Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-07
CL0UDS0F H0TSTEAM
We're Used as a Weapon by an Engi-
neer of the White Hall &. Z.
AGAINST DIGGERS OF A GAS MAIN.
Trench Workers Throw Down Their Tools
and Run for Their Lives.
AN ENGINE AS A WEAPON IN A hot WAR

AS early as o'clock yesterday morning
the vicinity of South Twenty-frst and Sgd
ney streets was the scene of great excite
ment, caused by trouble between the White
Hall Railroad Company and the Mononga-
hela Natural Gas Company. The gas COM
pany had several hundred men laying 30
inch gas main along Sydney street, and yes
terday morning they intended to lay the
pipe underneath the railroad track. But
they had evidently reckoned without their
host-the engineer of engine No. 800 of the
White Hall Railroad.
The latter had been posted as to the time
the men were to commence digging trench
underneath the track, and as soon as the
diggers approached the engine came snort
ing and puff ng down the road. Arrived in
the middle of the street the iron horse
stopped. Then the engineer pulled open
the steam valve, and in few seconds clouds
of seething steam came Kissing across the
trenches. The men in the ditch were nearly
frightened out of their wits.
PRECIPIrATE FLIGHT.
The Italians and Hungarians threw down
the picks and shovels and fled for their
lives. The engineer on 800 seemed to enjoy
the fun, and continued to blow off volumes
OF steam until his engine was literally en-
veloped in a big white cloud. Then, by
way of accompanIment,h he blew the engines
whistle.
By this time the entire neighborhood had
become aroused, and the place was covered
with people from all around. The men at
work in the trench came up, and in few
moments thre were several hundred of them
surrounding the engine. In the meantime
the engineer had 'let up" with his sport.
The diggers, evidently, believed the engi-
neer had no more steam, and they Immedi-
ately jumped into the ditch again to resume
their work. However, this was apparently
what the man on the engine was waiting for,
and no sooner were the men in the trenches
again than another blast of steam came
whizzing around their ears.
Then the contending parties began to
parley. The employees of the gas company
claimed that they had orders to lay the pipe
underneath the track, and the engineer as
serted as positively that he had orders to
prevent them from doing any such thing.
In this manner
FOUR HOURS WERE WASTED.
Whenever the men made an attempt to
get into the ditch the engineer would re-
sumo operations with the steam valve. At
last the diggers got disguised, and. putting
their tools down, they squatted around. on
the ground.
"We can waltz was the expression they
hurled at the engineer. with an air of deti-
ance.
"And so can Ii' that man replied; and. to
emphasize his remark, he blew the whistle
again.
Thus the controversy continued until
about noon, when the engineer received an
order from the superintendent OF the rail-
road to cease operations. That order was
effective, but the engineer did not seem to
like it.
"Hurrahl hurrahp' yelled the men in the
bitches. 1--WE have won the day, after allps
This was followed by the jeers and laughter
OF the people as the engine pulled away.
The contractor of the gas company had
sent committee to wait upon the Superin-
tendent of the White Hall Railroad, and
the difficulty was settled.
1t was stated to a reporter last night that
the railroad company was afraid the
trenches underneath the track might DAM
age the roadbed, and on that account they
raised the formidable objection.