declared that all of the property Of the
the railroad companies would positively have
been wiped out before morning but for the in
terposition of the soldiery
The hotels in the city and all proprietors Of
shops have been warned not to entertain or har-
Dor any of the soldiers which is the occasion, in
part. for the closing Of ali the hotels, with the
exception Of the Martelle House, which has been
taken as headquarters for the officers com
manding the troops.
This afternoon larger crowds have assembled
on Broadway, and, thus far, the troops have not
in any way caused their dispersion. They have
failed to make any demonstration, and there is